2004 This is nice and dual toning on reverse. 0

[Posso]

I pick this sucker out because of the toning on reverse, and then the funky looking N jumped out on me. I don’t think it’s damage. The copper plating is still fresh in between.
Hmmm any thoughts about this? 

[Coinbuf]

Just a well-placed hit from something after the coin left the mint, not an error.   

[Posso]

On 12/8/2022 at 3:49 PM, Coinbuf said:

Just a well-placed hit from something after the coin left the mint, not an error.   

There’s no irregularities/ disfigurements at all, and it’s the same color shiny red like the rest of the coin. What causes the copper to tone like the reverse. Where it says One Cent on the bottom half is way darker. The rest of the coin is the same red. That’s nice.

[Coinbuf]

On 12/8/2022 at 4:06 PM, Posso said:

There’s no irregularities/ disfigurements at all, and it’s the same color shiny red like the rest of the coin. What causes the copper to tone like the reverse. Where it says One Cent on the bottom half is way darker. The rest of the coin is the same red. That’s nice.

You asked about the N of IGWT on the obv, that is just a well placed hit from another coin or object, not an error.    What you call tone I would call stained, that happened from someone that handled the coin with bare hands or the coin came into contact with some environmental contaminate, possibly even spend time partly buried in the soil.   Our skin has oils which over time attack and stain coins, copper is especially reactive to environmental factors like skin oils and can become stained quite easily.   This is why we always instruct new collectors to only hold a raw coin by the edge not the face of the coin.   There are unfortunately many internet outlets like you tube or etsy where you will see many uninformed people that will hype coins like this as toned.

If you like the way this looks there is nothing wrong with keeping it, but I have collected Lincoln cents for over 40 years and I feel very comfortable saying that the vast majority of Lincoln collectors would find this coin to be unattractive.

[AdamWL]

I also would refer to the darkness on the bottom of the reverse as a stain. 

[Posso]

On 12/8/2022 at 4:26 PM, Coinbuf said:

You asked about the N of IGWT on the obv, that is just a well placed hit from another coin or object, not an error.    What you call tone I would call stained, that happened from someone that handled the coin with bare hands or the coin came into contact with some environmental contaminate, possibly even spend time partly buried in the soil.   Our skin has oils which over time attack and stain coins, copper is especially reactive to environmental factors like skin oils and can become stained quite easily.   This is why we always instruct new collectors to only hold a raw coin by the edge not the face of the coin.   There are unfortunately many internet outlets like you tube or etsy where you will see many uninformed people that will hype coins like this as toned.

If you like the way this looks there is nothing wrong with keeping it, but I have collected Lincoln cents for over 40 years and I feel very comfortable saying that the vast majority of Lincoln collectors would find this coin to be unattractive.

Yep to me it looks like a nice keeper with that toning. I like the toning. Your probably right. But it does look to my eyes up close with a loop that the    Copper cladding was done afterword’s. Everything there looks the same. I may take it over to a dealer to take a look when I’m back in town. I love the pennies for some reason. It’s very relaxing looking over them. Thanks for your expertise 

[VKurtB]

I suppose it’s a free country and the OP is free to believe anything he wants. That doesn’t make it true. 

[Sandon]

   Copper-plated zinc planchets are plated before they are struck into a coin.  A dent or hit usually won't remove the plating but instead pushes the plating in along with the zinc.  It takes a pretty deep scratch or gouge to remove the plating.  As for the "toning" from the coin darkening from finger oils, beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder!

[VKurtB]

On 12/9/2022 at 1:17 PM, Sandon said:

   Copper-plated zinc planchets are plated before they are struck into a coin.  A dent or hit usually won't remove the plating but instead pushes the plating in along with the zinc.  It takes a pretty deep scratch or gouge to remove the plating.  As for the "toning" from the coin darkening from finger oils, beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder!

And it ain’t in mine.