Why do a lot of really old silver coins have a dull grey look. While most 1840 and after silver coins look like this. Is it the minting process or something? Seems like silver that old starts to look "ugly". It just looks so alien-grey.
Yes most of the old coins have been cleaned, but even the newer ones were too, and still look different. Even MS ucleaned examples look different.
Yes...but if you look at the photos, you will see a different texture and tone then the later silver coins.
Yeah, but it doesn't have anything to do with the age of the coins. Instead it has to do with a great many other things such as how the coin was stored over the course of its life. If the coin was ever dipped, or how many times it was dipped. Or if the coin was ever harshly cleaned. Or if the coin was found in the ground. Or if the coin was ever kept in a PVC flip. And on, and on, and on ! Color, texture, condition - it's all dependent on a thousand different things.
Agreed. My bust dollars don't look anything like your 1798 example Detecto. That coin looks like it had major damage and was dipped to death to remove it. That is why its surface is lifeless.
