Coin collectors have a different definition of "original" than the rest of the planet.

Russ

That crud on the coin was not there when it was "originally" minted. Shocking, but true.

Russ, NCNE

braddick

Yes, but that ever so razor thin layer of mint bloom was and is partially now gone when the "crud" is currated/stripped off the coin.

RYK

I think "unprocessed" would be a better term than "original" in this context. I agree with your point, Russ. Our "original" coins are not as made but instead naturally aged (whatever that means), rather than intentionally enhanced.

Russ

<< <i>naturally aged >>



I like that. You should trademark Naturally Aged™.

Russ, NCNE

RYK

I like that. You should trademark Naturally Aged™.

I think my hometown brewey might already own that trademark for its "beechwood hops™".

LEAP269

sounds like cheese to me- naturally aged

mrearlygold

Yes it's "organic"

BlindedByEgo

<< <i>That crud on the coin was not there when it was "originally" minted. Shocking, but true.

Russ, NCNE >>



Originally, you didn't have hair on your face.

coinkat

Russ:

collectors like me just want a coin that resembles what it has been through... in terms of circulation... I don't want some POS unoriginal Seated Dollar or no motto gold that has been dipped within killing it.

Modern Proof coins are different

morgannut2

I wish the owners of 18th and 19th century coins were able to conserve them as well as Russ does within 50 years or so of their minting. I suspect a lot of the unattractive characteristics that get stripped off now, were always there. It's unfortunate, but it's just too late now to render most 19th century silver white without it looking stupid. The fools who ruin the patina on older coins should not be grouped with modern collectors getting crud off coins that often were contaminated at the mint.

Myqqy

I like "naturally aged"™

Gemineye

Does Strike thrus' on Proofs count..............

cladking

"Original" means more that a coin looks like it has never been messed with or alterred in
any way rather than that the coin is exactly as it was minted. It's impossible to know in
most cases what has or hasn't occurred to a coin so we simply go by appearances. While
we know that 200 year old coins aren't blast white if it looks original then we'll still call it
original. By the same token if the coin is toned we don't know that it's never been cleaned
just that it hasn't been recently.

If a coin looks original isn't that really good enough? Of course this presupposes that it's not
repaired, tooled, puttied or worse. Many of the coins we assume are cleaned or messed
with are probably actually original and simply met some misadventure in circulation.

Bear

Russ, bears are born with fur on their faces.

coinkat

cladking:

I am not willing to concede to your terms..

Ronyahski

I can concede Cladking's terms. I think those terms are generally accepted.

cladking

<< <i>cladking:

I am not willing to concede to your terms.. >>



I can understand why. It often seems that coins are "original" or "messed with" and the objective
is to learn to tell them apart with 100% accuracy so we can avoid buying "mistakes". But I've seen
far too many coins swing back and forth between original and cleaned, whizzed and original, and ev-
en Unc and AU. Certainly many coins are exactly as they appear to be and learning the causes of and
recognizing how they got that way is an important part of learning to grade and spot problems. But
no matter how obvious it is that a coin has been cleaned or is original there's really no way to know
with certainty. Unless we recognize some coin doctor's signature or know a coin's history all we real-
ly do is make a determination of what the coin looks like. There will be more general agreement among
experts and the rest of us are more likely to disagree.

OK. But I'm still gonna say "potatoe". (even if I generally spell it otherwise)

xphobe

The Crud is a layer of oxide, sulfate, chloride, or whatever... ionically bonded to the top layer of metal atoms. So those atoms are still there. The coin would only lose some of those original atoms if you strip them away. In fact, it could be argued that a toned coin is, um... Original Plus!

librtyhead

What good is a coin if it was not used.When a coin is not used for commerce it becomes the same as a painted plate not to be used for supper.

coinkat

okay... I will concede that there is now a Planet Coinkat... it would sound more impressive if there really was a planet Coinkat...