OK, OK, I admit it.....

Dave99B · July 31, 2002 4:00PM

I'm deathly afraid of copper and nickel based coins, due to problems with carbon spotting. I pretty much stick with silver.

My worst nightmare is buying a PCGS MS65 '77 Indian, putting it away for a couple years in a safe deposit box, and pulling it out only to find a large black blob on Ms Liberty's cheek...

Am I the only one?

Dave

FlyTooHigh · July 31, 2002 4:09PM

No: I am with you. I only collect silver or clad coins for that reason. Although, if I accumulated a copper coin that was worth someting, I would go to great lengths to keep it from corroding.

braddick · July 31, 2002 6:05PM

I also agree and living less than 1/2 mile from the ocean am even more concerned. I buy nicely toned brown/red copper and have not had a problem.

robertpr · July 31, 2002 6:52PM

You don't think silver has spotting problems?

1jester · July 31, 2002 7:55PM

To my knowledge, only gold is problem-free, from a corrosion standpoint. But few of us are wealthy enough to exclusively own gold. Besides, ithat would eliminate the vast majority of coins, and I think there are tons of beautiful silver, copper, and other coins.

Happy collecting.

lathmach · August 1, 2002 3:18AM

On raw copper, use a thin coat of Blue Ribbon Coin Conditioner. Use a Q-tip and gently roll it on. Protects the coin quite well.

Ray

littlewicher · August 1, 2002 3:33AM

I'm also worried about owning copper and have it experience its demise in my possession.

miko999 · August 1, 2002 3:35AM

ditto for me

mdwoods · August 1, 2002 3:48AM

My worst nightmare is buying a PCGS MS65 '77 Indian, putting it away for a couple years in a safe deposit box, and pulling it out only to find a large black blob on Ms Liberty's cheek...

Thats why my Lincoln set is in brown and red/brown. (and of course the fact Red Lincolns can be very expensive) Although, nothing looks quite like a bright shiny wheat cent.

CharlieB · August 1, 2002 3:55AM

I just answered a thread somewhere in the last few hours about
buying an UNC 1914-D cent years ago only to see it tarnish badly
in a short time after I bought it. The sad part about it
was that I didn't breath on it and I stored it in a 2x2 cotton
holder where it remained in a safe deposit box. I was well
aware of the sensitivity of copper at that time and
was as careful as I could be.
Something happened and it may very well have
been that it was improperly handled before I bought it
and somebody knew that. Anyway I took a big loss when
I sold it. So I guess that has kept me from pursuing
copper although still I have a few pieces.

- Charlie B -

cladking · August 1, 2002 5:44AM

The zinc cents really scare me. Some have to be set aside for future collectors but
every year a lot of these go bad. Sometimes very bad very fast. I'd be hesitant to
buy a slabbed one because of the possibility of an invisible fingerprint or other hid-
den defect.

1jester · August 1, 2002 8:41AM

Yes, cladking, I agree. Lots of mine have deteriorated (aged poorly; I guess they're not fine wine) over the years, and I'm disappointed, because I know I set aside really near-perfect coins, and most simply have developed an unpleasant looking coating. Well, not all of them, but they don't age as well as the previous versions, whether copper or bronze.

robkool · September 20, 2019 10:23AM

OUCH !!! Did you ever send it back in for a review ???

BackroadJunkie · September 20, 2019 10:38AM

@robkool said:
OUCH !!! Did you ever send it back in for a review ???

Are you aware you're digging up a 17 year old post?

(Wait another year and this post could drink a beer...)

Baley · September 20, 2019 10:41AM

I don't buy any coins that would lose significant value if cracked out and carried with other change in my pocket for a week.

robkool · September 20, 2019 10:42AM

I know... I just wanted to see how everyone would react. LOL !!!

mynamespat · September 20, 2019 11:15AM

I live within walking distance to the largest river in North America. We suffer 90% humidity about half the year. I don't collect copper. Honestly, I don't even take my coin collection out when the weather is nice enough to open the windows because of this.

DNADave · September 20, 2019 11:18AM

@BackroadJunkie said:

@robkool said:
OUCH !!! Did you ever send it back in for a review ???

Are you aware you're digging up a 17 year old post?

(Wait another year and this post could drink a beer...)

But the forum police will get you if make a thread that’s already been started.

How many times have I seen the ol’ “There’s-already-a-thread-on-this” disgruntlement?

