would it be worth it to dip this ugly dollar?

YQQ

Yesterday I bought another small collection. It contained this 1889 dollar.
the coin itself looks like it is high grade. but is it ever ugly.
would it be advisable to dip this coin to hopefully get rid of this ugly "whatever it is".?
there is absolutely no other toning visible and I do not think this is toning???/
Help....
thanks for your input
H

clarkbar04

Probably not going to be too many folks screaming at you telling you not to dip that one.

LanceNewmanOCC

.
looks polished to me, waste of time to conserve in any fashion imo, perhaps other than experience dipping which can have its place.
.

joebb21

looks more like a picture than a real coin

oih82w8

It would depend on what it really looks like. This image looks like septra editing.

nwcoast

Can't tell from this photo.
Contrast way too high. Looks like an old Kodalith! Line art film- long gone the wayside in a digital world.

Jinx86

Sure is not lacquered?

rkfish

I would melt it.

ricko

Impossible to say from those pictures..... Looks more like artwork than a photograph....Cheers, RickO

OPA

<< <i>Impossible to say from those pictures..... Looks more like artwork than a photograph....Cheers, RickO >>



It's a lost van Gogh ... should fetch several millions.

ShadyDave

It looks like it could be one of those painted morgans (1921's). I'd try soaking it in acetone before you try to dip it. Leave it in for a few days and then check on it, that might get the paint or whatever it is off...

SmEagle1795

It looks like it was chrome plated and then thrown into a Quentin Tarantino movie.

DIMEMAN

That is one ugly coin. Unless it's a rare variety.....melt it!

YQQ

Coin is getting an acetone bath for a few days......
we shall see what happens....
thank you all so far for your suggestions...

I will keep you up to date on the progress
h

morgansforever

Based on the images, it appears the coin has been hit with a buffing wheel then toned.
Common date, no numismatic value, use it for a pocket piece, jmo.

TwoSides2aCoin

Carcinogens are each man's choice. Proceed with caution.

Weigh the risk.

johnny9434

id get rid of it, yuck

dlmtorts

I won't dig the coin yet. Will be curious to see it after the acetone bath.

PRECIOUSMENTAL

Is that a photograph or a scan?
Could you please take another image before the 'bath'?
Thanks, can't wait to see the after.
Have fun with it.

YQQ

so far, the acetone bath has not made one bit of a difference... looks exactly the same (in about 18 hours totally submerged)
the images are high res photos

lkeigwin

No offense but those photos are completely useless. Looks like B&W line art.

Maybe shoot them again in a totally different (normal?) way so we can take a look?

If you're not seeing progress with acetone your coin may need a long oil soak (months), or an eZest dip.
Lance.

YQQ

Lance, I am not sure what to say.. coin was shot in a very normal manner. nothing different then with others.
you say line art? B&W art is what it looks like . the coin came to me in a plastic flip...maybe chemical reaction there?
even tried pure day light... same result.. and IT is NOT the camera....
cannon
SP=1/6
F9
iso 200
90 mm macro
auto WB
light source = ottolight
next step will be a fast dip..... BUT have no idea in WHAT???
will ask a jeweler friend tomorrow.

nwcoast

I'm in agreement with Lance. And no offence, yet the images are very much resembling "line art", or as I mentioned in my earlier post- kodalith.
What this means simply, is that there is way too much contrast. The contrast is too high. Put simply- there aren't enough shades of gray- only black and white. If this coin actually looks like what I'm seeing in the photo (it appears to be white and spotted with terminal black tarnish), then i'd write it off as bullion. You can try dipping it, however in my experience, toning this dark usually remains as unsightly brown stain and the strength of the dip required to get it there strips the luster. Try usiing some softer lighting and/or reducing the contrast. Make sure you're set to color and not black and white copy settings somewhere.
Thanks and good luck.




Edited for typos from small screen phone app posting:

dib

Just take a picture with the coin a farther distance away from your camera. Also you could take a picture of a completely different, normal looking coin, so we can see the comparison between the two shots... and help us to better understand if the coin truly looks like this, or if this coin only looks like this because of the way it was photographed.

Does this coin actually look like this in hand?

DoubleEagle59

How can anyone here give an opinion from that picture?

The range of surface condition for dipping could stretch anywhere from being OK to being beyond help.

ldhair

You need to practice on your images. Opinions from what are posted will be worthless. It's not even possible to tell if the coin is real.

