Chemically frosted Proof Lincoln Cents

STEWARTBLAYNUMIS

I went up to Teletrade last week to view a Lincoln Cent in their upcoming November 6 auction as lot 1057 1940 proof 64 Cameo

Un F___ing believable,Someone had put some chemical on the portrait and on the wheat sheaves on the reverse.I imagine it looked better when it was graded because the coin got slabbed.

I have never seen a 1939,1940 or a 1941 Lincoln cent with any cameo frost what-so ever so I phoned Rick Montgomery and he said he was aware of this fraud.He said it was possible that a few coins got through the grading service.If anyone owns any suspicious coins they should send them to PCGS under the guaranteed regrade program.

Needless to say Teletrade is sending the coin back to the consignor so it will not be in their November 6 Auction.

Stewart

kranky

It was mentioned in the grading class at this summer's ANA seminar that the services had seen people doing this with Franklin halves (artificial frosting) but all the services were on to it. Maybe coinguy1 can clarify (I can't remember if that was mentioned during one of the days he was there).

cladking

Anyone know any more about this?

I heard years ago someone was "painting" the frost on Morgans. Might this be the same?

Rover

If I remember correctly, Bob Campbell in his ATing video talks about using breath freshener to frost coins. Something like Binaca I guess.

Dan

gmarguli

I can't seem to find that lot. It doesn't exist in their database. I guess it didn't sell?

pmh1nic

Another blight on the hobby.

heavycopper

I have seen this on proof mercury dimes. Scott Travers show some pictures of one in his last presentation at the 2002 FUN show. An automotive putty is applied to the coin. it looks good at first, but after a few months it changes color. The PCGS grading book also shows a 1942 proof dime with artifical frost.

coinguy1

Kranky said "It was mentioned in the grading class at this summer's ANA seminar that the services had seen people doing this with Franklin halves (artificial frosting) but all the services were on to it. Maybe coinguy1 can clarify (I can't remember if that was mentioned during one of the days he was there)."

Kranky - I was there! Unfortunately, I don't know precisely what technique was used on the Franklins or what was applied to the proof Lincoln cent. Each time a new or improved method is devised by coin doctors in cases like this, a few coins typically get by NGC and PCGS. However, the services catch on very quickly, start no-grading the coins and the doctors are forced to move on.

I think it would be great if situations like this were widely publicized by the grading companies. The more people who are aware of this stuff, the better, as far as I'm concerned.

I'm at the coin show in Santa Clara, where I've been for the past two days. Anything else exciting happening?