Is this considered environmental damage?

jetblack740il

RYK

To me, it looks like natural toning (or tarnish, as we used to call it when I was a YN). Sometimes, it is a fine line.

I find the coin to be attractive.

TwoSides2aCoin

It's dirty. I wouldn't say it's environmentally friendly, but it's silver so it's anti-bacterial, in nature. It probably stinks to high heaven, from the looks of it. And I like it, by the way. The way it looks is my kinda coin. The way they smell is disgusting.

lkeigwin

I think it would grade without problem. And that most collectors would feel the slight, fine pitting is just toning, not yet environmental damage.

An acetone bath and safe storage might be good ideas.

Nice coin!
Lance.

MsMorrisine

Unattractive but not damaged

Some or many? might like the look. It is definitely original.

crypto79

Those are an under appreciated appurtenant issue of American numismatics that is not only historical but quite beautiful. I suspect their day will come sooner rather than later in terms of desirability.

ColonelJessup

Nothing about the coin suggests over-toning. Not close to ED. Very wholesome with some nice if subtle colorations in a natural but somewhat unpopular toning pattern.

An acetone bath MIGHT help.

BUT FIRST..... This trick was taught to me in 1985 by John Albanese.

Take a cereal bowl or somesuch and put in an inch or a bit more of water. No detergents or anything else. Place the coin in the bowl.

Under good light, rotate the bowl slowly at a slight angle and marks and hairlines lurking will be accentuated in a way not visible without the changes in refraction. But screw the science. Totally non-invasive, totally works

Then you can determine how much farther, if at all, you can go with acetone.

My personal guess from pictures is no problems on the coin and much to be gained from acetone. Colors could. for a satiny-appearing coin, bloom quite more vividly

johnny9434

it looks like alot of toning to me. nice coin to

crypto79

<< <i>

BUT FIRST..... This trick was taught to me in 1985 by John Albanese.

Take a cereal bowl or somesuch and put in an inch or a bit more of water. No detergents or anything else. Place the coin in the bowl.

Under good light, rotate the bowl slowly at a slight angle and marks and hairlines lurking will be accentuated in a way not visible without the changes in refraction. But screw the science. Totally non-invasive, totally works

>>



This works well with diamonds, it negates the light refraction/reflections and allows one to see inside the stone.

BustHalfBrian

I've noticed that PCGS often slabs coins with final-stage black toning as "environmentally damaged", understandably because there could be pitting under the toning that they can't detect.

ricko

Technically, anything that happens to a coin after it leaves the mint is environmental damage....other than, perhaps, poor handling.... Cheers, RickO

jetblack740il

I actually give this an acetone bath and here is the before and after photo. I think this looks a lot better after the bath, what do you think?

ColonelJessup

If I understand correctly, that your original image is the coin after acetone, supoib . . .

jetblack740il

<< <i>If I understand correctly, that your original image is the coin after acetone, supoib . . . >>




Correct!

lkeigwin

Definitely nicer after the bath. It's good to get the gunk off.

How long did you bathe it? Long enough?

If you're keeping it raw you might consider a little conservation treatment...Blue Ribbon, CoinCare, etc. Acetone removes all the organic stuff...even beneficial oils from circulation, and dries out the surface. Makes the coin a little dull and flat in appearance. PCGS doesn't like some of this stuff. The Sniffer barks at Blue Ribbon, supposedly. Mostly I think their objection is that some treatments can make coins look deceptively more attractive.
Lance.

illini420

I wouldn't consider that environmental damage and I don't think PCGS would either. Was nice to meet you at the Long Beach Show