1916 Farthing with interesting toning

[coppercop]

This 1916 Farthing has interesting striping on the metal...on USA older copper cents, "woodies" are not uncommon, and are usually stated as a alloy mix error, with impurities causing a wood-grain effect...this Farthing has similar streaking, and, perked my curiousity..it is beautiful and appears to have it's original uncleaned patina? The reverse pic came out quite realistic to true color and nature, the obverse was a tad harder to shoot, for some reason.

Thanks

Cal

[Gary D]

This 1916 Farthing has interesting striping on the metal...on USA older copper cents, "woodies" are not uncommon, and are usually stated as a alloy mix error, with impurities causing a wood-grain effect...this Farthing has similar streaking, and, perked my curiousity..it is beautiful and appears to have it's original uncleaned patina? The reverse pic came out quite realistic to true color and nature, the obverse was a tad harder to shoot, for some reason.

Thanks

Cal

As it was originally mint toned, possibly nearly to black I think any toning now is the result of a good clean at sometime in the past.

[Peckris]

This 1916 Farthing has interesting striping on the metal...on USA older copper cents, "woodies" are not uncommon, and are usually stated as a alloy mix error, with impurities causing a wood-grain effect...this Farthing has similar streaking, and, perked my curiousity..it is beautiful and appears to have it's original uncleaned patina? The reverse pic came out quite realistic to true color and nature, the obverse was a tad harder to shoot, for some reason.

Thanks

Cal

As it was originally mint toned, possibly nearly to black I think any toning now is the result of a good clean at sometime in the past.

Aye. An original should look something like the one for sale here : http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1916-George-V-farthing-/110796001215?pt=UK_Coins_BritishMilled_RL&hash=item19cbf4cfbf#ht_500wt_1156 (That colour is not dirt or toning - it's the way they were treated at the Mint to darken them so they wouldn't be passed off as half sovereigns).