1857 cent restoration - some explanation added

[Hoot]

This coin will require some time and future work, but the initial results of the coin in and out of the PCGS holder are rather remarkable. I call the coin VF35 details VF30 net, A. Enjoy, Hoot

 

Before:

 

After:

[Bruceswar]

wow thats some changes already....

[Hoot]

Thanks Bruce. The coin was suffering from a couple of different surface problems. One of the problems was that, as with most slabbed circulated copper, the coin had not been taken care of properly for quite some time. This may have been the case before it was slabbed, but it goes a long way to illustrate Bill Jones' point about how unpredictable the TPGs are in slabbing early copper. The other matter is the "shiner" below Liberty's eye. Turns out, that spot was due to some burnishing that had been done to evidently fill a hit on the cheek of Lib. The difference in the porosity of the metal had led to an exaggerated color difference over time. I was able to overcome this problem, and was able to address the rest of the surface problems of the coin.

 

Bottom line with this piece is that if it was left in the TPG holder ad-infinitum, it would have eventually developed permanent surface problems that were already beginning to rear their heads. The coin was simply too nice to let it go for that.

 

Hoot

[MBA101]

What did you do?

[Hoot]

What did you do?

 

The process is too detailed and delicate to describe, but fundamentally, I had to remove the toning without affecting the underlying surface in order to get a decent evaluation of the state of the metal at the surface of the coin. I then discovered the burnishing on the spot below Liberty's eye. I had to use some techniques to even out the porosity of the spot with the rest of the surface. This was due to the fact that burnishing causes the surface porosity to change quite dramatically. Although I'm sure I did not succeed perfectly, I got it close enough to the rest of the coin's devices. Then I restored the color of the coin. The color restoration will require time and process, but eventually, the color will be even and stable, and the coin will likely be a bit darker than it currently is. This coin will remain raw.

 

Hoot

[leeg]

The coin is much nicer now. Great job

[MikeInFL]

Hoot,

 

I like her better without the black eye.

 

But I must admit that the "after" color still doesn't look quite right to my eye. Perhaps that's just the scan or has the coin been imaged "before its time" (i.e. the coin needs more toning time)?

 

Thanks for sharing...Mike

[Hoot]

The coin is much nicer now. Great job

 

Hoot,

 

I like her better without the black eye.

 

But I must admit that the "after" color still doesn't look quite right to my eye. Perhaps that's just the scan or has the coin been imaged "before its time" (i.e. the coin needs more toning time)?

 

Thanks for sharing...Mike

 

Thanks Lee and Mike - You're correct, the coin's scan does not convey the impression it leaves to the onlooker in-hand, and the coin requires some time and process. I will guess the coin will be about right in a year, and I'll pay some attention to it every couple of months in between now and then. In-hand, the piece is vastly better than it was, and I'm quite pleased to have a nice mid-grade example of the end of the series.

 

Hoot

[EZ_E]

I admire your passion, sir!

 

 

Thanks for the post, btw. I've always found this topic fascinating.