Extremely dusty, but nice details! Picked these up today at the LCS. What do you think the dealer graded them? What do you think the actual grade is? Sorry for bad photos on the bottom two!
Also, Is that MD or Doubled Die on the "OF" and "S" in beginning of "States" on the obverse of the 1863 cent? Click to zoom in. 99.9% sure it is MD.
Don't know anything about Indian heads, but I like the first one! I'm going to take a wild very uneducated guess and say AU55, maybe even low MS IDK. Looks like a lot of detail, but then again there could be no detail in places I don't know whats supposed to be there Nice coins!
The 63 doubling you question is md or Longacre doubling . At first glance the 63 has eye appeal a closer look at the surfaces I would of passed. The 63 also has some interesting die cracks through America .The reason I wouldn't want it is due to the green rot that is on the rim. I am not a copper expert but tend to shy away from and copper coins with any sort of rot on them. Left unchecked it will spread. The 84 also shows signs of Longacre doubling. Guessing that the dealer called them Au/xf in grades. The 3 coins do have nice details as far as conditions. Would I have them graded no.
Thanks! Any idea on how I should control to green rot? And also safely remove the dust and grime from them? Acetone maybe?
No acetone on copper as it will turn the color . I'm sure the people here in the know of coppers would use Verdi-care. Can be found at Wizard coin supplies. Google Wizard coin supplies . Others may post other options so you may want to hear their views.
To be honest I've never used it on copper and have been told that it can or may cause color change. That said I've never used it on copper coins. Except nickels and have had some color changes on them . That said I personally wouldn't offer advice on something that I was uncertain.
And I don't doubt your word one bit. However, that doesn't mean it won't. That said, the green in question looks to be verdigris, and acetone will not remove it. Verdi-Care, which was suggested, will. Acetone would likely remove any dust particles that may have settled on the coins. But then so would a soak and rinse in distilled water - and that would not have the possible reaction of acetone on copper.
I don't remember exactly where we left the "agree to disagree"-ment in the last thread about acetone, copper, and color changes. There's a chemical reaction that can occur, very slowly, in the presence of strong light. There's also the possibility that acetone can remove a layer of foreign material that was giving the coin a different color. I really need to start experimenting on some of the dirty, common Wheat cents I've got lying around...
The point to acetone and copper is more nuanced than "four legs good, two legs bad." @-jeffB has it correct from a chemistry standpoint, aside the fact that in addition to the strong light, water or heavy vapor also need to be present. Copper gets the same soak in acetone for me as does every raw coin I purchase. Here's how I have them: 1863: AU53. Strong strike, pretty much everything I see is wear. 1884: EF40, weakest strike of the three. 1883: EF45. I don't think either of the last two will straight grade, which doesn't mean I don't like them. Edit to ad: I see nothing on the bottom two which makes me think intervention with either acetone or Verdicare is warranted. The top one needs to see some Verdicare, though.
Here is my example. Copper Nickel coins, like your first one. 3 of then came back MS62. The rest were AU, problem free save for the one VF one which I sold raw at auction. I bought Verdi-care, but didn't use it. I only used acetone. https://www.cointalk.com/threads/ho...these-flying-eagle-cents-sellers-pics.278838/
AU50 AU details the mark running through the bow knot on the reverse is too big imo AU details the mark above Liberty's head If net grading I'd put them both at XF45