I've never seen anything like the color of these shield nickels, all offered by the same seller. The listings don't say anything about the strange color. http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZgregory5657 Given that they all look the same, I supposed the most likely explanation is that they are false color pictures, but why would someone do that? I also remember from my college chemistry classes that nickel sulfate has a beautiful blue green color, so perhaps these were treated chemically in some way. I asked the seller if he can explain it.
I suspect the seller's white balance is off and the coins themselves look quite different. Furthermore, I would wager he used fluroescent lights with a daylight white balance -- which will produce greys that look green. Why not ask the seller directly (and nicely)?
I agree - it's probably the lighting. He may be using tungsten lights that give a blue hue to the coins.
Really odd. Note the background is the same and not apparently effected by whatever made the coins blue. Of course it is not known what the actual color of the background was either. You would think it's only the lighting but it is possible the seller had all his coins in some kind of location where they all got messed up. Just got to contact that seller and ask what is going on.
I'd be concerned they are fakes. I have a nice 1880 3-cent nickel that is brass underneath the silver coating and if it was exposed to salt air, it would look just like those shield nickels because if you look closer, you'll see what looks like corrosion on several of them. Ribbit, Toad :smile Ps: I have a beautiful and extremely rare (hee-hee) 1880 3-cent nickel for sale, if anyone's interested and it isn't blue. :mouth:
Shield nickels are very often corroded. I see no reason to think these are fakes. I agree with the eariler posters - the white balance was not set correctly on the camera.
