What do you think is going on with this Seated Quarter? And what would it grade?

JxnBoy

What's with the splotchy tone? Has this coin been messed with? Damage from improper storage? Is this normal?

The reverse looks unremarkable compared to the obverse.

I'd appreciate some thoughts with more knowledge in the series than I.

sliderider

Acid damage from overdipping, would be my guess. I have a hideously ugly arrows and rays quarter here that was dipped to death. I would imagine that's what the early stages look like.

ms70

Believe it or not, that may likely be fingerprint damage. If you were to examine the surface of your fingerprints with magnification you can
see almost evenly spaced holes where the pores are. Sometimes these are even clearly seen on fingerprint cards in law enforcement.
Clean hands that are just starting to "ooze" out skin oils can leave a dotted pattern from those pores.



The little white dots in the fingerprint pattern are what I'm talking about. It's most easily seen in the center pic. Those are actually the
little sweat glands.

HTubbs

JxnBoy

Okay, I'm TTT'ing this one. This place moves quick. I've edited it though too, to see if you think I should send this in for grading. Will it grade? If so, what do you think it'll grade? Should it be conserved?

JxnBoy

No one?! Do I have to write an "I'm leaving" thread?!

Either way, I'm going to bed, I'll check again tomorrow. Bye all.

BigD5

You know, I just don't know, and that may be why you have had few responses on this one. Tough to tell from only a pic. How's the overall look in the fields? Do the surfaces look "normal" under the tone?

I'm not sure if I buy the fingerprint theory, but wouldn't eliminate it as a possibility. I'm just not leaning in that direction.

Maybe some sort of chemical treatment, not necessarily on purpose, that didn't work out?

I'm leaning towards some sort of chemical residue.

Again, tough to tell without having the coin in hand, but I'd probably hit the coin with some acetone if it were mine, and see if that splotchyness is actually toning, or residue.

I really don't know, and it looks rather nasty to be honest.

Let us know what transpires with this one.

ms70

If it's attractive colors I'd leave it. I HATE fingerprints probably more than anyone else but it's not a typical fingerprint pattern and
then again, I'm only speculating that's what it is.

I'd say from the pic AU55.

Coinosaurus

It's clearly AU detail, but from the scan this does not look good at all.

Personally I would just ebay it, and look for a no-brainer no problem coin. And there are tons of 1853AR quarters out there, so you won't have much trouble finding one.

dorkkarl

that coin's a piece of crap. if it's slabed, that's an embarrassment.

K S

Baley

I do not think the coin is actual feces, as dorkkarl seems to think.

I think it is a US quarter made of silver. It does have surface problems though.

Corrosion?

edit: grade? AU detail, net it aaaaallll the way down to Fine or so, IMO

JxnBoy

Please, Karl, don't hold back. Tell me how you really feel about it.

Thanks, guys for the comments. Myself, I didn't think it was that bad. Definitely has nice detail, and the toning/damage/whatever isn't as bad in hand as it is in the photo. However, it is there, and certainly prominently so. I have no idea the history of the coin and what produced this, but it's still a nice coin in need of a loving owner.

Perhaps I'll ebay it off, or perhaps send it to NGC. I'll think about it. If I NCS it, I'll revive the thread sometime in the future so we can see what they say.