Black Spots on WLHs

coastaljerseyguy

Was this an issue with the mint's process/silver composition or post mint storage? Looking to upgrade some of my dates and so many MS coins on EBAY have spot issues, either effecting large areas on the coin or a big, noticeable spot on Lady Liberty or the Eagle that is a quick turnoff. So many graded 63 & 64.
Or is this just a selective sample on EBAY with dealers just trying to sell their dreck. Looking at dates from mid 30s to 47.

Thanks
JIm

dsessom

This is a common problem with both copper and silver coins, which is caused by sulfur in the environment. I have heard the spots referred to as "carbon" spots, but they are actually a reaction to sulfur in the air. My girlfriend is a biological chemist, and Chief Chemist at a wastewater treatment plant. She showed me coins that had been left out on the counter, and they had all turned completely black in a matter of weeks, because of the high concentration of hydrogen sulfide gas at the plant.

ricko

@dsessom.... Obviously an opportunity for AT (accelerated tarnish) - Opportunity knocks. Cheers, RickO

dsessom

@ricko said:
@dsessom.... Obviously an opportunity for AT (accelerated tarnish) - Opportunity knocks. Cheers, RickO

Actually, that might be an interesting post for the forums here! I will try to gather a few less expensive silver and copper coins and make "black beauties" out of them, and post before and after photos, to show the difference.

coastaljerseyguy

So appears to be a post mint issue coming in contact with sulfur? However since Morgans do not have this problem, at least anywhere near the degree, was it also a change in the Mint's process that impacted the proliferation of spots on WLHs?

Could it have been the refinement of the silver itself (silver sulfide) which I believe is heated to remove the inherent sulfur, was not done the same or was the washing/rinsing of the silver planchets before striking done differently?

Sorry is this was discussed before but been looking at a lot of MS WLHs recently and was not aware of this issue.

jmlanzaf

@coastaljerseyguy said:
So appears to be a post mint issue coming in contact with sulfur? However since Morgans do not have this problem, at least anywhere near the degree, was it also a change in the Mint's process that impacted the proliferation of spots on WLHs?

Could it have been the refinement of the silver itself (silver sulfide) which I believe is heated to remove the inherent sulfur, was not done the same or was the washing/rinsing of the silver planchets before striking done differently?

Sorry is this was discussed before but been looking at a lot of MS WLHs recently and was not aware of this issue.

Happens to all silver coins including Morgans. The difference may be that most gem Morgans spent 100 years in a vault rather than being out and about.

A significant source of sulfur in the coin realm is cardboard from albums.

pcgscacgold

Milk spots stopped me from continuing my ASE set.

Black spots (carbon) got me to sell off my high grade Walkers.

Only collect gold now. That doesn’t seem to change in the holder.

Walkerlover

I never heard of silver changing in a PCGS holder before, copper and nickel with carbon spots or verdigris. Nevertheless I personally don’t buy coins with any carbon spots, milk spots verdigris

lilolme

Of course a silver coin can have spots depending on what it has been exposed to. I went to HA archives and sorted on Walkers and looked through a hundred plus as they have the images shown and can highlight them to enlarge. I didn't notice any big irregularity in dark spots. Some have spots but most not and some toned splotchy. Here is the link from what I was looking through.

https://coins.ha.com/c/search-results.zx?Ne=304&N=51+790+231+375&ic4=Refine-CoinCategory-102615