I think it's juiced but Lehigh would know best. One of his specialties is Jeff's along with toners.........
AT. That toning pattern (Yellow -> Red -> Blue - > Purple) with no smooth transitions between colors is very abnormal for Jeffies, or any coin for that matter. EDIT: If that's the eBay seller that I'm thinking of, ALL his coins are AT, though he does one heck of job on many of his coins. Probably one of the "better" coin doctors out there, if there's such a thing!
I'm not voicing an opinion on whether the coin being discussed is AT or NT. But I think it is worthwhile to mention color patterns. The color pattern on that Jeff, is not unusual. In fact it is rather common. Here's the Jeff, and here's a Buffalo that is very similar. And it shows yellow, red, blue, purple. Now the Buffalo has been graded & slabbed so rather obviously the TPG found it market acceptable. Many other coins with the same color pattern have also been graded and slabbed. Here's the thing, yes the rainbow spectrum comes in a defined pattern, a defined sequence. Problem is, sometimes not all of the bands of color are readily or easily visible. But that does not mean those colors are not there. Example, look at that Jeff pic again, between the 2 red lines I drew on it. The entire color spectrum, in correct sequence, is visible between those 2 red lines. But the bands of color are very narrow. At other places on the coin you really can't see all of the colors - because in those places the bands are too narrow to be easily seen. But the colors are there, they are just thinner than a hair. When coins tone sometimes some of the color bands are compressed and very, very, thin while other color bands are very wide. So when we look at them it appears that some of the colors are missing and the color sequence is incorrect. The key word is appears. So it can look like the color sequence is out of order, when it really isn't. This is the normal color sequence - But what happens when the spectrum is repeated is that the colors at opposite ends of the spectrum start all over again. In other words, red starts next to purple, or vice versa. Now look at this image of the color spectrum - The colors are all there, but they are in very, very, thin lines. And those lines can be compressed even tighter. I guess the point I am trying to get across is that with toned coins you are not always going to see (with your eyes anyway) the entire color spectrum. It can look as if some colors are missing and the sequence is wrong. So don't put too much faith in that aspect. What is more important is familiarity, experience, with how toned coins can and often do look. Some color patterns are more common than others, and some are very scarce. And there are some that are even unique - you may not have ever seen them before. But being scarce or even unique does not mean they are man-made (AT). Mother nature can do anything that man can do, and some things that man cannot yet do. It would pay to keep that in mind when viewing toned coins and making a decision to accept them, or not.
This is a very tough call. Now that I am coherent, after my good surgery drugs, I can say with total uncertainty that this may or may not be AT. It looks like some of the artificially enhanced coins that I have seen on e-bay, but then again, I have seen very similar ones with PCGS and NGC slabs legitimizing their market acceptance. The metal Nickel tends to tone in a more unpredictable manner than Silver, for instance. Some of Paul's nickels have a similar toning pattern and they're NT, so my guess would be NT. However, in all honesty, I am not that familiar with Jeffs, since I have never collected them. Very very pretty coin, at any rate.
Yeah, I can peg 'em pretty well and this one is tough. The toning is not typical of war nickles, but that doesn't mean it isn't NT. What does the reverse look like?
I am not trying to start an argument with Doug, but posting the ROYGBIV spectrum will only serve to confuse people. When evaluating toned coins, a natural color progression is repeating bands of yellow-magenta-cyan. The Jefferson in question actually shows this progression with the yellow at the peripheries, followed by magenta in the fields, and finally green before the devices. Here is the problem though. What exactly caused this toning? Jeffersons are typically toned either in rolls or in albums. In both cases, the edge of the coin is in contact with the sulfur source which is the paper. That would necessitate that toning would be the most advanced at the peripheries and least advanced in the center. This coin is completely opposite with the center showing the most advanced toning. Unless this coin developed this toning in an envelope where the paper was touching the center of the coin, then the coin has to be questionably toned. My personal opinion is that both the Jefferson and Buffalo shown in this thread are questionably toned based on what I see. However, I don't trust those photos and they look severely juiced to me. Also, the toning on the reverse of the coin would give us more information about the originality of the coin. I will say this. I have owned hundreds of toned war nickels in my life. To my recollection, I have never owned one with purple in the center of the coin.
Well said Paul, and I agree with everything you said. Except, I think you are trying to start an argument with Doug.
Yellow, magenta, cyan. In other words, yellow, red, blue. Funny, but to me that sounds like the same thing I said. Normal spectrum is - ROYGBIV. So if you start with yellow and go left, then it progresses to the reds, then the blues start over again. The color spectrum runs in both directions and repeats over and over. You can often even see that repetition on coins.
Ya'lls eyes are better than mine.. I see rust redish brown mixed in with yellow and then only some rainbowing here and there in less than significant amounts, and which would have been imparted either by NT or AT. A lot of that may be the picture and ability to read more into the picture than what it overtly shows. With raw toners, always beware of spending a premium,, unless your name includes 'wing' and you have a proven record of turning bad pictures of beautifully toned coins into tombed rock stars.
I agree with you, and I did see that small section of the Jeffy in question which seemed to reveal the "full color spectrum". However, as a whole the coin simply does not seem "natural". The Buffalo you pictured has great eye appeal despite the seemingly "AT" colors, since its NT is justified by the smooth patterns between shades and no blotchy toning. In contrast, the Jeffy nickel has rather "blotchy" toning where certain shades seem to abruptly end and another shade begins. For example, on the right side of the obverse field where "LIBERTY" is, the color flips from yellow to red to blue in no clear pattern. There is also a thin blue concentric circle of toning that seems to encircle the bust of Jefferson and seems very abnormal to me. I dunno, maybe it's just the juiced pictures, maybe it's just my personal opinion of "eye appeal" or "market acceptability". IMHO that coin is no way NT hands down.
