Hi, my name is Mike and I've just got back into coin collecting...I try and collect as much pcgs and ngc high grade coins as i can afford, but i also would like to fill my Morgan Dollar books up with "raw" coins...Everything has been going along smoothly and i feel i have been getting some decent deals on yahoo and ebay...Today I received a AU 1886-S which i have attached the link to. For some reason, the s mint mark to me doesn't appear to match the rest of the coin...I have looked at it close and there are no marks around it and no halo effect except on the left side. The mark seems "dirtier" than the rest of the coin. Anyway, what is the best way to determine if it is authentic....will acetone cause it to drop off if it has been added? also what role does acetone play in collecting and where can i buy it...i know it probably comes in fingernail polish remover...can that be used? Coin in question: http://page.auctions.shopping.yahoo.com/auction/83881527?aucview=0x70
Sorry, I don't know much about detecting added mint marks, but -- Acetone will cleanup a lot of junk on coins like pvc and tape residue. You can purchase it at a good paint store. Don't use nail polish remover as it has a lot of added chemicals. Good luck with your collection.
Howdy Mike - Welcome to the Forum !! Based on the pic you provide there is no way anyone can tell if the mint mark is added or not. And there really is no way this can be confirmed or not except by someone knowledgeable in the field. You can look for tool marks in the area or signs of glue residue but if you are not familiar with these you likely wouldn't know it if you saw it. I would suggest having someone who does know examine the coin in person. As for acetone - I would certainly not suggest that one who is inexperienced with using it use it at all. I know many collectors feel it is harmless to coins. There are however many other knowledgeable people who do not share this thinking. Acetone will definitely harm copper coins for example. And since nearly all US coins have at least a small percentage of copper in them - well you get the idea. Dipping, soaking or attempting to clean or conserve coins in anything is best left to the experts.
yes, i realize that nothing can be gleaned from the picture, thanks for all the info. i had read or heard one time, long ago, that if you dropped acetone on an added mint mark it would fall off. That would be my only use for acetone in the beginnings of my coin collecting...looking at it closely, if it is added, it was done so meticulously, not much to be seen but a bit of halo on the left side....it may be possible that the mint mark has just trapped some grime or whatever which makes it appear a tad darker than the coin as a whole. again, thanks a lot; i am glad i found this place!
Mike - It would likely be true that if a mint mark were added to a coin with certain types of glue that the addition of acetone would disolve the glue and cause it to fall off. There are however other types of glue as well as solder that it would not affect.
You did not mention what type of device that you used for close up inspection of the mint mark. Personally we use a 7-40 power microscope. The 1886-S is usually not targeted for alteration. The mint marks on the Morgan series have a lot of issues. Since the mint mark was added to the die upon arrival with the aid of a hand punch, these marks will vary to some degree. Once the die has been polished several times, it also will appear differently. There are better ways to look for altered mint marks without the use of chemicals. If you have access to a high powered loop (10 to 15 power) or microscope, look at the base of the mint mark. You will see the metal flow lines that make up the mark. If you are still concerned about the possibility, have the coin authenticated by a third party grading service.
Since mintmarks are so small to begin with it's actually amazing that these things are faked and have been for many years now. I would recommend even higher power,possibly 60X with a stereo microscope for this kind of thing. One thing that coin collector's should not pinch pennies on is their "eyes" I have and use a Bausch & Lomb 10X triplet, a 30X lightscope (love it,and it's cheap!) and a QX3 computer microscope. Sometimes you just have to look close. ~ Jim
Great advice Jim, Collectors have a bad habit of spending most of their money on coins, and a very little on the supplies. A few must haves: 1. Quality Loupe. A. 5X or 7X for general purposes B. 10X for more detail 2. Reference books. A. Price Guide B. Grading book C. Series specific book 3. Soft cloth to cover your work area. Felt works great. Nothing worse than dropping your coin. 4. Very good quality cotton gloves. Don't want any finger prints on those uncs. 5. A good Halogen light. 6. Pen and Paper. Make lots of notes. This will allow you to not only keep track of your collection, but will also allow you to note any defects, or oddities that need further research. There are lots of others, but these are the basic needs that every collector should have at their disposal.
thanks, fortunately, my local coin dealer made sure i had the right loupe's, etc...he sold me two adn said the stronger one was for viewing mint marks, etd. while the other was to be used more for grading...I bought the red book and had read 'coin grading and counterfeit detection" by the pcgs a while back and i still refer to it quite often...I must admit, though, I am not quite as careful with my coins as i should be; i tr to make sure i hold it from the edges, but i do need to get some gloves and be a little more careful with them..
It sounds as if you are doing the basics. Learning how to hold coins properly takes practice. The edge rule applies to most situations. There are issues that have edge lettering, so one must be extra careful. If you have the ability, pick up a book that specifically deals with Morgan dollars. A VAM book would be perfect. These books will show you the placement of the mint marks, along with the major varieties.
