Randall Hoard....Do you prefer Red/Brown or Brown?

Tomthemailcarrier

I have been quite fascinated by the Randall hoard for quite some time. For me the backstory around a coin helps to bring me back to an earlier time period in U.S. history. Who wouldn’t be attracted to a story like this one? Imagine a keg of large cents that had been buried in the south and dug up after the civil war.
Upon their being discovered and sold decades later people were suspicious. Why were these copper coins so bright and shiny? Had they been restruck or were they counterfeit?
If you were to buy one would you opt for a Red/Brown specimen or Brown? Maybe you’d save some money and go for one designated as Brown but had quite a bit of Red? I don’t own any yet but am researching them more before I consider a purchase.

Some images from PCGS coinfacts below. Thank you for offering your insight and thoughts on this famous part of American history. First is RB Second is Brown. Third is Brown

DennisH

In general, I like glossy brown.

jonruns

I like #2

Tibor

I prefer glossy brown as well. Which dates were included in the hoard?

Tomthemailcarrier

@Tibor said:
I prefer glossy brown as well. Which dates were included in the hoard?

1816, 1817, 1818, 1819 & 1820

Cougar1978

I prefer R/B

johnny9434

I like the second one as well. its all good

Tibor

@Tomthemailcarrier Thank you for the info.

Insider2

IMO, both of the top two coins are RB (a TPGS may not agree with the middle coin). I say this because in the "old days" before the TPGS's expert dealers and VALUE became involved, a coin was either Red, or Brown leaving anything with a trace of red remaining: Red-Brown. Real easy and NO SUBJECTIVITY OR % Red REQUIRED. LOL, let's complicate grading so folks need us.

The major difference is the top coin is "dirty-looking" due to minor ED. If this coin were cleaned up, it would be much more attractive - closer to the beauty of the middle RB coin.

I prefer Red-Brown or glossy brown because the surfaces may be "set." I stopped collecting red copper long ago as many of my coins became slowly destroyed (before slabbing was available.)

metalmeister

I am in the chocolate brown camp.

steveben

copper is an area where i could learn a lot more...so any experts out there correct me if i am wrong.

i think the most original looking example is the first.

i think the best looking example is the second.

i think the third example looks like copper that was coated with something to protect it. maybe oil or laquer?

fiftysevener

Proof coppers appear to be graded with future anticipation of color. NGC only guarantees color for 10 years which is fair to me. However PCGS at one time only graded cameo proof coppers as 'cameo' if full red. Where does this one belong if submitted to PCGS ?
This coin now in Pf 67 RB Cameo only because they would not reholder damaged slab as 'red'. So I'm not sure how TPG's might market grade coins like this but I took a hit on this one even though it appears full red to me !

Walkerguy21D

I have a handful of them. Here are a few I have pics of. I guess I most prefer brown with some red:

golden

I love them all.

Walkerguy21D

Another.....heck, why should that Randall guy have ‘em all? 😉

Purfrock

I've owned a few of the hoard off and on. Many are beautiful and they have a vast range of color.
I tend to favor a nice, low premium R/B or Brown, only because Red tends to get expensive quick. I can see myself owning a red coin and every time I pull it out thinking, "wait, wasn't the red hue much more prominent the last time I looked at it?" thus driving myself crazy.

ricko

I like old copper and most that I have seen is chocolate brown.....Lots of red Lincoln cents still around, but the old coppers are mostly brown. One and three look quite natural to me... number two has a more unnatural look.... Well, that is my opinion, and not based on any evidentiary information. Cheers, RickO

BryceM

I don’t have s strong preference either way. Some RB coins look great and some BN coins look great. It just comes down to the coin for me.

This one suits me nicely, and the color is a bit more interesting than some in BN holders:

MFeld

I wouldn’t decide ahead of time which color designation I was going to pursue. As I have posted on many occasions, i’d rather not limit my options, unnecessarily. Instead, I’d rather allow a coin to come to me and call out to me.

SiriusBlack

I love the BN coins.

BustDMs

I prefer coin two also.

kaz

I lean toward RB, as I like the effect of the mint red in and around the devices.

brianc1959

I'm partial to RB, with as much red as possible.