64 Kennedy half w/deep gold patina is it natural or not?

[Joe Dirt]

64' Kennedy half w/deep gold patina is it natural or not?

Found this 1964 Kennedy 1/2 dollar at a car parts swap meet. Guy was asking $16 & I Paid $13 for it because #1 it's in excellent A+ condition & #2 I've never seen (in person) a Kennedy half this golden looking. My buddy thought it was gold plated because of the deepness of the golden color. I said nope I believe that is just it's patina but I don't know much about patina on Kennedy half's. Is this typical for 64' Kennedy's or is it unusual & is it natural or is it something someone did to it? It's definitely slightly darker on the front & back near the edges but only slightly. The last pix is for reference as in person it's color is kind of between the first pic of the front & the second pic of the front. What's your thoughts?

 

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[Mackaydon]

It's a novelty item. Here are some recent sales:1964 Kennedy half dollar gold plated | eBay
Don....

 

[Joe Dirt]

It's a novelty item. Here are some recent sales:1964 Kennedy half dollar gold plated | eBay
Don....

I'm almost 100% sure this is not plated, if it is plated it is the worst plating job I've ever seen! I looked up gold plated Kennedy half's on eBay & decided real quick that is not what it is. Those on eBay are unmistakably gold plated, well all but 1 http://www.ebay.com/itm/SILVER-KENNEDY-HALF-DOLLAR-1964-D-GOLD-PLATED-USA-/130763561171?pt=Coins_US_Individual&hash=item1e721d98d3&nma=true&si=lU8b04Qei8pe2g2%2FO%2BEBYCGTiGw%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557. That one is similar but the others on there are brilliant & shinny. I have a gold plated wheat penny (I dug up) & it's nothing like the color of this half. The penny is bright shinny gold even after being in the ground for who knows how long, the Kennedy is gold(ish) not like any typical gold plated coin I've ever seen. The guy selling it said it wasn't gold plated as far as he knew.

And the color is not even throughout the coin, the color varies some, especially on the front. If it was from wear wouldn't the coin actually show wear instead of being basically perfect?

This is it with the gold plated penny, the color is very different.

 

[Joe Dirt]

OK I decided to clean the coin as gently as I could & I now believe it probably is plated, tho the plating has to be very very thin, much thinner plating than my penny has. I'm sure not an expert on plating or toning & this one was stumping me as the gold color just seems to light, I though it would be a deeper gold color if plated but I guess not?

 

[fistfulladirt]

At least you didn't pay much more than melt.

 

[stevemc]

I had a house that used well water and it had sulphur water. It would turn silver gold if left in for a minute or 2, and then brown, then black if held in for much longer. I had a silver ring, and when I took a shower it would turn gold, but would polish right up when working. Maybe this was exposed to something like that.

 

[Red James Cash]

I had a similar half dollar that had a gold sheen to it.It wasnt plated.

 

[LuckyThirteen08]

Either way,Plated or not that coin is still way cool,You paid 13 for it and i would have no problem buying from you for 15 just to have it.Good Job IMO!!
Thanks For Sharing!!


HH John

 

[Joe Dirt]

I had a house that used well water and it had sulphur water. It would turn silver gold if left in for a minute or 2, and then brown, then black if held in for much longer. I had a silver ring, and when I took a shower it would turn gold, but would polish right up when working. Maybe this was exposed to something like that.

Hmm if the sulfur in the water caused a gold toning then I would imagine if it were exposed to cigar/cigarette smoke for a prolonged period of time this could also tone silver to a gold sheen! ?

I had a similar half dollar that had a gold sheen to it.It wasnt plated.

Was the edge/rim of your coin gold? Pretty much the same color the face & rear were?

Either way,Plated or not that coin is still way cool,You paid 13 for it and i would have no problem buying from you for 15 just to have it.Good Job IMO!!
Thanks For Sharing!!


HH John

Thanks John, I didn't think $13 was too bad a price to pay... Still not 100% sure if it is plated or not. Was convinced it wasn't plated then I was convinced it was plated but just very thinly plated. Now I'm back to not being sure either way or the other.

 

[SilverForBrains]

That 90% silver half will be worth more than $13 soon nice work! you paid more for it than I would've but you can't lose