Yes, the Statue of Liberty was copper color before. The statue was originally a shiny copper color when it was completed in 1886. Although it wasn't shiny at the time it was dedicated, the copper started to darken immediately. This process took about 25 years. Around 1920 the statue acquired the brown oxidized patina that it is famous for today. The original coppery color of the Statue of Liberty is still visible inside in the museum at the base of the monument.