Large cent grading

[bruce01364]

These are pics of the best large cent I have found with my C$ as far as detail. It was about 3 feet from the edge of a cellar hole. Probably near the entrance to the home as the driveway (wonder what they called it in the 1800's) was on this side of the foundation. Just wondering what grade this coin would be. From reading about grading coins they are graded by wear during circulation. What about environmental wear? Is there a site or publication that can tell you how to grade a coin that has corrosion from being buried for a hundred plus years? Most copper coins I find are have corrosion. This 1832 cent is not a valuable coin but how would it be valued compared to the same coin listed in the red book?

Lets say I found a 1799 large cent. Unless I read it wrong in my coin guide it is worth about $3000 in good condition. If I found one that was very corroded but just able to see the date would it have any value?

My 1832 cent has nice detail but is has a build up of patina... if that it the correct definition. I have made the mistake of trying to clean coppers and I got the patina off but it left the coin pitted and lost much of the detail. I no longer clean them but my question is...what is the value of a dug coin with the patina compared to one that was not found in the ground as listed in the red book and other publications?

 

[Chris(SoCenWI)]

Bruce,

That cent is pretty worn. Depends on the soil it was buried in as to how much corrosion it might have.

I always heat up some hydrogen peroxide to the boiling point, then dump my copper coins in. Then wipe with soft towel and repeat if needed. It will take off the dirt but not affect the patina. Works far better than olive oil. Coins that have the green/blue/red crusties almost never clean up.

Chris

 

[vlad]

Yes it will have value but will be graded altered or defaced. SO GO FIND IT!
[I have had some success with very low voltage electrolysis, but generally you will have some pitting-but if it looks better...]

 

[Bill Ladd]

& has decent patinia compared to some of the ones I have found in fields around here we can't even get a date off of. Yes, that one has some porosity I can see around the stars, but a nice clear LIBERTY & date. I just enjoy dug coins for what they are.....just about every dug coin if you try to get it slabbed will have the dreaded "environmental damage" attached to it. Even silvers....
Even wiping off a gold or silver coin you may get it tagged with "Cleaned".....
My best coppers were dug in sandy soil. They come out so good you just need to brush the sand off. I don't even use water or olive oil if I can help it anymore. If a large cent is caked in dirt I try to dry clean it with a toothpick as water seem to react to them & even make 'em flakey if your not careful. I have toothbrushed & watered several coppers dates right down the drain! Too much olive oil turns coppers black....I'd rather see a more natural brown patina.
HH,
Bill

 

[bruce01364]

Thanks everyone for the info. I have to agree with Bill Ladd about cleaning coppers. I have tried hydrogen peroxide and olive oil. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. Guess I will just have to live with the "environmental damage" tag with coppers. A rare copper with corrosion will not be worth as much but still a great find.

Speaking of great finds. Someone on the minelab explorer forum found a1652 pine tree shilling. I live in MA but don't expect to ever find one of those. But I don't consider it impossible. Think Bill found one of the MA shillings. Think it was the oak or willow tree. Don't remember. If you read this post Bill would you let me know which one and if you found it in RI or another state.
Thanks.