Does this coin look original to you?

mr1931S

Obverse has same "look" as reverse. Image of obverse not available to post here. Original or not, what do you think?

Baley

yep, looks "original" now ask us if it looks nice

mr1931S

Does it look nice?

mr1931S

In the context of "niceness", I would add that the dirtier looking darker areas are thin "tone," and not a true "encrustation."

Dog97

dreded red X. dam boomspeed.

mr1931S

"dreded red X. dam boomspeed"

I'll take this to mean, "looks original and nice."

Myqqy

If I had to bet money, I would say that it's been cleaned and retoned. The toning looks a little too "splotchy" to me......

ColonialCoinUnion

I'd say 'original', but its difficult to discern numismatic squat from that photo.

MrEureka

Looks original and looks nice to me.

Shamika

I CAN'T SEE ANYTHING.

coinkat

I think it is fine...I would rather see both sides of the coin before offering a final opinion

Dog97

<<<I'll take this to mean, "looks original and nice.">>>
No it means the picture host boomspeed wasn't working & all I saw was the dreaded red X in the thread.
But I can see it tonight. It's hard to say if it's "original" or not. It doesn't have the smooth black/white color we like to see on "original" circs. It's not harshly cleaned. It looks like it might have been heavily incrusted with dirt & cleaned up with acetone or maybe heavily toned and dipped due to the dark stains remaining on it, which I personally find unattractive.

ER

What 's the numismatic definition of "original"? Is it written somewhere?

mr1931S

"I meant to say Obverse."

Okay. Obverse image below.

"What 's the numismatic definition of "original"? Is it written somewhere?"

Good point. I don't know if there is a technical definition of "originality" written anywhere.

mr1931S

dreded red X. dam boomspeed

mr1931S

MFH

Nice find, a 1905-Micro O in decent shape, looks XF40. Did you cherry pick this out of other dimes in a dealers case ?

mr1931S

Thanks, MFH. Very close to XF40. Indeed, this is a "cherry pick" from dealer at a show about 20 years ago. I have done nothing to this coin to change it's appearance.

I apologize for the seen as poor quality images taken with my Coolpix.

My opinion is that my coin is "original." I think coin "originality" has many different "looks." The "look" that a circulated coin may take on depends, I think, on how it circulated and where it circulated. Who were the handlers?, in other words. Of course, we can't really know.

I would expect a dime that circulated 100 years ago primarily among coal miners in West Virginia to have a different "look"
than a dime that circulated in the French Quarter of New Orleans, for example. Two coins, both original, but with a different "look."

I find the uniformly grey color "look" on both sides of a circulated silver coin to be boring. Yes, could be "original" but I suspect that some uniformly grey silver coins have, in fact, been cleaned and then "greyed" to give the appearance of "originality." Where has the dirt on this uniformly grey coin gone?, I will ask.

Dog, acetone will remove oil, grease, glue and other things but I don't think it's very useful for removing encrusted dirt from a coin.

coinkat

I think it is original and I like it... I wasn't sure about the micro o...