Wildly toned 1955-D Lincoln cent, real or AT?

Russ · March 3, 2003 11:28AM

What do you guys think?

Russ, NCNE

airplanenut · March 3, 2003 11:30AM

My vote is AT... the colors don't flow, and to me the spot of red below the ER in America shouldn't be there... it just isn't in place...

The coin is still pretty, though

GaCoinGuy · March 3, 2003 11:38AM

Looks to me like it sat in some oily water for a while.........pretty though, I'd buy it if I saw it for a good price.

Russ · March 3, 2003 11:40AM

It went for $47.75, and I was the underbidder with a two second snipe.

Russ, NCNE

Coinosaurus · March 3, 2003 11:43AM

Why is it that everyone thinks this coin is "cool" even if it is AT? I'm not being snotty, I think it is kinda cool looking myself! It's just that most everyone here seems to "like" these wildly colored AT jobs, but we would NEVER think about putting them in our own collections.....

GaCoinGuy · March 3, 2003 11:45AM

I'd put it in my meager toned collection........I honestly couldn't tell 99% of the AT coins, I just buy em when I like em.

Russ · March 3, 2003 11:45AM

<< <i>It's just that most everyone here seems to "like" these wildly colored AT jobs >>

Coinosaurus,

Is it AT'd? Or, are you just saying that because you've never seen a Lincoln toned this way?

Russ, NCNE

danglen · March 3, 2003 11:50AM

Russ,

It looks real to me. Copper tends to tone differently than silver, and the dispersal patterns aren't the same. Sorry you got out-sniped

As long as it wasn't Lucy

Toningintheblood · March 3, 2003 11:53AM

I have several Lincoln's in the mid to late 50's in PCGS holders that look similar to this one. I think it looks fine based on that.

coinguy1 · March 3, 2003 11:56AM

Russ, it looks original to me. The reverse pattern, in particular, would be extremely difficult to replicate.

Russ · March 3, 2003 11:58AM

Danglen,

I was figuring this one for that mint set toning that comes from those green papered holders. Glad you concur.

Nope, wasn't Lucy that got me. Probably some other guy looking for a cool birth year coin.

EDIT: Cool, a couple more experienced people weighed in while I was typing at my usual slow pace. Thanks! It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy that at least a little bit of the info around here is starting to sink in to my brain!

Russ, NCNE

rwhite · March 3, 2003 12:10PM

looks ok to me. It does not have the wrong look to my eyes.

airplanenut · March 3, 2003 12:10PM

<< <i>Why is it that everyone thinks this coin is "cool" even if it is AT? I'm not being snotty, I think it is kinda cool looking myself! It's just that most everyone here seems to "like" these wildly colored AT jobs, but we would NEVER think about putting them in our own collections..... >>

I may have to stand corrected with better experts thinking otherwise, but here is why, even if it were AT, I think it is cool:

Bad AT jobs look like someone dumped color all over the thing... maybe vomited the color... arrays of colors in no patter, and for no rhyme or reason don't appeal to me... splotches of 20 colors on a coin is normally a no-no...

In this case, there are only a few colors, and they are colors I like, and go well together. I admit that I looked for a while before concluding, so some instinct said it might be real... you never know

TomB · March 3, 2003 12:13PM

I believe it's real. It was most likely from a cardboard double Mint Set. I have quite a few toned Lincoln cents from the '50s with eerily similar toning and all came from that type of set. I even sent two of the prettiest to PCGS at the ANA in August and both slabbed without incident. This is another example of a "toning look" that most people have not seen but that is well known.

kaleidoscopic · March 3, 2003 12:19PM

Love it, love it, love it. I agree with Tom B, that it is consistent with Mint Set toning on cents. Unfortunately, an ugly brown color likes to travel with greens.

Is the coin actually that bright? It would be sweet if it was. Colors stand out nicely on that cent based on the pics. Kscope

sinin1 · March 3, 2003 12:27PM

I agree it looks cool.

I am in the minority here though and think it is AT -

It reminds me of a nickel I was contending bidder on (although the penny is better done).

The misplaced colors almost look like chemical turds on the nickel

Coinosaurus · March 3, 2003 12:32PM

Sorry, I didn't mean to imply this was AT, I am definitely not an expert on copper. The point I was trying to make was that it's very common for someone to say, "well, this might be AT, but the colors are cool anyway". In other words, there seems to be some level of acceptance for (possibly) AT coins, especially if they've managed to get slabbed.

TomB · March 3, 2003 12:32PM

I'd like to add that I certainly can't prove that the toning is legitimate. My observation was based upon coins I am familiar with and extrapolating what the coin might look like in hand based upon the image. However, I stand behind what I wrote.

Ronyahski · March 3, 2003 12:34PM

Can't spot anything that is apparently a problem. Toning flow on reverse looks natural, very hard to fake. Easily looks like it could come from mint set toning.

Russ · March 3, 2003 12:36PM

Coinosaurus,

Understood, and I agree with that sentiment.

In the case of this particular type of toning, I had the benefit of seeing a couple 1950's cents with similar toning (although not as advanced as this) when forum member brought them to me to be imaged. I had a strong feeling that this one was real, but wasn't quite sure. I also don't think the coin is as bright in person, so I'd bet it would look less suspicious when in hand.

Russ, NCNE

Cam40 · March 3, 2003 12:43PM

How would you AT copper.And why would anyone try.Copper will discolor so easily I,d think RD is the ultimate condition for copper coins.Once discolored they can never go back to a true original red color.
To AT a copper coin is to just ruin it I think.

KAJ1 · March 3, 2003 1:46PM

I like it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tonekiller · March 3, 2003 1:55PM

Looks real from the paper wraps in the 50's mint set.

TBT

grip · March 4, 2003 2:30AM

I have a few that look just like it,came out of original rolls.Al

MadMonk · March 4, 2003 2:57AM

I have a few that look like that as well. all of mine came from mint sets. I will say that I havent seen colors like that on a 55 mint set though. I've been through hundreds of 55 mint sets. So if real, and I believe it is, that's a nice find in my book.

Hadleydog · March 4, 2003 3:04AM

Very sweet coin. I also have seen a few Lincolns that look like that, and IMHO believe that it is real.

nwcs · March 4, 2003 3:25AM

Sure is a cool looking coin. I'd like to see it in person, though. I don't know if it's AT or not. But I wouldn't mind having it. Just not for $50.

Morganluver · March 4, 2003 3:26AM

I bought about 40 raw 55-D Lincolns at the fun show 3-4 years ago from Andy Kimmel. All had toning similar to that one and some were Monsters. He said that they were from an original bag. I believe Andy to be one of the "experts" in the field and had no reason to dis-believe him. I actually gave most of mine away as a little bonus to folks who bought coins from me. Is it real? I believe so.

prooflike · March 4, 2003 4:37AM

Looks real to me and I like it.

Pushkin · March 4, 2003 4:40AM

If it were an IHC, I'd be very suspicious, judging from the picture, that it is AT. I've seen a number of known AT'd IHC's with similar characteristics. However, being a Lincoln, I can't say. If it is AT and looks like the picture, they did a good job, because it isn't a bad looking coin.

Wildly toned 1955-D Lincoln cent, real or AT?

Comments

Leave a Comment