Odd Color of Copper Penny

[RLC35 288]

I have a 1844 Penny that has a really odd coloration, it is more of a Red / Orange coloration, than the normal Copper Color of the YH series. Does anyone have any idea what might of caused this different color. I thought maybe it might have been plated or something...is that a possibility? The color of the coin, is even more Red / Orange than the pic's show. NGC wouldn't slab it because they said it had a altered surface, but as you probably know, NGC is wrong a lot of the times, with English Coins...

[Colin G. 147]

It looks too even for lustre, perhaps an attempt at falsely applying lustre to a toned coin?

[RLC35 288]

It looks too even for lustre, perhaps an attempt at falsely applying lustre to a toned coin?

I should have also noted Colin...it has a Matt like finish, no luster. It is a very attractive coin, it just has a odd coloration...

[Coinery 1,157]

Have you tried a little bit of acetone on a Q-tip to a small area? I bought a coin once, which had nice black toning in and around the letters...not after I'd acetoned it and found it to be some kind of paint or other!

[VickySilver 832]

Interesting piece, the caveat as always is that it is best seen in hand. I have seen similar that apparently were cleaned & thereby stripped down to raw copper alloy, then retoned in an envelope with then "retoning" on the high points of devices and rim. I still, however, can not totally rule out original surfaces with differential toning. Lustre is a tricky thing and does not IMO always appear stereotypically.

[Garrett 76]

I must admit I can't add much to the topic.

Nice coin though.

Is there something going on with the 'R' in Victoria ?

[RLC35 288]

I must admit I can't add much to the topic.

Nice coin though.

Is there something going on with the 'R' in Victoria ?

The "R" along with some of the other letters, have light dirt around them....

[Garrett 76]

okay thanks. Half looked like 'R' over 'B' or something ....

[Coinery 1,157]

okay thanks. Half looked like 'R' over 'B' or something ....

Agree, though, it does have that look about it in the pics!

[ChKy 61]

Penny 1949

George VI

That Penny has a blue toning at the reverse only

[Prax 80]

I would agree with NGC for the following reasons

a) Looking at Britannia's left tit you can see some wear and on top of this wear there is a coating of colour (artificial shine?). Now if the coin were to wear it would have taken the luster off first. The fact that on top of the luster there is wear is suspecious

There are some minor scratches/hairlines as I have shown in the circled areas. The area around the leg is particularly interesting. These scratches again have luster which fills the crevices. Only rarely would we see such a degree of scratches on a platchet before it is struck. The fact that the coin had this level of scratches before the luster was applied makes me believe this luster was applied after the coin saw a bit of circulation.

[Prax 80]

Yeah with that comment I have gone from being a "Regular participating member" to a "very familiar face". Doesn't surprise me considering I have been on this page almost daily (.... and spending considerable time on it) for the last 3 or 4 months

[Nick 329]

Yeah with that comment I have gone from being a "Regular participating member" to a "very familiar face". Doesn't surprise me considering I have been on this page almost daily (.... and spending considerable time on it) for the last 3 or 4 months

It won't be long before you're "Almost a piece of furniture", or something like that.

[Prax 80]

I must add the obverse looks fine to me and it is a nice coin.

[Prax 80]

Yeah with that comment I have gone from being a "Regular participating member" to a "very familiar face". Doesn't surprise me considering I have been on this page almost daily (.... and spending considerable time on it) for the last 3 or 4 months

It won't be long before you're "Almost a piece of furniture", or something like that.

Is that when the forum gods take turns to buy me beers ?

[copper123 1,499]

NOT SURE WHATS GONE ON HERE - BUT STILL A LOVELY COIN