1865 Two cent: corroded, dipped, doctored, retoned, and here's how it turned out

[James_OldeTowne]

First, the original coin (click for larger image versions):

 

 

Notice the corroded areas, across the bottom half of the obverse, and lower reverse spots. I cracked this coin out of a PCGS MS-63 RB holder. (See my original post over here .)

 

I dipped the coin until it turned pink. Then, I wrapped it up tightly in the Sunday comics, and set it on top of a 40-watt incandescent bulb for three weeks. Here's the result:

 

 

As you can see, the obverse now looks totally original, though of course the corrosion is still there. The reverse is not quite as nice, and for some reason, the denomination digit "2 cents" picked up a dark color, maybe ink from the newspaper?

 

This was an extremely simple coin doctoring job. It seems to me like a real coin doctor, with more sophisticated skills or experience, could probably produce a completely convincing full-red coin.

 

Opinions and discussion welcome.....

 

James

[4ucoin-migration]

Are you going to try to resubmit it to see if PCGS will grade it ?

[James_OldeTowne]

No. They shouldn't have graded it to begin with, due to the corrosion, and since the corrosion is still there, it shouldn't be graded now.

 

James

[Bruceswar]

I must say.. the coin looks much better....

[gmarguli]

No. They shouldn't have graded it to begin with, due to the corrosion, and since the corrosion is still there, it shouldn't be graded now.

 

James

 

Looks like a poor planchet to me. Somewhat typical on these coins.

[HaydenTubbs]

Wow James,great doctoring job! It actually looks attractive now...

-Hayden

[James_OldeTowne]

((( Looks like a poor planchet to me. Somewhat typical on these coins. )))

 

I'm not sure that poor planchets were typical for the two-cent series, however, it is likely that this was a bad planchet. That said, it's my understanding that PCGS and NGC will body-bag a coin if it's struck on too poor quality of a planchet, which I think should apply here.

 

If you compare this "MS-63" to what one would expect of "MS-63", then this coin falls well short of expectations. Maybe a better grade would have been "MS-60".

 

I am going to repeat this experiment in the future, maybe setting up more careful progress reports.

 

James

[michael]

you are absolutely correct jsmes there are many dipped rb coins two centers that are in slabs graded red... full red and half in current top tier slabs are recolored/dipped etc coins that again where really close to red but actually rb and with some careful dipping doctoring etc. are now red full red coins you can tell them but it takes someone who has much experience in collecting and handling many original examples and seeing many original examples to tell this

 

and many are now market acceptable but highly questionable full red designiated in top teir slabs and thnis is okie

 

but if you ever see a 100% totally original full rede two center it is a no bra9ner type of coins but these are few and far between

 

snd again half of the so called full red two centers in holders are cleaned/dipped conserved wahtever you call it red coins

[TomB]

I realize you have already told us that the coin was dipped, but if the color is accurate in the second image then the coin really does not look original.