I have a PCGS MS62 $5 1901-S liberty half eagle I bought from APMEX awhile ago. Years ago. The coin looks genuine however I think it may be plated. There is white showing through the gold. Logic tells me its genuine, however I feel my obessing coming again. What would cause this? An improper mixture of the alloy and the other metals oxidizing to the surface? Here's a picture. I was pleasantly surprised when I got the coin. I was hoping for pre 1900 but it was a pleasant golden orange color. Thanks
If it was a peson I'd say they were out in the Sun to long. How is the other side? Same as this? Was it like this when you purchased it? Odd that PCGS didn't mention that. Sure looks like extreame exposure to something.
Yes, it was this way when I purchased it. The obverse looks good. I made another thread either on these forums (or other forums, I don't remember but couldn't find the thread here) about it several years ago and people said it was just from the alloy that made the coin. Here are some other photos:
Could you say something more about puttied coins? I have a St. Gaudens $20 that has the right weight and details of a genuine coin, but the obverse also has a kind of odd bluish-white tint to it, and the reverse has some dark spots around the edges.
The subject has been discussed on this forum, but not every often. This thread will help a bit - http://www.cointalk.com/t57319/ Putty on coins is not discussed, at least on this forum, very much because few people have ever even heard of it, let alone be able to recognize it if and when they see it. But it is used a whole lot more than most would ever think. And the vast majority of people are fooled by it - even profesional graders.
Interesting. Thanks guys. I thought it was a problem free coin ..bummer. Never buying from APMEX again. Glad I spotted it, several years ago like I said I Posted it I think even Conder said it was just from the alloy, I think this was on the NGC forums.
Couldn't even if you wanted to, they stopped selling anything but bullion. And sometimes it is. But putty has different look than an alloy issue and they can be hard to tell apart. Especially based on pictures. As always, an in hand exam is required to be sure.
Gold? Tone? C'mon..... However, I've never seen gold tone like the OP's coin. Could be the pictures, but I would have the coin inspected by an expert (i.e. a dealer, CAC, or PCGS "appearance review") in-hand to be sure -- I don't like what I see in the photos....Mike
Okay, I am going to step out of my comfort zone a little. I don't collect gold coins and have no experience with putty. But my understanding was that it was almost undetectable if recently applied. Is that true?
To a large degree yes, and to untrained eyes - 100% of the time. However, there is one weakness that putty has - it cannot duplicate the look of luster. So, if you were to take a coin and turn it in the light at just the right angles, putty can be identified because of the break in the luster it causes. However, and here is why puttied coins get past professional graders; a quick look, like that used in grading, is not going to identify putty the majority of the time. The color can be matched to the coin, the spot being puttied is typically very small, so unless one is looking very, very closely you are going to miss it. Even the best can miss it. But as I said above, it can be seen, if you take the time and the care to do it.
