Your preference when buying copper...

DAM

Using MS65RD as a midline, how do carbon spots on copper affect your buying decission? For discussion purposes let's assume there are no more than 4 spots and split this into three catagories:

- they're not noticable without a glass

- they're barely noticable without a glass

- they're plainly visable without a glass

darktone

I think some of the best original indian cents have carbon spots on them and I would choose a coin like this over those cleverly recolored and certified red coins any day. mike

jdimmick

I actually like R/B, but if I were buying full red copper. I would not buy any red copper (RD) with spots or other discolorations.

I have a hard time finding nice red specimens, becuase many that are for sale, especially the key-dates always have spots or problems. Most of the better coins stay in collections for periods of time.

You always see several of the better date Lincolns for sale like the 09-s, 14-d and 55 DDO in MS-64 R that have spots or discolorations or have begun to mellow down pass the point of what I like to call RD. Seems like thier is an overabundance of these availble, but nice truly fiery red pieces are quite tougher.

jacktheknife

I'd rather have a little light toning and a clean coin than any spots. I think spots just attract attention and the focus is naturally drawn to them.

XpipedreamR

Carbon spots kill a coin for me.

If they're tucked away, and barely visible, than I can probably deal with it.

clackamas

If I can't see them with a glass I don't get too worried, however they are a negative in any form.

melikecoins

I would not buy a coin with any spots.


Glen

cladking

I tend to be too forgiving of staining and spots but can't stand visable carbon spots.

darktone

I take it only me and one other forum member likes coins like these.

Conder101

I don't like red and I'm not a big fan of red/brown. I like a nice brown but dark or even black is acceptable although for a black coin I like the surfaces to be smooth. (A glossy black piece can be trully beautiful. But normally a black coin suffers from light porousity.) Light or medium porousity doesn't bother me but heavy porousity is something that I wil only accept of truly rare pieces. My big turn-off is scratches. I'd rather have a porous cin than a scratched one.

IrishMike

Carbon spots are the biggest turn-off for me on copper. If I can see them with the naked eye and they are in a focal area I will not purchase the coin, unless its a clashed-die. I'd prefer a cleaned, recolored coin over one with many carbon spots, but that's just me.

dorkkarl

the presence of carbon spots prove the coin has not been processed/messed w/ & subsequently slabed at an inflated price. i actively seek out such coins.

K S

DAM

Thanks for your comments.

I was looking through some of my copper coins the other day. A few of them had a couple of small, non-distracting carbon spots. Most of the spots were barely visible to the naked eye. I wondered if I would buy couple of the coins again. Based on the over all look, I decided yes I would. These aren't low pop coins, yet still nice for their respective grades, most being in the MS65RD catagory. It made me wonder of others' opinions on the subject.

Outhaul

I like my coppers nice and red

Cleaned/retoned they just look dead

Carbon spots are not for me

It's red, it's red I want to see!

Shamika

"I tend to be too forgiving of staining and spots but can't stand visable carbon spots."

Ditto!

jonesy

No carbon for me!!

Catch22

Anything that distracts my attention from the coin will turn me off. If the first thing I notice is a carbon spot, i'll pass on the coin unless it is steeply discounted...which it never is.