Definition of "burnt"?
DarkStar
Posts: 463 ✭✭✭✭✭
A friendly professional friend of mine was viewing some coins for me, which he described as "burnt". The coins in question were Seated/Barber proofs in the the PR66-67 range, all cac. I have never heard this term before, it doesn't sound too good. What does this mean?
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it might mean heavily toned, terminal. it isn't a term I am accustomed to hearing.
You really should ask him what he means... as you can see, it is not a common term and already there are two possibilities mentioned. Cheers, RickO
MLB is correct. It is a coin that is either over dipped, or bright white with no oomph to it. Fields are shiny but lifeless. This can also be the result of dipping a terminal toned coin that has had the surface eaten into.
Looks good. Don't burn it.:)
It is a term I have never heard used before in regard to dipping. I think I will continue to just say overdipped as it is much easier to understand.
How could CAC Proof 67s be overdipped? We might need a new CAC thread.
All comments reflect the opinion of the author, even when irrefutably accurate.
I have also heard ‘burnt” used synonymously with “etched” to describe toning that has advanced into the surface of the coin. It is a state of toning that cannot be fully removed.
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
This is, in my experience, the more common usage of "burnt".
All comments reflect the opinion of the author, even when irrefutably accurate.
That is more to my experience also. It's about the same as those little burn spots coins can get from pinholes in a 2X2 over years of storage. The only way to get those spots of is to dip the crap out of the coin there by stripping all the luster from the coin.
If i described a coin as burnt, I would use my deepest most unimpressed metal head rocker voice I could muster, 😆
That coin Ber-ernt!
So which is it? I've never heard the term used but I makes no sense to me when it is described as "bright White."
@keets said: "it might mean heavily toned, terminal. it isn't a term I am accustomed to hearing."
Actually, terminal toning is corrosion.
@MFeld said: "I have also heard ‘burnt” used synonymously with “etched” to describe toning that has advanced into the surface of the coin. It is a state of toning that cannot be fully removed."
@amwldcoin said: "That is more to my experience also. It's about the same as those little burn spots coins can get from pinholes in a 2X2 over years of storage. The only way to get those spots of is to dip the crap out of the coin there by stripping all the luster from the coin."
All I can say is that down through the decades new folks join the hobby/profession and things get changed. Some for the better and some just plain nonsense.
Example of a good change that came with more education; "Double Die" became Doubled die.
Example of something else: While dark toning of any kind looks like a "burn" it is not. Neither is corrosion.
I'm a little surprised that none of the old timers have replied yet. The original term we coined was "Dip Burn." It is ONLY seen on Proofs." When a non Proof surface is over-dipped it becomes "etched." In a similar fashion, when the surface of a Proof is chemically destroyed it is also MICROSCOPICALLY ETCHED but the quality of the surface prevents any obvious etching to show until the mirror actually gets "eaten away" and then it looks just as a regular corroded surface.
What dip burn does is dull the mirror. Often to a flat,whitish-tan color. You can still tell the coin has an extremely flat surface with no radials but it is "burnt." If you go online and search for mark-free Proofs that are not toned, graded PR-62 you should find some. Once you see one the look will be "burnt" into your head.
PS We had a Barber half Proof last week with this surface. Next one I'll image. I'll take a wild guess and say at least 15% of the Proofs out there are impaired in this way. Proofs with toning, hairlines, and contact marks are not included in this number.
Actually, toning, corrosion, and combustion are all oxidation processes.
All comments reflect the opinion of the author, even when irrefutably accurate.
I got burnt on a mail order coin that was cleaned and overgraded.