Real or artificial toning?

[Coppercrazy]

 

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[Coppercrazy]

I'm sorry I couldn't get better pictures the back is what didn't look right to me.

 

[coinguy*matthew]

There is no way to say 100% natural or artificial the only thing we can determine is market acceptable or not and without better pics probably can't even do that. IMHO the coin seems to have a rim ding on the obverse which would make me pass on it immediately since attractively toned 1901 indian head cents are not all that uncommon and can be had for relatively cheap do yourself a favor and save for the indian cent that you really want....

 

[Coppercrazy]

I got this one instead







You seem very knowledgeable about high grade coins. Do you want to take a stab at grading it?

 

[coinguy*matthew]

You seem very knowledgeable about high grade coins. Do you want to take a stab at grading it?

No i won't take a stab at grading it im not a TPG but I will give you my opinion and hope you can take it for what it is. I would pass on this coin due to the spot below the wreath on the reverse which looks to be corrosion/verdigris and for the grade Its hard to judge because you have too much light on the high points to accurately say if it has wear or not. Don't be mad if you don't like what you hear and take this as a lesson, it's important to remember that even master collectors did not just descend from the mountain with there almighty knowledge. I would suggest reading a specialized book and joining a more serious forum that discusses and gives you access to advanced collectors and there thoughts.

 

[Coppercrazy]

No i won't take a stab at grading it im not a TPG but I will give you my opinion and hope you can take it for what it is. I would pass on this coin due to the spot below the wreath on the reverse which looks to be corrosion/verdigris and for the grade Its hard to judge because you have too much light on the high points to accurately say if it has wear or not. Don't be mad if you don't like what you hear and take this as a lesson, it's important to remember that even master collectors did not just descend from the mountain with there almighty knowledge. I would suggest reading a specialized book and joining a more serious forum that discusses and gives you access to advanced collectors and there thoughts.

Thank you very much. Why would I be mad at you? :P I saw the spot and didn't think much of it to be honest. How can I take accurate pictures? Just take them in natural daylight and not under artificial light? I thought about buying this book since I want to make a high grade Indian head cent collection, and I figured by reading it, it would actually save me money by knowing what to buy and what not to buy.

Book: A Guide Book of Flying Eagle and Indian Head Cents: Complete Source for History, Grading, and Prices: Rick Snow, Q. David Bowers, Tom DeLorey: 9780794828318: Amazon.com: Books

 

[cudamark]

If you're still fishing for opinions, I'll give your mine for what it's worth. If it's been toned or cleaned, it looks to me that it was done a long time ago. It's hard to tell for sure by a photo. But since that's all I have to go by, AU58 is the grade I would give it. Future problems with that coin could be the reverse spot mentioned by Matt and the obverse fingerprint at the top. An acetone wash and application of some Coin Care might help prevent or at least delay the corrosion from expanding.

 

[Coppercrazy]

If you're still fishing for opinions, I'll give your mine for what it's worth. If it's been toned or cleaned, it looks to me that it was done a long time ago. It's hard to tell for sure by a photo. But since that's all I have to go by, AU58 is the grade I would give it. Future problems with that coin could be the reverse spot mentioned by Matt and the obverse fingerprint at the top. An acetone wash and application of some Coin Care might help prevent or at least delay the corrosion from expanding.

I think I'm just going to sell it on ebay and try to get my money back. The coin shop does also offer a 10 day return policy for store credit.