Pocket pieces--are they "Artificial Wear"?

Comments

• MrEureka Posts: 24,513 ✭✭✭✭✭

  February 26, 2006 6:17AM

  Well, if you wear down a proof 1880 nickel and try to pass it off as a business strike, that's certainly an act of artifice.

  Andy Lustig
  
  Doggedly collecting coins of the Central American Republic.
  
  Visit the Society of US Pattern Collectors at USPatterns.com.

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• rainbowroosie Posts: 4,875 ✭✭✭✭

  February 26, 2006 6:18AM

  Indeed, isn't every PO1 coin a deliberate abomination?? For example, Colorfulcoins has to wear two belts to hold up his pants --- he's carrying about 80 LBS of coins he hopes to make into 78 LBS of coins!!!! I've heard rumors of PO1 junkies hopping up and down until exaustion, all in the faint hope they can age their modern coins faster than their Registry competition!!!!

  "You keep your 1804 dollar and 1822 half eagle -- give me rainbow roosies in MS68."
  rainbowroosie April 1, 2003

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• cladking Posts: 29,021 ✭✭✭✭✭

  February 26, 2006 6:25AM

  Just as there is no real line between AT and NT there is no real line between AW and NW.
  
  Coins that have worn in a pocket with other coins are for practical purposes naturally worn
  since this is how most wear occurs on coins. (or at least it used to be). It really doesn't have
  to even be worn all the way down in a pocket since the process can be greatly accelerated
  by filing the rims or spending time in a rock tumbler first.

  tempus fugit extra philosophiam.

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• DennisH Posts: 14,016 ✭✭✭✭✭

  February 26, 2006 6:28AM

  So then, how did circulated coins become circulated?

  When in doubt, don't.

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• messydesk Posts: 20,485 ✭✭✭✭✭

  February 26, 2006 6:30AM

  Have any PO1 coins actually traded for premiums because of their advanced state of decay? I've seen some with huge price tags on them, which are merely meant to indicate that they're not for sale, but I've never heard dealers rampbling about "making a PO1" while ignoring their customers at a show. I'd think that these "untergrade" coins are pretty much confined to collections for which they're made, or traded to others for like coins. Probably the reason they haven't been shunned is that the market for them hasn't been perceived as being out of hand.

  John
  Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars • Variety Attribution

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• ziggy29 Posts: 18,668 ✭✭✭

  February 26, 2006 6:31AM

  Maybe, maybe not. The simple fact is that most of the market doesn't care and an "artificially worn" piece will still usually sell for less money than a piece NOT artifically worn.
  
  That makes it a much different situation than the NT/AT stuff. People don't pay 20-50x more for a coin just because someone wore it down heavily in a pocket or a rock tumbler.
  

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• BAJJERFAN Posts: 31,474 ✭✭✭✭✭

  February 26, 2006 6:37AM

  There are various types of AT, some intentional some not. Putting a coin in an envelope or album that is known to give a certain type of toning is one kind and proving intent is tough. Carrying a pocket piece with INTENT to cause wear would be difficult to prove too.

  theknowitalltroll;

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• cladking Posts: 29,021 ✭✭✭✭✭

  February 26, 2006 6:38AM

  There are pieces that are obviously artificially worn. The wear is concentrated on one
  side or in some areas or The coin is flat rather than slightly rounded. While wear starts
  at the high points there will be some contact even with the lowest points so these be-
  come worn as well. Sometimes people will try to wire brush them to give them a good
  start but this damage may never completely disappear until the design does.
  
  These do command a premium but it's really difficult to produce these and there is no
  real alternative to engaging in a lot of activity with them in your pocket or carrying them
  for a long time. It's easy to accidently spend one you're working on.

  tempus fugit extra philosophiam.

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• Burks Posts: 1,103 ✭

  February 26, 2006 7:02AM

  Using a belt sander one a coin is artificial wear.
  
  Having a coin as a pocket piece is natural wear.

  WTB: Eric Plunk cards, jersey (signed or unsigned), and autographs. Basically anything related to him
  
  Positive BST: WhiteThunder (x2), Ajaan, onefasttalon, mirabela, Wizard1, cucamongacoin, mccardguy1
  
  
  Negative BST: NONE!

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• Sotty Posts: 373 ✭

  February 26, 2006 8:05AM

  I have been aging about 30 silver coins in my
  pocket for the last 3 months.I soaked them all in bleach
  until they turned dark brown, then baked them in the oven
  for about an hour until they were black.I divide them up and
  use both front pockets.Every chance I get, I vigoriously shake
  them around in my pockets.
  They are aging quit nice, and the black is adhering nicely
  in the crevices.
  Doing this in public may get you some rude comments, but
  I just say that I am trying to naturally wear down my coins.

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• Colorfulcoins Posts: 3,371 ✭✭✭

  February 26, 2006 12:31PM

  Several Board members have attempted Artifical Wear......and its much tougher than it may seem. A rock tumbler...doesn't work. A washing machine.......doesn't work. The coins come out sweated, so I'm told. I've had coins I sbmitted as worn come back in body bags for no apparent reason and I've been left assming it AW <grin>. But you know, blatant Aw is relatively easy to spot just like amateurish AT, however, if there was monetary reward for low grade coins, we'd probably see more than we do. Bt, who wold want to wear down a Chain cent????? Now, if one were to wear down an Ike for example, that wold be a different story! Certainly some of us recall Braddicks offer of $1000 for a PO01 Ike (never happened and his offer expired - the one PO01 Ike was made after his offer expired).
  
  So, is this coin NW (natural wear) or AW (artifical wear)? BTW, its an 1983-P washington quarter, PCGS PO01.....
  
  
  
  And doesn't it look like this 1932-D PCGS FR02 I have in an old green holder (who was Awing coins 20 years ago?)....
  
  

  Craig
  If I had it my way, stupidity would be painful!

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