Copper showing in gold coin

Hi folks,

I have a 1914 indian head quarter eagle which I purchased raw from a reputable dealer. I always assumed it was authentic and really have no reason to think otherwise. Lately, however, I have seen many people worrying about counterfeit indian head gold coins. The last time I looked at the coin, it had a small spot of copper showing toward the bottom of the eagles tail on the reverse. I know pictures would help, however I cannot access my collection at this time. Generally speaking, is a tiny spot of copper showing on a 90% gold coin a positive or negative trait? I have heard conflicting opinions.

Thanks!

 

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That would be a little concerning !!

 

Here's a thread that has been debating/discussing copper or red-spots on gold coins:

Red spots on .9999 pure gold coins?

 

Not really, it's quite common.

 

Copper spots aren't supposed to lower a coin's grade, but I wouldn't buy one with detracting spots.

 

I'm not a scientific expert on the subject but I do know that some gold has copper naturaly laced within it. I live and prospect gold in the Black Hills of SD and our local gold is abot 80% pure from the ground. When I melt my fines, sometimes the glob has a coating of copper and silver on the outside. I presume the lighter metals rise to the surface and I use a touch of nitric acid to disolve the non gold metals. Now consider that Homestake goldmine pulled 40 million OZ out over 135 years and shipped it all to Denver in the early days in 100 lb. blocks (to keep thieves from going far with their loot). Our local mining history is really cool. So imagine that in 1914 what the standards were in the refining process, not quite what I would expect out of a modern gold buffalo or double eagle. I also see many gold coins offered in the Bowers and HA catalogs that have copper spotting. I would rely on die characteristics to determine authenticity and worry if your coin is missing the ones that the many books outline. Be glad the spot is on the tail and not on the portraits nose!

 

OK, I just read the earlier post KRISPY provided and realize modern bullion tones as well. I still think it lies in the the many mining (a search on cyanide leaching for instance) and refining steps that take place to bring such a product to market. That much meddling with anything will leave a labyrinth of conditions mostly impossible to explain or reproduce. Just an average guy explanation though

 

I would suspect that a copper spot on a ?100? year old coin is a good thing for authenticity - this is supposed to be 90% gold + 10% copper - this alloy can be thought of as 2 separate solids in a mixture that is slowly moving together - showing small spots of 100% gold and 100% copper. In another 100 years, there will be bigger/more copper spots

 

Copper spots are a sign that the coin is both real and (to a lesser extent) hasn't been dipped recently.

As long as they are not overly distracting, most collectors of gold don't consider them a problem.

Hope this helps...Mike

 

True.

Don't forget your Indian $2.5 is 10% copper. Nations generally don't make 100% gold coins for circulation, as gold is too soft.

It certainly is not an indicator the coin is fake. Quite the opposite; as Mike pointed out, it suggests authenticity.

 

In a strange way, this gives me comfort since there are minute "copper" spots in the devices of my Charlotte Quarter Eagles I just sent to NGC for authentication.

 

Many folks view copper spots on classic US gold coinage as a sign of likely authenticity. Also, if one dips gold then more of the copper will be leached out of the surfaces and the coin will appear brighter with less spots on it. Given the information in the thread, I would not be concerned about this coin.

 

I love toned gold let's you know it's original

 

By way of example, here is a coin with a few copper spots (the most prominent between N and I in UNITED):

 

So it only took me almost 8 years, but I finally got my hands back on my collection (safe keeping, right?) and got some (not very good) images of the coin. The majority of the "copper" is at the bottom of the eagles tail on the reverse. The two posts before this have exponentially better pictures. These pictures do not do the coin justice, it is a bit scratched up but I believe genuine. The white marks on the picture are glare from the 2"x2"

 

I have a 2007 $ 50 Gold Buffalo PF-69 with a Blood orange Bullet Hole in the side of the Buffalo. (Copper composition bleed through).
Maybe Gen. George Armstrong Custer shot him.

 

A 1912 2 1/2 is a top 10 most counterfeited coin according to ngc.

 

Um, this is .9999 pure gold. What copper composition?

 

The million dollar question...LOL