1896 Indian Head - what happened?

[jupiterkm1]

This has been in my unknown pile for along time, I finally got around to taking pics and posting. What happened to this copper coin? It has a shiny gold scheen, the usuall brown bronze color is completly missing.
Kevin

[Maineman750]

Probably plated

[georoxx]

The question of color/finish is almost impossible to entertain by looking at pics. If you look around at the pics posted by members, you'll see all of the colors of the rainbow, depending on camera settings and lighting.

Maybe one of the attributors can take an in-hand look at it for you?

-George

[jallengomez]

Simply plated.

[jupiterkm1]

Thanks! The plating makes perfect sense, I recongnize that now, but how is it done so easily? I've handled plated coins before but never really understood how it's done to a coin.

[jallengomez]

Thanks! The plating makes perfect sense, I recongnize that now, but how is it done so easily? I've handled plated coins before but never really understood how it's done to a coin.

I'm not sure exactly how it's done, but I think the process is very simple. What part of the ATL are you in?

[jupiterkm1]

More precisely, why would anybody go to the trouble to plate a common date IH?
Kevin

[jallengomez]

More precisely, why would anybody go to the trouble to plate a common date IH?
Kevin

Could have been intended for a piece of jewelry like a necklace pendant, or just novelty. Even modern coins are gold plated and sold as novelty or "collectors" items.

[Maineman750]

jupiter, I've seen all kinds of worthless plated coins....but in those days it is possible they were hoping to pass it as gold...maybe in a dark bar room or something ? People have always and will always do strange things to coins and we can only guess why.

[jfines69]

To me it looks cleaned and polished... The fields and protected areas show the surface contamination that remains while the exposed areas are nice and shiney... Could have been cleaned with brasso or wrights copper cream... IMHO!!!

[1sgret]

Weigh the coin if you have a set of scales and you will find the weights for IHC in the red book.