So I've been skimming some auctions and starting to really look into making a set of Morgan Toners, preferably unslabbed but BU. I can't help but notice that the neon yellow crescent rainbows go for the premium 90% of the time over the gorgeous, Dark Green, Red, and Blues with actual textile toning from the bag. Past that, I notice most of the darker, textile toners are toned equally on both sides. Is that even probable when considering what creates the textile bag pattern? I assume one single Morgan would have to be stored in a bag to create such consistency, right? I have read that a Genuine Bag Toned Morgan is around 100:1 in rarity to a crescent. Even then, if the crescent is so neon it looks like a highlighter created the rainbow, is it ever natural?
Not all textile toners come from mint bags. They were just stored for an extended period of time in some sort of protective cloth that got buried in a drawer or something. Someone could have put it away early in the coins life. As far as how premiums work, I think people just like the look of the crescent toners.
Ya I guess from the prices they go for at auction, it's pretty apparent what the majority of tone chasers like. I just don't understand how a Wayte Raymond holder toning crazy neons draw in so much more than an actual piece of History. I think bag toning for the most part is pretty obvious but you have a point on somebody else potentially storing it in a drawer too. To me, if it's stored in a holder known to cause the neon crescents it defeats the purpose and conversation about the coin. "Wow! I wonder how it got that remarkable neon blue crescent toning!"..."Oh, I just put it in a special high sulfer holder for a year"..That doesn't seem to value to me. Guess it's up to whoever wants to spend the money though...
Toners are more like art. They speak to different collectors differently. Some have broad appeal some have niche appeal. Here's a killer set of mine. Stripe toners aren't everyone's bag so to speak but these are top notch and in a unique set so it has more broad appeal than an standard lone stripe toner...
True. And VERY NICE set there! That is the toning I like and consider natural. Not so crazy in neon. It doesn't necessarily need a specific pattern, but it does need to carry a story to peak my interest. Those right there are exactly that. Rubber bands holding the ends of the rolls I assume?
I was just so shocked after specifically searching today for nicely toned patterns that were seemingly pushed aside for the average crescent toner. It is like an art gallery and I get that their appeal depends on who's looking at the time. I just notice most of these bright neons are found in new holders and wonder how often Artificial Toning really even matters. It's all subjective though because "what is artificial"..I just think maybe I'd be just as well off to find some old Wayte Raymond's and let some BU's sit locked away for 5yrs then have them slabbed and sell them off.. Doesn't seem right I guess.
Not rubber bands, not tape. In the early days of albums, before plastic slides, they had a strip of cardboard in the back to prevent the coins from popping through when you put them in. Which is also why the stripes are all on the reverse. Unless someone put coins in with the reverse facing out of coarse
I do have another stripe toner that was from a piece of scotch tape. I'll post it when I can so you can see the difference
That's pretty cool to learn. Obviously not what I would have guessed at all. That's what I mean, it's just nice to have what you have as an actual conversation piece and true history. And knowing exactly how that happened is better than wondering if someone heated a coin, or stored it with specific intention to pull high profits. It's real and I think that should pull a much higher premium. I've seen the ones with lines like yours that again just don't seem to go for anywhere close to the neons.
Guess so. I've looked at the coins but haven't gotten to deep into reading about it yet. Maybe that will be tonight's entertainment.
Once you know how natural toning happens and the color progressions you will be able spot 95% of artifically toned morgans a mile away. Knowledge is power
It's true that a lot of coins toned in the old Wayte Raymond holders. What many people don't realize about these albums is that the sulphur content tends to dissipate over time, and you might put coins in them for decades without any further toning. Chris
True, but I've come into a few online shops that are selling overstocks of these albums. Either way, I consider it BS and at that point may as well just start making "Hobo Dollars" if it's all for the art show. Probably not a terrible idea actually..If they tone nicely when it's done that way, it has a great appeal, but I've noticed that most being sold from these holders tend to carry a bright, unnatural blue and would prefer a white coin at that point. I personally make it a point to specifically hold onto toned coins, even worn ones. However, I think the neon is just downright ugly. Not the neon I guess but the brightness of the color. Preference being Navy to Sky Blue, Olive to Highlighter Green, etc. But that's just preference and my original purpose was to see opinions on if the odd bright neons were really worth fighting for.
Those are Prime Time. I've seen the stripped toned dollars but never knew how the stripe got there. I speculated tape but wondered if people used to tape their coins into albums or on to pages.
Here's my scotch tape toner. Duel sided too. Notice how broad the stripe is relative to the ones above...