Catbert · September 20, 2019 2:22PM

@DNADave said:

@BackroadJunkie said:

@robkool said:
OUCH !!! Did you ever send it back in for a review ???

Are you aware you're digging up a 17 year old post?

(Wait another year and this post could drink a beer...)

But the forum police will get you if make a thread that’s already been started.

How many times have I seen the ol’ “There’s-already-a-thread-on-this” disgruntlement?

I don’t see it that way. All I ask is that the poster state why they are reposting and to alert readers it’s an old thread. Is this courtesy too much to ask?

koynekwest · September 20, 2019 2:30PM

I would fear red copper, which is why most of my stuff is RB or BN. I think some of the colorful RB stuff is much more attractive than full red anyhow-that's a personal opinion, tho.

tokenpro · September 20, 2019 2:58PM

@lathmach said:
On raw copper, use a thin coat of Blue Ribbon Coin Conditioner. Use a Q-tip and gently roll it on. Protects the coin quite well.

Ray

The only problem here is that the Blue Ribbon probably costs more than the coin... and don't even ask about my black market bottle of original Care!

robkool · September 20, 2019 3:25PM

@tokenpro said:

@lathmach said:
On raw copper, use a thin coat of Blue Ribbon Coin Conditioner. Use a Q-tip and gently roll it on. Protects the coin quite well.

Ray

The only problem here is that the Blue Ribbon probably costs more than the coin... and don't even ask about my black market bottle of original Care!

At least I still have this bottle... Only used it twice.

topstuf · September 20, 2019 3:29PM

@CharlieB said:
I just answered a thread somewhere in the last few hours about
buying an UNC 1914-D cent years ago only to see it tarnish badly
in a short time after I bought it. The sad part about it
was that I didn't breath on it and I stored it in a 2x2 cotton
holder where it remained in a safe deposit box. I was well
aware of the sensitivity of copper at that time and
was as careful as I could be.
Something happened and it may very well have
been that it was improperly handled before I bought it
and somebody knew that. Anyway I took a big loss when
I sold it. So I guess that has kept me from pursuing
copper although still I have a few pieces.

Charlie B -

My 14-D is not showing any spotting.

ricko · September 20, 2019 4:05PM

I store my coins with desiccant and temperature control.... I have had no problems... A bit of care goes a long way. Cheers, RickO

Raybo · September 20, 2019 5:20PM

I agree with koynekwest.
My whole complete set (well, mostly complete except for the 1864 SM proof) of 2 Cent Pieces are MS65 BROWN!
Ok, I have one or two 64 browns...…...and a couple of 65's in RB holders, but in the end I'm sure that old brown copper is....
better looking and a lot less likely to be effected by the environment.

KindaNewish · September 20, 2019 5:47PM

I got this one last year. It was stored in a cigar box in Key West for 30+ years.

I don't think that it would make RD if regraded, but honestly, I like it better this way.

Dave99B · September 20, 2019 7:40PM

This thread is crusty.

Dave

Electricity · September 20, 2019 9:25PM

I listened to a podcast or read an article about the guys and early Copper, imagine their fears... Horsehair brushes

jdimmick · September 20, 2019 10:31PM

I had a beautiful 14-d in redbrown once, more brown, but nice. I was out in Idaho looking around at coin shops , and was talked into buying a red by the shop owner. It was nice full red, I bought it, and brought it back to NC (100 miles from coast), very humid summers here. Less than a year, began to turn redbrown, and show some signs of ugliness. It is possible now that I have more experience that something may have happened to it prior to slabbing, but still I'm sure the difference in air here vs their did not help and made it worse. Luckily , it was about the time when the market was booming and going up at rapid price increase so I got out of it, but did loose my prior gorgeous rb I had prior as I had traded it in.

I don't have any red copper, just rb and browns. I did buy a full red 1855 half cent from a private collection about 2 years ago, and was going to keep it, but one reason I didn't was because of the fear of it turning. Sold it too cheap though as it ended up getting sold thru legend auctions at about 3x what I sold it to a national dealer for. He got it upgraded a full point!!(but that is another story)

CCGGG · September 21, 2019 9:48AM

No "age" spots yet on this copper and they are both well over 100 years old. Been in slabs for years now but no doubt they were raw for decades before that. Not too worried. Wish I had held up as well.

ee

OK, OK, I admit it.....

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