Is that the actual color of the coin or is it more red? If there is full luster, which it appears to have in the pictures... I would go MS64 without seeing it in hand.
MS 63 Alot of hits on Mr Lincoln's jacket and face And you now have oil on the coin from holding in your hand like that Paul
yes that is the color, I was shocked to see it like that. looks like it was barely in circulation, but that is where I got it... I guess I shouldn't touch it eh :headbang:
Correct, you shouldn't touch the surfaces, only hold it by the rim. Also, if that color is accurate to the coin then it has been recolored and would be body-bagged by PCGS/NGC/ICG and would be given a damaged designation if submitted to ANACS. There is no other way that a cent could acquire that particular color without it being chemically altered.
Color aside...a nice strong 64 for sure. FYI... VF30 for Lincolns: Obverse: hair is slightly detailed while the ear is mostly blended, with missing coat details that blends at the neck line. Flat spots on the beard, cheek and jaw. Reverse: Some wheat lines are worn, but most are still seperated and detailed.
Ok weird, I was just comparing the coin to the pics I took... It seems the pic makes it look gold, but really its a redish/copper tone, same tone as a new penny. Sorry I should have stated this earlier...
I dunno, I think the coin has verdigris damage - and what looks like graffiti. I have circled the areas in the pic. That sure looks like verdigris next to the rim at 8 o'clock and the other spots I've circled may well be where it was cleaned off. But that sure looks like a 4 that's been scratched into the coin right next to the E in ONE.
The dictionary version - verdigris - A green patina or crust of copper sulfate or copper chloride formed on copper, brass, and bronze exposed to air or seawater for long periods of time. The plain version, verdigris is what results when copper corrodes. It's kind of like rust on steel. Look at the first pic you posted of the reverse in the area I circled - it appears to be green. In the pic I posted some of the color was lost during the file transfer so it doesn't show as well. But in the other spots I circled you can see the dark dot in the center of a discolored area - that is often what it looks like when verdigris is removed from a coin. But it appears to be coming back now. As for the 4 - that kind of speaks for itself
Actually verdigris refers to a reaction of Acetic acid on copper which is rather rare in coin damage since there is very little Acetic type acids floating around. The resulting reaction would be copper acetate. Although the greenish coloration found on many copper coins appears as that, it usually is a form of copper sulfite or sulfate. This sulfating reaction on coins is very prevelant in areas of the country where high sulfur content coals or iron are heated and the resulting S is given off in the air as SO or SO2 which combines with moisture in the air (H 0H) normally refered to as H2O. This air born acid attacks copper such as copper coins exposed to such an invironment and leaves a greenish residue. It is easily stopped by soaking in a highly purified form of Acetone or a light baking soda in distilled water solution and then blow dryed. However, note that the reaction has eaten away some of the copper so that part of the coin is damaged.
