Randall Hoard....Do you prefer Red/Brown or Brown?

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Tomthemailcarrier
Tomthemailcarrier Posts: 807 ✭✭✭✭✭
edited August 24, 2019 6:49AM in U.S. Coin Forum

I have been quite fascinated by the Randall hoard for quite some time. For me the backstory around a coin helps to bring me back to an earlier time period in U.S. history. Who wouldn’t be attracted to a story like this one? Imagine a keg of large cents that had been buried in the south and dug up after the civil war.
Upon their being discovered and sold decades later people were suspicious. Why were these copper coins so bright and shiny? Had they been restruck or were they counterfeit?
If you were to buy one would you opt for a Red/Brown specimen or Brown? Maybe you’d save some money and go for one designated as Brown but had quite a bit of Red? I don’t own any yet but am researching them more before I consider a purchase.

Some images from PCGS coinfacts below. Thank you for offering your insight and thoughts on this famous part of American history. First is RB Second is Brown. Third is Brown

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  • DennisH
    DennisH Posts: 14,041 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    In general, I like glossy brown.

    When in doubt, don't.
  • jonruns
    jonruns Posts: 1,202 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    I like #2

  • Tibor
    Tibor Posts: 3,801 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    I prefer glossy brown as well. Which dates were included in the hoard?

  • Tomthemailcarrier
    Tomthemailcarrier Posts: 807 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    @Tibor said:
    I prefer glossy brown as well. Which dates were included in the hoard?

    1816, 1817, 1818, 1819 & 1820

  • Cougar1978
    Cougar1978 Posts: 10,067 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    I prefer R/B

    Investor
  • johnny9434
    johnny9434 Posts: 34,094 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    I like the second one as well. its all good

  • Tibor
    Tibor Posts: 3,801 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    @Tomthemailcarrier Thank you for the info.

  • Insider2
    Insider2 Posts: 14,452 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited August 24, 2019 8:35AM
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    IMO, both of the top two coins are RB (a TPGS may not agree with the middle coin). I o:) say this because in the "old days" before the TPGS's expert dealers and VALUE became involved, a coin was either Red, or Brown leaving anything with a trace of red remaining: Red-Brown. Real easy and NO SUBJECTIVITY OR % Red REQUIRED. LOL, let's complicate grading so folks need us. >:)

    The major difference is the top coin is "dirty-looking" due to minor ED. If this coin were cleaned up, it would be much more attractive - closer to the beauty of the middle RB coin.

    I prefer Red-Brown or glossy brown because the surfaces may be "set." I stopped collecting red copper long ago as many of my coins became slowly destroyed (before slabbing was available.)

  • metalmeister
    metalmeister Posts: 4,633 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    I am in the chocolate brown camp.

    email: ccacollectibles@yahoo.com

    100% Positive BST transactions
  • steveben
    steveben Posts: 4,666 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    copper is an area where i could learn a lot more...so any experts out there correct me if i am wrong.

    i think the most original looking example is the first.

    i think the best looking example is the second.

    i think the third example looks like copper that was coated with something to protect it. maybe oil or laquer?

  • fiftysevener
    fiftysevener Posts: 943 ✭✭✭✭
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    Proof coppers appear to be graded with future anticipation of color. NGC only guarantees color for 10 years which is fair to me. However PCGS at one time only graded cameo proof coppers as 'cameo' if full red. Where does this one belong if submitted to PCGS ?
    This coin now in Pf 67 RB Cameo only because they would not reholder damaged slab as 'red'. So I'm not sure how TPG's might market grade coins like this but I took a hit on this one even though it appears full red to me !

  • golden
    golden Posts: 10,536 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    I love them all.

  • Walkerguy21D
    Walkerguy21D Posts: 12,164 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited August 24, 2019 12:12PM
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    Another.....heck, why should that Randall guy have ‘em all? 😉

    Successful BST transactions with 177 members. breakdown, scotty1419, mattniss, bigjpst, onlyroosies, Manorcourtman, guitarwes, Ebeneezer, Tonedeaf, Shane6596, Piano1, Ikenefic, RG, PCGSPhoto, stman, Don'tTelltheWife, Boosibri, Ron1968, snowequities, VTchaser, jrt103, SurfinxHI, 78saen, bp777, FHC, RYK, JTHawaii, Opportunity, Kliao, bigtime36, skanderbeg, split37, thebigeng, acloco, Toninginthblood, OKCC, braddick, Coinflip, robcool, fastfreddie, tightbudget, DBSTrader2, nickelsciolist, relaxn, Eagle eye, soldi, silverman68, ElKevvo, sawyerjosh, Schmitz7, talkingwalnut2, konsole, sharkman987, sniocsu, comma, jesbroken, David1234, biosolar, Sullykerry, Moldnut, erwindoc, MichaelDixon, GotTheBug
  • Purfrock
    Purfrock Posts: 545 ✭✭✭
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    I've owned a few of the hoard off and on. Many are beautiful and they have a vast range of color.
    I tend to favor a nice, low premium R/B or Brown, only because Red tends to get expensive quick. I can see myself owning a red coin and every time I pull it out thinking, "wait, wasn't the red hue much more prominent the last time I looked at it?" thus driving myself crazy.

    EAC, ANA Member
  • ricko
    ricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    I like old copper and most that I have seen is chocolate brown.....Lots of red Lincoln cents still around, but the old coppers are mostly brown. One and three look quite natural to me... number two has a more unnatural look.... Well, that is my opinion, and not based on any evidentiary information. Cheers, RickO

  • BryceM
    BryceM Posts: 11,940 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited August 24, 2019 5:58PM
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    I don’t have s strong preference either way. Some RB coins look great and some BN coins look great. It just comes down to the coin for me.

    This one suits me nicely, and the color is a bit more interesting than some in BN holders:

    image

  • MFeld
    MFeld Posts: 17,141 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited August 24, 2019 6:41PM
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    I wouldn’t decide ahead of time which color designation I was going to pursue. As I have posted on many occasions, i’d rather not limit my options, unnecessarily. Instead, I’d rather allow a coin to come to me and call out to me.

    Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.

  • SiriusBlack
    SiriusBlack Posts: 1,120 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    I love the BN coins.

    Collector of randomness. Photographer at PCGS. Lover of Harry Potter.

  • BustDMs
    BustDMs Posts: 1,706 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    I prefer coin two also.

    Q: When does a collector become a numismatist?



    A: The year they spend more on their library than their coin collection.



    A numismatist is judged more on the content of their library than the content of their cabinet.
  • brianc1959
    brianc1959 Posts: 350 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    I'm partial to RB, with as much red as possible.

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