I have been away from the hobby for a few years now so forgive the silly question. When did "toning" become good again? I remember years ago when the toning rage took off and everyone and their brother were on the toned coin thing. When it was found that toning a coin was quite an easy task, the bubble burst and the coin values plummeted. The grading services were fooled, coins were toned in the holder, and raw coins were abandoned. So when it did become a thing again? Don't get me wrong, I love a beautifully toned coin, but wouldn't pay extra giving that the ability to make these coins is too easy.
All I can say is they have been popular with me for 3 years. Most artificially toned coins are easily recognized as artificial and are not desirable. Collecting toners is not for the inexperienced.
If beautiful toned coins are so easy to make, why do I have such a hard time finding them. I go to shows, ebay, coin shops, and there are not that many out there.
"Toning" is just a euphemism for corrosion, and I've never understood why people would ever pay more for something that would logically seem to decrease a coin's value, if anything. It's quite often fake and imo, almost always detracts from the appearance of a coin rather than enhances it. I honestly think that there's just something wrong with anyone who thinks any kind of toning looks attractive, especially crazy bright colors that the minters of the coins never intended them to be. I'm kind of hoping it's a fad that dies off so people no longer have a motive to ruin perfectly good coins by artificially toning them, or intentionally place them in environments that will cause them to tone (which I still don't understand why that's not also considered artificial toning). I understand all coins will darken over time but I never could figure out why toning in various unnatural colors was ever considered attractive by anyone. I know it's ultimately a matter of taste, but I honestly think people that intentionally seek out toned coins and pay premiums for them are outright crazy. I think toning should be avoided, and if it can't be one should pay less for a toned coin, not more! It's not pretty; it's corroded. That's a problem coin. I think all TPGs if they were fully honest should declare all toned coins corroded (again, that's what toning really is: corrosion, various chemicals reacting with the coin's surface that if unchecked will eventually destroy the coin). Would eliminate the mystique and take away the motive to artificially tone coins.
Your right, I wouldnt want any of these corroded coins. http://www.pcgs.com/SetRegistry/alltimeset.aspx?s=40
I would be much more suspicious of a blast white coin that was minted 50, 100, or more years ago. Natural toning is a sign that a coin has not been dipped, cleaned or messed with in some way. Ever notice on PCGS photograde that the coins that represent the highest grades are mostly all toned? When coins get "corroded" and enhances the eye appeal, that's when a premium is added. For every coin that tones attractively, there are much more that don't. Either way, it's a personal choice. I mean, I don't understand why anyone would collect Franklins. I think the TPG's should finally admit they are ugly and body bag them all. I don't collect blast white coins because then my collection would look like everyone else's blast white collection. With toners, you have a very personal collection. You will always recognize one of your toners as well since they are all unique. Like I mentioned, collecting toners takes experience and a good understanding as to why the coin toned. Don't get me wrong, for every natural toned coin on eBay, there are 100 that are artificially toned. Also, let's not confuse AT/NT with the TPG's opinions on what is actually "market acceptable".
I work part time at a good size coin shop in Ohio and one of the joys of working there is getting to do inventory. I just went thru all of the Jefferson nickels from 1941 to date along with Roosevelt dimes from 1941 to date, and Washington quarters from 1938 - 1964. As I was doing the inventory I got to see all of the toned coins. I was able to hand pick some of the best toned coins from the inventory. Best part is "no premiums". They don't sell any toned coins for premiums. But for the most part all of the toned coins were in the vault and not on the floor. Took me almost all last week to inventory those coins. What a great job.
Oh... see now you went and got Greg all excited. He's drooling right now and he won't be able to sleep for days. :yes: And me? I'll take a nice toner over a blast white any day. It is all about eye appeal and uniqueness to me.
And yes, it definately takes some practice to be able to tell the difference. for me, if it is questionable at all...I pass. I have hundreds of toners, and I'd say that every one except for one is NT...the one that isn't I just liked the looks of even though I knew it was AT.
To the OP: You may not like toning, and see it as corrosion. That is an opinion shared by some in the hobby. There are folks that only like blast white coins, although as Greg indicated, if the coins are more than 50 years old, chances are that the blast white finish is NOT the authentic finish. All Silver and most other coins tone, in varying degrees--the white coins that are 100 years old generally have been dipped, unless they were the beneficiary of some extraordinary preservation. Toning is not new to the hobby, and has been popular for years--many are willing to pay large premiums for beautifully toned coins ( I am one of those people). So, simply writing it off as tarnish is eliminating some of the most desirable coins available. To repeat what Greg said, I insist on a TPG "validation" of market acceptability for toned coins that I buy.
I have been in this hobby-industry non-stop for the last two decades and your experience of toning being abandoned at some point is nothing like I have witnessed.
When there is kind of a "fog" look usually around the edges on a Proof coin - is this the start of toning or something else? Sorry not to join in the argument - just had something I had been wondering about. Thank - - - Rick
The way a person "sees" toning is like a person looking at a glass of water that is filled to the half way point. Is it half full, or half empty ? Whichever way you say it - you're right
I just did a quick google search and found that in Feb 2006 the toning fad hit the fan with an artificially toned Peace dollar in a NGC holder. I am relatively sure that if I took another minute or so and looked over the prices of toned coins between Dec 2005 and Dec 2006 there would be a significant decrease. Again, I am not knocking toned coins, that wasn't the point of this topic. When I got out of collecting, almost 10 years ago the fad of toned coins was growing daily. Ebay was full of them and every forum was talking about them. Now I that I have come back to collecting I see this again. It seems as if many never knew of the 2005 incident or perhaps just forgot about it. I remember plenty of 5 figure toners on the market back when I was collecting actively and those numbers don't seem to be the same today.
I did a quick google search about toning coins and found ehow, wiki and several others on how to easily tone coins, but one of the coolest was from someone who opening admitted doing it and having PCGS slab them. Click here for link Granted this was 10 years ago, but I would be willing to bet that people are far better at it today than they were then.
