So...I learned a lot by purchacing a raw coin recently...
TheLiberator
Posts: 1,023 ✭✭✭
I bought a raw coin (two cent piece) that I intended to have slabbed and it looked all good to me. The surface looked fine but it came back "impropperly cleaned" from NGC. I was surprised so I took it into a trusted dealer to get his opinion. Here is what he said: burnished. The tell-tale sign? The surface had a SLIGHT luster that simply shouldn't have been there on old untouched copper. Even though it was done "well", the dealer could see the burnishing instantly. When placed next to original copper, it was plain as day but by itself it was very hard to tell what had bodybagged it. Now that I have had this learnig experience, I feel I can spot burnishing on old copper a mile away!
I just thought I'd share this with you so you can keep your eye out for it if you are ever lookig for old copper!
(BTW, the burnishing doesn't come out in scans since scans don't show luster really well.)
See ya, and happy burnishing hunting!
I just thought I'd share this with you so you can keep your eye out for it if you are ever lookig for old copper!
(BTW, the burnishing doesn't come out in scans since scans don't show luster really well.)
See ya, and happy burnishing hunting!
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Comments
<< <i>Yeah, it sounds like a great learning experience. I hope you didn't get hosed too badly on the coin, though.
No, the person I bought it from was very understanding and very generous. This was not a bad experience in any way but I know I am one of the lucky ones!
Herb
<< <i>Someone please explain "burnished" to this "I've never collected copper guy"
Herb >>
From my understanding, burnishing is rubbing the coin with a cloth or another abraisive surface to "clean" the coin. This can give the coin a bit of luster that it shouldn't have! Sometimes, burnishing removes the toning so people then heat it up to re-color it. Tricky tricky!
(BTW, burnishing happens everywhere...not just on copper.)