Home Is it Good? Is it Very Good? Is it Fine? Is it Very Fine? Is it VF or XF? Is it Extremely Fine? Is it Almost Uncirculated? Is it AU or MS? Is it MS-60 or MS-63? Is it MS-63 or MS-64? Is it MS-64 or MS-65? Is it Red-Brown or Red? | Is it Red-Brown or Full Red? Full red is the term given to copper coins that have not toned at all. When a coin is struck the compression of the dies heated it briefly, which forms a microscopic layer on it's surface. This "coating" is much less susceptible to reacting with impurities in the air like sulfur. Left on their own Mint red coins should maintain their brilliance indefinitely. However we have all seen the finger prints on coins that were mishandled, the black carbon spots on coins that were unprotected from a sneeze or cough. Any coin that has been chemically altered has lost the original protective layer and will tone some shade of red-brown rapidly. A full red Indian cent is a very scarce coin. There are lots of problems in collecting full red Indians - many certified examples don't meet the criteria for the grade. With our Photo Seal, we have taken much of the risk out of collecting full red Indians. Since we see more gem Indian cents than anyone, we have been able to consistently weed out the overgraded, wrong color, and chemically altered pieces that are in the Market place. The images of the coins we show in our inventory should help guide you in learning what is expected for a full red gem Indian cent. Color: Copper will usually turn from its original RED coloration to a RED & BROWN due to chemicals in the air, on your hands and in the coin holder. Although the color and surface grade are totally unrelated, the color effects the value of the coin and is therefore always noted in addition to the surface grade. BN: BROWN. No trace of RED. RB: RED & BROWN. Varies from a small trace of RED to a small trace of BROWN. A percentage of RED may accompany the designation. RD: RED. No trace of BROWN. {Some people have mentioned that they are afraid of full red coins changing to red-brown. While this is an important consideration for unprotected coins, I don't think an untampered with coin in a slab will turn red-brown on its own. I have seen red-brown coins in holders labeled as full red, but I believe these were all either mistakenly graded coins (there are many out there) or a coin that was "enhanced" prior to it getting slabbed. A nice original red coin had survived about a hundred years without turning Red-Brown, why would it turn once it's in a protective holder? I have never seen an original red Indian Cent turn red-brown while it was inside a slab holder.} | ||
Copyright on standards given to The Fly-In Club upon acceptance
Copyright on standards Richard Snow prior to acceptance
All images copyright Eagle Eye Rare Coins, Inc. 1999