I'm very new to the idea of coins and their values and was recently intrigued by a friend having a 3 legged buffalo nickel come into his store and it really made me think of all the things I could have had slip right through my fingers during a typical shift. Unfortunately my eyesight makes certain colors difficult for me to see accurately though glasses help a bit. The question I have is of the 1965 quarter I have in the 2 pictures and the weird color on both of its sides. To the right is a quarter of the same year and surrounding them are various coins from various years all of which are laid on a kleenex. I don't anticipate a valuable find but found it kind of strange. Can someone please explain the what, why, how, or anything along those lines for me. Thanks guys!
Is that a common color for cases like that? I noticed it was kind of metallic in places it looked scuffed and overall pretty worn with the outter rim kind of penny colored and figured it was something along those lines. Is there any cases in which something like this would be an awesome find? Thanks again for responding and helping with my question
It's only weird until you've seen a few hundred of them. This is what environmental conditions do to clad coins. You'll see every denomination like this at one point or another.
Thanks for the insight guys! On a side note is there any potential way of cleaning a coin that has been in circulation without damaging the coin further than what it has already endured in circulation? I assume soaps and cleaners could leave films or potentially eat at the coins surface, and brushes would scratch. Not sure as if taking the time to clean something that had been circulated would be worth the time in most cases but there's always that rare occasion right?
Just don't underestimate the rarity of such an occasion. Mostly it would involve a PVC plasticizer infection, treatable with acetone, but beyond that I can think of very little overarching reason to "clean" any coin - circulated or not - ever. Just because it's ugly isn't a reason, as the result will be even uglier to anyone knowledgeable.
So what you're saying is even if the coin looks like its covered in grime the best thing to do is leave it the way it is to prevent a lower value? Even if its been circulated and has minor scratchs or wear on it from circulation? What if the coins are pre 65 and look gross like these?
That doesn't meet my numismatic definition of "gross." That's just circulation patina. And for worn, low-value coins, why bother cleaning at all? Lipstick on a pig doesn't increase the pig's value.
I like the lipstick on the pig comment lol makes sense, always like the you cant polish a EDIT: Please read the rules on Language for the forums.but you can roll it in glitter ...
