Jbspeckh Posted January 23, 2020 Share Posted January 23, 2020 Just acquired a new Indian Head Cent that I am digging. Thoughts on a grade? Any concerns? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jbspeckh Posted January 23, 2020 Author Share Posted January 23, 2020 Reverse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Bob Posted January 23, 2020 Share Posted January 23, 2020 It appears to me to have been cleaned, so I am going to call it AU Details. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coinbuf Posted January 23, 2020 Share Posted January 23, 2020 The surfaces and color don't look correct looks possibly whizzed to me; for sure it doesn't look original from the photos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VKurtB Posted January 23, 2020 Share Posted January 23, 2020 4 minutes ago, Coinbuf said: The surfaces and color don't look correct looks possibly whizzed to me; for sure it doesn't look original from the photos. I was going to say whizzed. The Indian Head Cent was a very frequent target of the whizzer crowd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JKK Posted January 23, 2020 Share Posted January 23, 2020 What I don't get is the sort of pebbly texturing on the cheek and neck most prominently. I kind of wonder if this wasn't replated, if authentic at all. 1908 IHPs wouldn't be so rare as to be worth faking or altering, but ones purporting to be in such condition might be. I don't see any of the expected scratches from a whizzing, but that doesn't mean they are not there. The color definitely suggests something wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VKurtB Posted January 23, 2020 Share Posted January 23, 2020 I don't remember where I read it, but I know I read somewhere that the pebbly fields is a result of whizzing. I read so much stuff and no, I don't keep a source 3x5 card file. I got out of formal high school debate some 47 years ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JKK Posted January 23, 2020 Share Posted January 23, 2020 10 minutes ago, VKurtB said: I don't remember where I read it, but I know I read somewhere that the pebbly fields is a result of whizzing. I read so much stuff and no, I don't keep a source 3x5 card file. I got out of formal high school debate some 47 years ago. That's wonderful, Kurt; congratulations on getting out of that formal debate so long ago. You may not remember the article, but if the somewhere article convinced you it's possible, you probably formed an opinion as to how whizzing could produce those textures. What's your theory of the mechanics of this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coinbuf Posted January 23, 2020 Share Posted January 23, 2020 I have heard from more than a few dealers that the whizzing process creates heat and the metal actually melts just a little bit. When it cools the pebbly surface is the result, that is also why you don't always see lots of lines or scratches from the wire wheel. One thing that is often visible is a build up of metal on the devices, letters, numbers and such; that buildup often looks like a raised edge. The op's pic is too out of focus for me to see if any of that buildup is visible on this coin or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VKurtB Posted January 23, 2020 Share Posted January 23, 2020 26 minutes ago, Coinbuf said: I have heard from more than a few dealers that the whizzing process creates heat and the metal actually melts just a little bit. When it cools the pebbly surface is the result, that is also why you don't always see lots of lines or scratches from the wire wheel. One thing that is often visible is a build up of metal on the devices, letters, numbers and such; that buildup often looks like a raised edge. The op's pic is too out of focus for me to see if any of that buildup is visible on this coin or not. Actual melting is unneeded, just the combination of heat and pressure. During striking, there is no actual heating, but JUST pressure, and lots of metal gets moved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Bob Posted January 23, 2020 Share Posted January 23, 2020 Buffing with a high speed felt wheel can produce that texture, and also that very clean look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbbpll Posted January 23, 2020 Share Posted January 23, 2020 I have a dime with similar pebbly look. It's very shiny. I posted it to another forum asking how it was done, and all I kept getting back was "Cleaned" (yeah, I know). High speed buffing makes sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
