Chameleon Coins

BillJones

It is often said that you can grade coins from pictures. Yet, if you are buying on-line, especially during the pandemic, when there was little face to face business done for most collectors, it has become a skill that you need to develop. I have started to do quite well with my interpretations of Heritage Auction and other on-line photos. During the pandemic I had only one return out of a few dozen transactions.

Another comment is that it’s unfair to shoot pictures of coins to their best advantage. There is some truth to this, but sometimes a pair of photos does not provide a clean picture of how the coin looks in person.

There are three examples.

Would you buy this NGC PR-66 grade quarter from this photo? 

How about if you saw this photo instead?



Both are accurate images of the piece depending upon the angle of light. 

How about this 1825 Quarter Eagle in NGC MS-61? 




But here is another take on it. 



This is also an accurate view of this coin. 

Finally there is this 1829 Quarter Eagle in PCGS AU-55.



But a change of view gets you this. 




As you can see, perspective makes all the difference, and that's why being able to go to coin shows means so much to me. I bought the quarter on-line from a dealer I trust who presented both views of the coin. I bought the quarter eagles at major shows. 

Would these coins pass or fail at CAC? I don't know, and as a collector, it really does not matter to me. They were the best pieces I could afford at the time, and they please me, and that's really what counts. 

ThreeCentSilverFL

Great examples and the lesson holds very true especially for proof coins. I was playing with this 3cs Proof last night. Different lighting like night and day. 

Cameonut

Happens a lot with toned cameo proofs.   Here is one of my favorite coins - one angle it has cameo contrast, another angle you see the toning.    I have had this coin for decades, never been to CAC.