I don't think it's plated. Looks like an Impropper alloy mix "woody" error to me Let's see what @BadThad thinks but if it was plated the alloy streaks wouldn't show. The plating would cover them over and how would the streaks reappear over the plating. @SuperDave might wanna see it too
I'm inclined to think that it's an alloy issue. Had it been plated, the rim would have the same finish. Very, very interesting coin to me.
I like it. A nice au+ 1929-p woody. There would certainly be room in my woody cent collection for it.
Please never ever ever hold coins like this again. Totally could scratch and hurt a valuable coin. And I also think it is a woody, no plating or anything. Looks like a keeper to me! (hope you didn't damage it!)
That works; jwitten didn't notice the wrap (I did, which is why I didn't flame you ). All the same, it's preferable to lean it against something and bring camera to coin if you can come up with an appropriate rig.
That's ok If I am corrected. I learn lots of things from that. Yes, someone on here told me to never use metal tongs, so I put tape around them to prevent any damage to the coins. Once, before I bought the tongs, used a tootsie roll to hold it up. Lol.
A lot of the "OMG NeverDoThis" advice offered is a hedge against a worst-case scenario; it's intuitive that there are ways you can handle a VF coin that you'd never even consider for an MS67 example. You have to err on the side of caution, though, and assume the audience - as much the folks reading and not posting as you and I - has never heard any of it before and needs to learn the requisite caution before anything else.
