If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
why are large cents often corroded?
It seems that a lot of graded large cents have lower grades then their
detail would normally allow for (eg. VF Details Net VG 8, or something) because of corrosion. My question is... why? Why are so many large cents corroded? Does something about the planchet just lend itself to corrosion? |
Ads |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
why are large cents often corroded?
On Nov 18, 11:36 pm, yawnmoth wrote:
It seems that a lot of graded large cents have lower grades then their detail would normally allow for (eg. VF Details Net VG 8, or something) because of corrosion. My question is... why? Why are so many large cents corroded? Does something about the planchet just lend itself to corrosion? Perhaps due to their content which is unalloyed copper. |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
why are large cents often corroded?
The fact that they are over 150 yrs old might have something to do with it
as well. "RF" wrote in message ... On Nov 18, 11:36 pm, yawnmoth wrote: It seems that a lot of graded large cents have lower grades then their detail would normally allow for (eg. VF Details Net VG 8, or something) because of corrosion. My question is... why? Why are so many large cents corroded? Does something about the planchet just lend itself to corrosion? Perhaps due to their content which is unalloyed copper. |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
why are large cents often corroded?
"yawnmoth" wrote in message ... It seems that a lot of graded large cents have lower grades then their detail would normally allow for (eg. VF Details Net VG 8, or something) because of corrosion. My question is... why? Why are so many large cents corroded? Does something about the planchet just lend itself to corrosion? There actually are lots and lots of nice copper pieces, but most of them have been in the strong hands of collectors for 150 years or more, and you're not going to see them for sale in the usual venues. Go to a big show, though, and seek out dealers such as Tom Reynolds or Chris McCawley, and you'll see them. Get connected to the big auction houses that handle the sales of name collections, and you'll see them. The stuff you normally see at smaller shows and on eBay represents the harder-to-place coins, generally speaking. These include the coins that have been dug up by metal detectionists (is that the right word?). As time goes on, and more and more new copper collectors enter the competition for the fixed supply, they normally have to settle for coins of lower and lower quality, as the better material just isn't out there anymore. Coins that used to be treated with disdain by collectors 100 years ago are now often the best one can find. As others have observed, it is the high reactivity of the pure copper that makes them so susceptible to corrosion. Contemporary accounts indicate that people tended to avoid them because they fouled so quickly. I'm not sure what you mean by "graded" large cents, but there is a practice called EAC (Early American Coppers, Inc.) grading that would warrant a separate posting, if you are interested in reading more. James |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
why are large cents often corroded?
I suspect that they don't corrode any more that any other similar coin but
as they have collector value even in a corroded state the impression can be that they do corrode more. Coins that are undesirable in a corroded state are not seen offered for sale making corroded large cents seem more numerous than other coins. Billy "yawnmoth" wrote in message ... It seems that a lot of graded large cents have lower grades then their detail would normally allow for (eg. VF Details Net VG 8, or something) because of corrosion. My question is... why? Why are so many large cents corroded? Does something about the planchet just lend itself to corrosion? |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
why are large cents often corroded?
On Mon, 19 Nov 2007 22:29:35 GMT, "note.boy"
wrote: I suspect that they don't corrode any more that any other similar coin but as they have collector value even in a corroded state the impression can be that they do corrode more. Coins that are undesirable in a corroded state are not seen offered for sale making corroded large cents seem more numerous than other coins. Billy Another thing that may play into it--I've read that the mint had a real problem finding decent copper to work with. take care, Scott |
#7
|
|||
|
|||
why are large cents often corroded?
On Tue, 20 Nov 2007 01:32:03 GMT, Scott Stevenson wrote:
Another thing that may play into it--I've read that the mint had a real problem finding decent copper to work with. Likely to be a major factor, yes. 150 years ago, metallurgy wasn't anywhere near the science it is today. Even 100 to 60 years ago, the San Fancisco mint's copper cents had the "woodgrain" effect. Materials science keeps evolving, so going back 2 centuries or so, we're almost back to bronze-age methods of refining. |
#8
|
|||
|
|||
why are large cents often corroded?
"Scott Stevenson" wrote in message ... On Mon, 19 Nov 2007 22:29:35 GMT, "note.boy" wrote: I suspect that they don't corrode any more that any other similar coin but as they have collector value even in a corroded state the impression can be that they do corrode more. Coins that are undesirable in a corroded state are not seen offered for sale making corroded large cents seem more numerous than other coins. Billy Another thing that may play into it--I've read that the mint had a real problem finding decent copper to work with. There are many accounts of otherwise decent coinage blanks coming from England in the briny bilge of ships, getting all black and gross before even seeing the coining press. James P.S. Scott, if you got a personal email from me containing this post, it is because I hit the wrong button. 'looks like I picked the wrong week to give up sniffing spirit duplicator fluid' |
#9
|
|||
|
|||
why are large cents often corroded?
In article , "Mr. Jaggers" lugburzman[at]yahoo[dot]com wrote:
"Scott Stevenson" wrote in message .. . On Mon, 19 Nov 2007 22:29:35 GMT, "note.boy" wrote: I suspect that they don't corrode any more that any other similar coin but as they have collector value even in a corroded state the impression can be that they do corrode more. Coins that are undesirable in a corroded state are not seen offered for sale making corroded large cents seem more numerous than other coins. Billy Another thing that may play into it--I've read that the mint had a real problem finding decent copper to work with. There are many accounts of otherwise decent coinage blanks coming from England in the briny bilge of ships, getting all black and gross before even seeing the coining press. James P.S. Scott, if you got a personal email from me containing this post, it is because I hit the wrong button. 'looks like I picked the wrong week to give up sniffing spirit duplicator fluid' love that mimeo smell. |
#10
|
|||
|
|||
why are large cents often corroded?
On Tue, 20 Nov 2007 03:12:19 GMT, in wrote:
love that mimeo smell. Been decades and still I can smell it. Not sure anyone uses it anymore? |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Grading of large cents | John Doe[_2_] | Coins | 9 | April 26th 07 04:32 PM |
FA: Large Cents, Fine | linxlvr | Coins | 2 | February 16th 05 09:49 PM |
Collect Large Cents??? | Jeremiah J. Burton | Coins | 0 | November 1st 04 07:50 PM |
F.A. added a few large cents | Mike Woodard | Coins | 0 | October 6th 04 04:44 AM |
FA: US Large Cents, 1841, 42, 45, 46, 48, 49, 50, 52 | MorganCoin1 | Coins | 2 | December 9th 03 02:43 AM |