Did I just make a rookie mistake...1909 VDB cent

I'd been anticipating the arrival of this coin, advertised as a red gem BU. The seller just used a stock photo so I couldn't see what it actually looked like, but I went ahead and bought it anyway. That's on me.

The coin came today and it is indeed bright and shiny red! But it looks like it's been heavily cleaned/polished. In particular I note the sharply outlined letters on the reverse, and the overall "pebbled" surface texture. Maybe whizzed? I don't know much about this sort of thing. I'd be grateful to hear what you think - maybe (hopefully?) I'm wrong and the coin is "original"?

 

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I believe the coin has been whizzed. If the color in the photos is accurate, it’s all wrong. I’ll post a picture of a red 1909-VDB tomorrow. I’m on an iPad right now.

A Mint State piece should not have digs in the field. You should be able to return it.

 

Thanks! Yeah it's clearly not mint state - in addition to the dings, I think I see wear on the portrait and other high points. And I've seen that same pebbly texture on other whizzed coins I have.

 

I agree with it being whizzed. It has a very textured surface.

 

Here is a red one for comparison.
Probably RB but anyways.


That one is definitely messed with Meat man!

 

For those that don't know what "whizzing is".....
A whizzed cent refers to a coin that has been mechanically buffed to create a false shine, often using a wire brush or Dremel tool. This process strips away the coin's natural surface, resulting in an unnatural, harsh look that can make it appear as if it were made of chrome. Whizzing is a deceptive technique used to make coins look better, but it permanently destroys the coin's luster and value, making it one of the more aggressive forms of damage in numismatics.

 

Unfortunately that coin looks to be whizzed to me.

 

Thanks all for your input. I've packaged it up and will be returning the coin today. Live and learn!

@Pickin and Grinin and @lordmarcovan - now those are the real deal! Lovely little gems.

 

Other people have beat me to it, but here's mine. This 1909 VDB is NGC graded MS-65, Red. Locating one of these coins is never an emergincy. They were saved by the roll back in the day and are frequently availble.

 

That specific coin looks polished or whizzed and appears to be AU details. For a coin advertised as "shiny red", I'd be tearing the seller a new one as you likely paid way over what this coin is worth. On an AU details, that is possibly a $5-7 coin.

I hate that the seller deceived you like that. I've gotten an experience like that before and it wasn't fun at all.

 

I can imagine a seller moving so many 1909-VDBs that they feel compelled to use a stock photo.

I can't imagine a seller who does that and honestly believes that a coin with deep divots in the obverse fields is "gem". Never mind everything else that's been done to this coin.

Do the return, and block this seller, unless they have a really good apologetic story.

 

Let us know if the seller returns your money. He/she is either very ignorant, very careless, or very dishonest.

 

Thanks all! @johnmilton, love that mint luster!

I sent the coin back this morning. I think I'll be getting a refund as soon as USPS is in possession but haven't heard from eBay yet. The return process was pretty quick and easy.

I paid about $50 for it, low enough that it should have been a red flag I suppose. The stock photo looked good though! Here's the listing, for what it's worth:

https://ebay.us/m/ngSLrx

It looks like nice slabbed examples (red) start at around $100 in MS. What with having just bought that Morgan dollar, though, I'll probably put this one on pause for the time being.

 

This is my other VDB.

 

Look at mine, look at mine!