I think i made a mistake buying this coin. It is one of a few i bought during my summer vacation in the US, and which i regretted almost as soon as i bought it. Be it as it may. My question for you guys concerns the color, condition, (and authenticity): This coin is actually green in color, ("emerald green with a sprinkling of dust"). Very much like copper or bronze coins which are retrieved from the ground. I have never seen one like it. All of my large cents are of various shades of brown. It does not appear to be porous or corroded, just the obverse surface appears finely grainy. Unfortunately the photo does not really bring out the true color. PS- I've had some difficulties attributing it definitely. What do you all think? Regards, Eduard
The coin appears to be authentic to me. I see no evidence of it being counterfeit. The green is just copper oxidizing. Do some homework before you do anything to the coin, but I've seen this kind of stuff come off with acetone (do not use nail polish remover, as it often has additives -- find pure acetone instead). I've also seen some success with a low-acidity olive oil soak. There are plenty of copper experts around here who may be able to provide more advice.
Thank you Borgovan, i hope you are right. What go me off is that i could not conclusively attribute it as any of the Sheldon varieties for the year 1808. Very difficult with my Breen book. here are some better pictures (i hope). Interestingly, the dealer i bought it from, (and who refused to take it back), also recommended i soak it in olive oil and that would cause it to turn brown.....never tried that.
Looks like a S-277 to me. Looks like the coin as some nice details. Sorry can't help on what acetone would do, but if you try it please post after pictures.
Eduard, Nice coin! Like borgovan, I also believe that the color is due to Copper Oxide which has more than likely permeated the dirt which is apparent on the coin. Since the Copper oxidation commonly referred to as Verdigris will continue to do damage to the coin, I believe that you need to get it into some Acetone as soon as possible. After that, a good...long soaking in a low acid Olive Oil will loosen some of the dirt as well as restore some of the underlying brown and chocolate brown color. After the soaking, you can lightly rub the surface of the coin (while it is still covered in Olive Oil) between your fingers to loosen more of the dirt, then rinse in distilled water and pat dry in a towel. I think that after the above, there will be a significant difference in the appearance of the coin! Frank
Thank Mark, thank you Frank for the advice. I have already put it in olive oil, let us see what it looks like in a couple of weeks. Regartds, Eduard
The coin appears to be lightly rough and porous. Acetone will not do anything to this coin. If there is crud on the coin olive oil will eventually soften it and allow its removal. Extended soaking may lighten the color some but probably will not help with the green color. (It may subdue the green for awhile but as the oil evaporates the green will return.) Probably the only way to get rid of the green would be some careful recoloring. I know that green can bother some people but I happen to like the coin.
I agree with Mark, it's a S-277. :thumb: If I get something in with green corrosion, I will soak it for a "while" in vinegar, just long enough to remove the coating, then soak it in olive oil to finish it off. Some peeps don't think cleaning a coin is a good thing but I think leaving a copper coin corroded is worse, since it will never get better on its own, it will only get worse. By removing the corrosion, you can stop the destructive process and then coat it wth a corrosion inhibiter. I like it! So since you don't, just send it to me. Ribbit
Please forgive me for bringing up a 4 year old thread, but I just saw it. It appears to me to be S-277 Die state II or III. The spur on the right side of T of LIBERTY is evident. The Reverse seems a little off because the leaf at C appears more distant than usual, but this could be strike related or less wear in dies than the usual state it is seen in. The leaf under F is on the right side so both sides are consistent with S-277. The die state is before IV where a crack develops at D and after at least one set of clash marks putting it after I. I'm not good at counting clash marks so I can't get the final determination between II or III. I am interest to know if you still have it and whether your treatment has made it more or less appealing.
And to kick in the fact that it's a Classic Head LC, it trumps a lot of other pieces in the same grade. These are just plain pricey and hard to find problem free with a strong strike.
Sorry, Marshall, I somehow overlooked the fact that this thread had been resuscitated. Anyway, I took some more pictures yesterday of the coin in question. It's a couple of I years ago now, but if I remember, I had it in olive oil for about 2 months. This is what it looks like now. The appearance did not improve, in my opinion. If anything, the rough obverse surface is now more pronounced. The reverse is smoother. I believe this is a metal detector find, as it partly shows the typical surface of dug copper coins. As I said, not one of my best LC purchases.
