Statue of Liberty's Color Transformation: From Copper to Green Patina

The Statue of Liberty’s color changed through natural oxidation:

1. Original (1886): Shiny reddish-brown copper.
2. Early decades: Darkened to chocolate brown as copper oxide formed.
3. Since ~1900: Green patina (copper carbonate/sulfate/chloride) developed, protecting underlying metal.

The patina is stable and iconic; it is not paint and requires no maintenance.