How much of a premium should you pay for rainbow toned Morgans?

I constantly see graded rainbow toned Morgans sell at auction for 2x price guide value to 10x price guide value. I really have no idea what to pay for toned coins, so if someone could give me some general guidelines, that would be great. I know the price of coins varies greatly depending on how nice the toning is, but I would like to get an idea on what to pay for these coins as I would like to get into collecting them Maybe you could show me some pictures of toned Morgans and what you paid for them?
Thanks so much!

 

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No way to answer that. It depends on how much one likes the toning. It also depends on what kind of toning it is---does it look like tarnish or corrosion, or does it look like an artistic rainbow, or golden explosion? Some people pay thousands for a common date coin with toning. I am a toning collector, and put limits on what I will spend. My avatar picture cost approximately 15% above what a normal MS coin of that grade would have cost. However, I have seen coins like that listed for over 10x reasonable prices.

 

I agree! It depends on how much you want it and whether or not others want it.

My avatar is an 1883-CC NGC MS65. About two weeks before I won the auction for it, another 83-CC NGC MS65 with almost identical toning sold for $1250. I figured if I wanted to win this one (both were listed by the same seller) I would have to place a bid at least as strong. When the auction ended, I was the winning bidder at $511.

Chris

 

As Morgandude says, it depends on how much you like toning. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and price is driven by supply and demand. The more demand, the higher the price (which, I think, is one of the reasons why tarnish is referred to by coin collectors as "toning".... to make it sound more desirable, and hopefully drive up demand).

I personally do not like "toned" Morgan Dollars, I prefer blast white. I think its damage to the coin, plain and simple and often masks the features/beauty of the coin (again in MY opinion).

However, as you know, there are whole segments of coin collectors dedicated to toned coins, and many are willing to pay a premium for them. There is no guide out there to tell you what to pay.

 

I see. I really want to buy a coin, but I don't know what to pay for it. Can you give me an idea of what a fair price for this would be? I understand that it is a very hard question to answer, but maybe you could give an approximate value, so I don't completely over pay for it?

 

Whether you choose to call it tarnish or toning is not important. What is important is that, for decades, collectors and dealers were damaging coins by dipping them to remove the toning. In the process, they were removing some of the metal.

So, if you insist on having your coins blast white, you have to ask yourself, "Do I feel lucky?"

Chris

 

For an 1881-S in MS64 with a CAC bean, I wouldn't pay more than $80 for it.

But again, depends on how bad you want it...

 

Yes I know. But I also know what I like and what I don't like. I like blast white, and I don't like toned. I have seen some nice looking "toned" coins, yes. But I have also seen some toning that I think is hideous. To each his own i guess...

 

And now there are lots of unscrupulous types that are artificially toning the coins (damaging them in my opinion) trying to capitalize on the toning craze.

 

God, three posts in a row. What a thread hog I am.

 

It depends.

If you're buying from me, yes, the sky's the limit. Each toned coin is a unique individual, and you may never get another chance at it. 10x price guide value? Sure, it's steep, but how will you feel knowing you've lost your shot at this beautiful coin?

If you're selling to me, no premium at all. Toning is damage, a brief stop on the one-way slide to an ungradeably corroded coin. I'll take it off your hands for 80% of bid, to save you the time, trouble, and chemical hazards of dipping it.

 

In my experience, attractive toning brings out emotion from collectors and this emotion contributes to how much the coin will cost to acquire. I think most coins have neutral to negative toning, but some are gorgeous.

 

Love toned Morgans I have several $75 coins I paid $500+ for I remember an 1880-s in ms 66 with great toning a $300 coin at a ha sale I got carried away to the point of $1850+ the bump and I wasn't even close it brought I think $6500 which I felt was beyond crazy even for a toned Morgan. Here's a couple examples of ones I paid 10x what book was to me money well spent

 

Wow $6500! That must have been a beautiful coin.
Approximately what would you pay for this coin?

 

It all depends if @Morgandude11 is bidding against you.

Although I collect toned coins, I don't collect Morgans. The premiums paid for toned Morgans seems to be higher than most types where toners are plentiful. All it takes is one other bidder with a bigger ego and deeper pocket.

I only have 2, both from the Tidy House giveaway.

At the time (5 years ago), I bought them for around $125 for both.

 

Oh, I see.
May I ask how those coins were photographed? Did you photograph them yourself? If so, which camera and editing software did you use? Sorry for all the questions, I'm trying to learn how to photograph coins well lol

 

Yes I imaged them.
I suggest you start by searching this forum. There has been plenty of discussion and information about coin photography.

Try searching the forum (titles only) for phrases like:
coin photography

I bought Mark Goodman's book when I started imaging.
Here are some good online articles from him.

 

Hey, Greg -- I don't win every toned Morgan auction. I only win a lot of them. Tom's comment is very sanguine-- buying toned coins is an emotional rather than rational action. I do try and set limits, depending upon the coin. My latest purchase ( that toned 1880s MS 65 PL) made me exceed what I would have normally spent for that coin, as I got emotionally attached to it.

 

I know you have restraint. I commend your will power.
I'm the guy who bids with too much emotion and not enough brains, if it's a toner I like.

 

Your not the only one too I know we've hammered each other a couple times on ha and I know there's a few more on ct that are competition on these toners as far as feebay everyone can have it I won't do nothing there but anywhere else is fair game for me I'm liking some of the toners coming up at stacks bowers problem is I'm loving a lot of the early stuff at ha too too many coins not enough money