tulloa Posted May 15 Share Posted May 15 I found these two bicentennial no mint mark quarters in the grass at my apartments. They seem shinier than usual but when I look at it closely under a loop it looks like it has some weird lime green areas and it’s not dirty. Look at the pictures. what could this be? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenstang Posted May 15 Share Posted May 15 Welcome to the Chat Board Hard to see the edge but it looks like it has been plated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tulloa Posted May 15 Author Share Posted May 15 I will attach some pics of the edges. Why would someone do that? I mean, don’t you have to have your coins certified before you sell them? I’ll post pictures here in a moment thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JKK Posted May 15 Share Posted May 15 On 5/15/2024 at 11:42 AM, tulloa said: I mean, don’t you have to have your coins certified before you sell them? No, you don't. You can sell them to whoever wants to buy them (this one would bring 25c). Certification matters mainly to people who prefer it, primarily those who collect coins that are commonly counterfeited or altered, or to certify that a given variety or error is present. Before someone spends $40-60 to have a coin certified, one should consider whether it's even worth 10% of that amount. In most cases it is not. I get that, for new collectors, having coins graded and slabbed feels like "doing it right." It isn't, at least not automatically. One should ask oneself just how much really cool stuff one could get for $40-60, and that'll usually answer the question. tulloa and Sandon 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandon Posted May 15 Share Posted May 15 Welcome to the NGC chat board. Anything that looks green on a clad quarter (or most other coins) is either residue of a foreign substance or a corrosion product, neither of which is desirable. (Some uncirculated copper and some silver coins may develop a greenish toning that can be attractive, but that's not what is going on here.) Based on your photos, both of your circulated 1976 Bicentennial quarter appear to have been coated with glue and/or other foreign substances. (Soaking them in acetone might soften or remove this residue.) Even without the residue, they would have no numismatic value. Over 809 million were struck, and millions were saved in uncirculated grades. On 5/15/2024 at 2:42 PM, tulloa said: don’t you have to have your coins certified before you sell them? Only coins of significant value (at least several hundred dollars) are worth the cost of submitting to third-party grading services. Many still enjoy collecting lower value--and even higher value--coins in albums, hard plastic holders, or other appropriate holders. Knowledgeable collectors can grade and otherwise evaluate coins without having them encapsulated in bulky grading service holders. Even for those who collect only certified coins, knowledge of grading is important. For those who want to submit coins to grading services, it is essential. tulloa and ldhair 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...