TwoSides2aCoin

Send me the coin. I'll dip it for you and post the results.

YQQ

Ok fellows,
the coin in fact does look exactly like it is shown. there was NO image manipulation. It was taken as a color and NOT B&W.
I have been commended for my pictures many times and I do know what I am doing there.
However, perhaps later today I will take a few more pictures and post them
Changing the light source makes absolutely NO difference and it might perhaps soften the picture a bit. But that is NOT how the coin is!
It is not soft.
THe coin is not worth to ship anywhere. It is a simple dollar..
Fellows, the reason I made this post is exactly because of the very odd appearance of the coin. I was hoping someone would have or has had something similar.
more pix later... out to garage sales now...
have a great day all
H
PS: I am not offended at all. you will have to get very personal for me to be offended. no worries here.
to the contrary , I thank all of of you for your comments so far. again... it just a simple dollar...

Wabbit2313

If that is how it looks, you might need paint remover to remove the neon white spray paint!

LindeDad

Don't think I would even pay for dip. That's never going to be worth more than melt.
Please don't give it to anyone you'll ruin their sense of what a decent coin is supposed to be.

BryceM

I'm having a difficult time understanding the surfaces of the coin. The photography technique leaves the coin looking rather harsh, with way too much contrast. There is nothing between over-exposed areas and totally dark areas. The coin might look something like that in-hand, but I'd like to see a photo showing the surface texture, luster, and the way light plays off the surfaces a little better.

This coin could be anything from a splotchy-toned, high-grade coin to a buffed, polished, and corroded example.

Bochiman

Rest of everything aside, I would be worried that the "toning" has been there a long time and may be etched into the surface.
If so, dipping will remove it, but you will have an undesirable coin anyway...with surface area notably removed where there was toning. Kind of like cutting off bits of skin.

YQQ

ok fellows, the following sets of pictures were taken as follows

1 set with black BG
1 set with white BG
1 set with axial imaging
they look all the same...at least to me.
I believe the dark is etched into the coin....
and I will dip it next week... nothing to loose...

BryceM

If that's what it really looks like, there is absolutely no hint of luster, original surfaces, or any hope of value. I can't see any possible improvement to be had from dipping it. In fact, I'm not even sure it isn't a cheap plated counterfeit. It looks like the inner base metal (lead?) is wearing through a thin layer of plate material. It has a rather unwholesome look all around........

lasvegasteddy

<< <i>If that's what it really looks like, there is absolutely no hint of luster, original surfaces, or any hope of value. I can't see any possible improvement to be had from dipping it. In fact, I'm not even sure it isn't a cheap plated counterfeit. It looks like the inner base metal (lead?) is wearing through a thin layer of plate material. It has a rather unwholesome look all around........ >>



looks like a plated something or another to me too

Wabbit2313

Weigh that sucker and see if it's real. Also, try the magnet!

GrumpyEd

Looks painted or plated or mercury coated.

Some areas like the breast have wear but are covered then other details look like whatever it is was rubbed off.

Stuart

No

TwoSides2aCoin

lemme see… lemme see…

It's next week already …

YQQ

weight is 26.7 gr
non magnetic...
next step is dipping...next week at a jewellers friends place.
fellows, this is not about it being a valuable coin. it the unusual appearance of it... what is it? what caused it?
this is getting to be fun.
will keep you posted next week aftere the dip!

YQQ

Tday I went to see my friend to dip the dollar.
first it made very little difference... but after submerging it for about 30 seconds.. it started to do something...
But it still showed some of the ugly grey spots....
so in it went again for a minute.... and voila, here is the result:



still shows "ugly" and also scratches. it appears that there is some pitting or other surface marking also, still indicating where the gray stuff was, or perhaps still is in form of being etched in.
any ideas?

clarkbar04

That has been cleaned harshly, as a common date it's worth melt regardless. Perhaps some environmental damage was scrubbed off, perhaps it was a detector find.

YQQ

No argument on that.
But the big question remains: what was / is the black stuff that caused the pitting or whatever damage this is.
have never seen this before.
perhaps it was an attempt with some chemical to hide the cleaning a long time ago?

telephoto1

IMO it's just funky toning subsequent to a mechanical cleaning/buffing, done likely as a prelude to being placed into a jewelry piece (belt buckle, bolo tie, money clip). I've seen other dollars with this look.