Copper people: Is this cleaned?

I'm not buying this coin; I'm just using eBay and other resources to learn. Others have explained how color is often the indicator of a copper coin having been cleaned. So, my untrained eye says this coin has likely been cleaned. Can anyone confirm?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1855-Braide...af78eda&pid=100150&rk=2&rkt=2&sd=222147850593

 

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yes, but not recently and not harshly.

 

Yes, not recently and not harshly.

 

Yes. Not recently and not harshly. May have a spot removal on cheek.

How did this happen???

 

It's been cleaned and has an odd color. The way the image was taken could be part of that. As a normal the coin should be a bit darker. I agree with insider of the spot.

 

Yeah, I don't like that. Chocolate brown is the way I like mine

 

Who the heck knows how the spot got there. By the way, you've got to see a doctor about continuously repeating yourself.

Chris

 

Odd. On the one hand, the images are of tremendous quality and indicate a coin with really odd surface features. On the other hand, the seller is Kevin Vinton, a well-known EAC member with a specialization in Early Copper and Colonials, who makes all the major shows on both coasts and Florida. One would reasonably expect him to disclose any surface originality issues, as he does with items listed both on his website and at least one of the pieces currently offered at auction.

If we, ahem, tone down the digital enthusiasm of overlighting for detail and in-camera .jpg processing (a problem if you don't specifically tell the camera to quit doing it), we arrive at something like this (the coin is probably darker yet in hand):





Note, I changed not a whit of the color hues because the background (it's casting shadows; he didn't crop it off the original background) is quite white, indicating he probably got the white balance and therefore color correct. All I did was reduce the brightness levels and saturation, two areas I could see were highly suspect and known problems of digital imaging.

Still unsure of the surfaces but it looks a little more realistic in these images. Either way, this is a dealer of sufficient reputation to just plain ask him his opinion of them.

 

I'm asking about the triple posting not the spot.

Concerning the spot, a competent professional authenticator/grader (which I do not claim to be!!) does not need to know any of the history of the coin in order to determine its present state of preservation, its originality, spot removals, repairs, etc. and frankly they probably don't care about any of that in the 15 to 30 seconds the coin is in their hand.

I don't care either. My personal goal is to recognize what I am seeing in the photos posted here and hopefully be correct much of the time. I don't have "skin" in the game.

 

Well, while the coin is an AU, now IMO it has been recolored sometime in the past - and the cheek kills its eye-appeal for me.

 

QUESTION? I went on to the thread: "What the hell is this?" On that thread about the OP's fake ancient coin, a poster put a link to "forgery network.com" When I went to that link, THE LARGE CET ON THIS THREAD WAS PICTURED ON EBAY! Is that just something the computer does or has someone called this coin counterfeit over there?

 

You had to type in each post. They are each different.

I get mixed up sometimes because of using the back button. Sometimes it's the vodka.

 

That spot on the cheek appears to have some "depth" to it.

 

Can't disagree. I did more playing with levels and color than I posted here (those are as much a guess as anything), and was unable to come up with a "comfortable" appearance on the reverse without altering hue, which was a red flag. Aside the spot, the obverse makes more sense. There's no EXIF data in the originals, but their quality indicates dSLR-level equipment, so I can't factor the potential for in-camera HDR processing or similar, which would affect hue.

 

The "raw" colors on the rim (esp rev) is something changing the balance/color of the image did not affect.

 

My guess is that the coin has been cleaned and started to re-tone. I would also suggest contacting Kevin, the seller, with any questions. He is a good dealer and I am sure he will disclose his opinion on the coin if you ask him.

 

I'm kind of surprised he doesn't have this one listed as a details coin. He's usually very good about that, particularly on eBay. Kevin is an excellent dealer. Several of my coins, including a favorite or two, are from him.

 

All that may be true; but the OP is not buying the coin and the coin speaks for itself.