Can this look be created using a cleaned coin and a black marker?

DNADave

Or is this a natural looking coin? auction link

edited to add pics

ss350camaro

Looks natural to me.

Good honest wear and color in my opinion.

XpipedreamR

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Now that's funny

nwcs

No, that look isn't easily replicated.

DNADave

Any ideas why some coins get this color?

Sphinx357

people didn't wash their hands

morgannut2

There is a way to sort of do it with a product marketed as "Dealers Darkener"--but thats not what is going on here. You have probably by chance stumbled across a F-VF 1921 that is NOT dipped. It is naturally toned just like your grandmothers silver will turn greyish-black if left out too long. You are used to seeing dipped, cleaned, polished, whizzed and otherwise "improved" coins that aren't natural. Could the coin still have old hairlines under the tarnish?--you need to look with a loop close up to decide.

Darkhorse

looks kind of cast to me.

tlhoy

Looks like a cast to me too.

wayneherndon

"Dealers Darkener"

Actual name is "Deller's Darkener".

WH

mrdq

Graphite used to lubricate old locks would do that also. Basically #2 pencil grindings.

morgannut2

I have about 15 old worthless Morgans that look like this 1921, pulled from circulation between 1958-1960. Given their total lack of any value-- besides sentimental to me, I suspect that this coin too could actually be natural. Of course being a key date in the circulated set, with the 1928P, it also could have a number of reasons for concern (ie. artifical darking to cover hairlines, a new very circulated looking cast- counterfeit I haven't seen, and any number of other things amiss). The point I was trying to make is that natural original coins that haven't been dipped, do indeed sometimes look "blackish" and that's no reason BY ITSELF to decide there is a problem. By the way, another way these old coins got this color was my mother's (and others) habit of putting weak ammonia containing detergents circa 1950's in the wash, and me not cleaning out the coins before wash day. The coins always turned darkish silver grey-black. That's another possibility?--draw your own conclusion though. --(you are right it's Deller's darkener, not dealer's)

DNADave

Many thanks for the responses. I'm putting together a match set of circulated Peace dollars with that look. I like the look but got nervous after I heard that it was a "dealer's secret" to treat cleaned coins with a felt tiped marker to take away the unnatural cleaned look.

islemangu

I have a pocket piece morgan that I touch with my grimy hands often and has gradually become very dark with a look similar to this one. Don't know anything about looking cast on this one though.