PVC Damage or something else?

[Chris1976]

This arrived today its a 1896 Morgan that I picked up for just under $47 after shipping cost and it was advertised to be a problem free AU+, but after opening the package and looking at it I found this.

 

 

Highly considering the idea of just returning it and looking for a better one. It's just a raw morgan and how hard is it really to find those anyways right?

 

Edited to add:

 

The coin does have very nice cartwheeling and only two hits that I have seen so far, one by the questionable black area and one in the middle of the eagles breast on the reverse, but the feathers show nicely.

[Raisethis2]

The only PVC I've encountered was opaque in color but it was "fresh". My understanding is that pvc will eventually eat into some metals and leave a bit of a pock mark over time.

 

On my coin I just soaked it in uncontaminated Acetone for an hour, removed it, rinsed with warm water and put it in a 2x2. Acetone unlike coin cleaning jewelry acid doesn't harm luster.

 

Perhaps others with more experience can offer some input.

[Houston Investor]

Looks like the truck that ran over it had some grease on the tires.

 

If your unable to return it, I would try dipping that off with a Q Tip soaked in Dip. Just tap tap it lightly and then press down; otherwise you have quite a problem coin, a real dog (PVC or not). Looks like you got stuck on that one.

 

Coins with black toning and / or black spots are low end in my opinion even if stickered. These coins are essentially unsellable. In the old Teletrade days before they had images, owners would unload them. The joke at the coin club was if the first TTR buyer returned it chances would be good it would stick with the next guy. A dead giveway the coin in the auction was badly tarnished or looked like it was run over by a truck (a garbage, low end piece) they would describe it as having "average luster."

[coinman_23885]

Regardless of whether you think it is PVC, it is unsightly and I would return it for fear of the coin turning into a gooey mess. As you said, raw common date Morgan Dollars are not overly difficult to find.

[Chris1976]

The more and more I sit here looking at that spot, I'll be calling the retailer tomarrow for an RMA.

[DunderChief-migration]

I also think a return is in order. 1896 is a common date and you should easily be able to find one that does not have the issue that one has.

[PerryHall]

Doesn't look like PVC to me. Looks like a typical dirty area on a coin that's never been dipped or otherwise cleaned.

[Oldtrader3]

My guess is that this is organic contamination which often will turn into a carbon spot of some sort after air exposure, humidity and time. PVC normally will turn green (verdigris) color over time. I would not want that carbon on an AU coin.

[Chris1976]

Me either OT3. I did get an email back from the online retailer today saying that they gave me a credit for the purchase price minus shipping to my account with them. Along with it was an apology saying that the coin they had shipped me should not have been included in that listing since it was not as problem free as one of the packagers thought it was.