What happened here? 1891-O Seated Dime.

I picked this up for around fifty bucks awhile back. It said AU58 on the flip, but I was able to get the price down quite a bit as the surfaces seemed a bit off. The luster cartwheels on the reverse but it is incredibly faint, the devices and fields on the obv. look natural (maybe natural is the wrong term- unscrubbed) under magnification, but in hand it looks much duller than it should. The colors around the rim and date also seem unnatural to me. Does cleaned/over-dipped and re-toned sound about right on this? Thanks.

Edit- added closeups.

 

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I am only guessing here, but would it be possible this was stored obverse up in an old style coin cabinet for some time? (Exposing the obverse to the surrounding elements/air).

 

I have a morgan in a purple prezent type box that the coin took on the purple velvet color from the back where it was seated. Like a danbury mint or some darn thing.

 

I ask because I think it is fine for an album coin but I'm moving toward a more original look in my type set, so I'm considering ebay-ing it. I want to be honest about the condition in the listing without dooming it and I'm not sure how best to describe it.

 

This would be a tough one to figure out from images. In hand would be much easier. From what you describe, it sounds dipped out and the obverse has re-toned.

 

For sure- which is exactly why I'm not sure how to list it. Seems like it is on the fence between market acceptable re-toning and improperly cleaned.

I wonder if this is a fair one to say "see photos for condition" and in the terms "seller pays return shipping" as well in the event of a return? The dealer I bought it from (@jtlee321 - you know the place) is trustworthy and they didn't feel the need to label it cleaned.

 

how is the luster on the obv? cartwheel? bare spots in the field?

 

No cartwheel, incredibly muted. Under magnification it is complete and Lady Liberty looks particularly good, but without a lens it just has nice color but looks pretty lifeless.

 

Yeah, with that said, I would label it a problem coin and try to get out from under it.

I think I know which place you are talking about, from my experience most dealers don't label a coin cleaned unless it's very obvious. I've looked at a spectacular looking V nickel that I would have bought in a heart beat, but upon looking it over under a halogen light I could see light hairlines from an old cleaning. The dealer that was selling it has been in business for decades and did not have it labeled as cleaned. It was priced as a raw non-problem coin.

 

Ok, thanks for the input. I suppose I could take it back there and see what they would give me for it towards a trade for something else.

 

I make it a habit to bring an LED pocket light to check for hairlines at shows and shops I frequent. It's a fairly small but intense semi-point source light that really makes hairlines pop. It also helps reveal breaks in luster on sliders.

 

I have a dealer here who stands by their coins. I've taken a couple of pieces home and after examining them under my grading light, I've found problems I could not see under their store lights. They happily give me a refund or exchange at my option. Now I've only done this twice and when I did, I was very tactful about it. I just told them that I found something I just didn't like about the coin. I didn't come out and say that it was cleaned or anything.

 

Agreed, thanks. I was gonna say I'll be tactful about it without complaining about the condition. I spend a lot of money there and we have a good relationship so I'll just share the truth- that I'm looking for crusty specimens for a more consistent look in my album.

 

With the additional information, I think about AU50, dipped and retoned, but I have to say the colors on the obv. look "off" to me. Hope you can arrange a return/trade, sounds like you're going about it the right way.

 

Went back to the dealer with the 1891-O. They gave me bid at AU58 which was $60. (When I dug out the flip to return, I saw I actually paid $65.) Just another reminder why that place is my favorite in the region and gets most of my business.


Their selection wasn't massive in these in VF and up, but I picked this up for $20. This coin has done some living, but it fits better with the stuff around it for sure. All in all, a nice ending there.

 

glad to hear the dealer treated you right on the return. the 1886 is a pretty wholesome looking coin

 

Thanks. I'll casually keep my eye out for a nicer 45 or something, but it'll work for now and I can't complain at only 1/3 of what felt like unexpected free money!

 

Kind of laughing at myself today and remembered this thread. In my quest for the “right” coin for this slot in the album I’ve since replaced it two more times, only to still be searching for “the one.”

This replaced the 1886 above, really wholesome LDS coin, but just a hair too worn to match the other stuff.


Now we have the current tenant. The best of the four I’d say- cool first year of design date, low mintage, great details... cleaned and retoned however, so the search continues for something original.

 

I was reading this as a new thread and thinking about a reply lol! Damnit CircCam!!!

I actually like the top coin more than the bottom. Question though. What is that depression underneath the bow in the wreath?

 

A retained cud, so I’ve been told. Not an expert on that but it doesn’t look at all like PMD to me.

...I like that one better too, but the lack of detail on Liberty’s head/face just didn’t fit. The search continues.