What would you guys grade this penny? And what would the value be? I got it in a lot of coins, the obverse has some damage I believe, but could be a foreign substance.
@Daulton The cost to get it slabbed would be as much or more than the present value of the cent. The main reasons to slab it would be to get a grade, protect the coin from damage ie. fingerprints, let the buyer know about grade so they won't low ball you, to alert your heirs that this is a special coin and to keep someone from spending it. Getting the cent slabbed will not protect the coin from the black spots growing. My suggestion would be to sell/trade the cent that doesn't have future negative issues unless of course it has sentimental value.
Nice looking piece. I'd use acetone and a cotton swab to work on the black spots, in hope of neutralizing them, maybe, though it might not do anything. I doubt it would remove them. I do not find them to be awful. I'd call the coin Choice AU, myself, perhaps AU55 to AU58. Slabbing it would be a waste of money, as mentioned, but it's definitely album-worthy.
I've gotta go with @lordmarcovan on this one. I'd soak it for a day in acetone to see if it would help remove any debris. Do not wipe or rub it, but a light roll over the bad spots with a moistened Q-tip™ might help. rinse with distilled water and pat dry. I too agree that it is AU as to the grade.
Probably grades out at 63RB. 1909 VDBs were hoarded extensively and are very very common in UNC - gotta be at least 65RB or 64RD to be worth slabbing IMO, and probably closer to 66RB or 65RD if you're submitting an individual coin.
Here is mine, which I submitted raw. it has an unbroken pedigree going all the way back to 1909, when it was part of some original rolls saved by Marion, Ohio banker Leroy D. Zachman, who was @kazuma78 ’s great-grandfather.
