Hello again. I have now found my second error coin of all time, but the black spots on it have me at a crossroads. I want to have this coin graded, but would these spots hurt or prevent the grading? If so, is there a zero-risk method of removing black spots from Nickel? A quick dip in acetone didn't do much if anything. Pictures attached. Thanks!
Those are called carbon spots not an error,from improper storage and exposure.Sadly i don't think there removable and I would let the coin be.
It looks in incredible condition for it's age. I would look at other graded examples for an idea on wether it would be worthwhile to send in.
Here are the recent solds on eBay. May be worth sending in.... https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fr...uffalo+nickel&_sacat=0&rt=nc&LH_Sold=1&LH_Com
Yeah, I was shocked when i found it in a small set of worn coins. Everytime I find a really good one though, it seems like there is always some detraction. Those black spots are annoying! lol
I have thought about this all night. I am taking it to my local guy who is a much better grader than I am. Despite my insistence that it is MS, for all I know it is Au. Lol. Has happened before... If high enough grade, I may consider NCG conservation.
For Information It is not an error, it would be a variety, on all coins struck by that die until the die was retired, polished or deteriorated. Something that was deliberately created into the die cannot be an error.
I'm pretty sure it is low AU. This picture in particular shows what sure looks like wear to me. The darker grey color on the hair, that indicates one of two things, wear, or areas where the luster was eaten away by severe toning. And it having wear would indicate why you found it - As for the dark spots, I reasonably certain they are not carbon spots, but that is what a whole lot of people commonly refer to them as when spots like this are seen on coins. Real carbon spots are tiny little pieces of impurities embedded in the metal and they cannot be removed. What i Believe you have here is a coin that was at one point toned black. This is indicated by the small black areas, some of them quite tiny, scattered pretty much over the entire coin. And this is a look that is quite common on coins that were toned black and then dipped. The black still seen, is the remains of toning that was not completely removed by the dip.
Those black spots are small corrosion spots. They can be caused by something like flecks of dandruff sitting on the coin for a couple decades. They are not chemically removable. I've seen people use a needle, but this will create other problems by damaging the metal. Even with the D/S, it's not a valuable coin worth sending in unless you expect a Gem grade, which is not likely.
My local guy has a hunch that it was ever so slightly circulated. As I am still learning and excited, I sent it in. I think I will keep my first few found varieties/errors for sentimental value, and having them encapsulated is worth it to me. Thanks for all the help!
It’s the D over an S mint mark. Not an error, just a variety. Shame about those carbon spots. Despite the over mint mark it’s not worth the price to send in for grading.
