Poll⛚➡Toned Collectors (Worried about the liquidity of your collection in 25 years?)

Serial question, im being super serial right now.
Do any of you guys fear that there will be a complete collapse of the toned coin market?? Say in 25 years, due to doctoring and artificial toning of so many specimens, that people will eventual stay away from toned coins altogether?? Thus making toned coins as collectibles, sort of taboo to own or invest in. I dont ever want to see such a thing happen as i plan on being alive in 25 years and will no doubt still be buying and selling rainbow toned coins, but if there were such a collapse in the market place, it would be catastrophic to me, and my heirs. What say you???

 

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I don't think you're very serious about being super serial.

 

I'm thinking he's more parallel, myself.

The toner market won't go away. It may contract some, as scaredy-cats leave, but that will only lessen the incentive for color doctors.

ATing coins is easy. ATing coins well is not. And maybe if it's done that well, just maybe it's worth a premium on its' own. After all, it'll be gorgeous and you won't be able to tell the difference, anyways.

 

Ooh, i cant wait to see the results of this poll!
Mods, feel free to nominate this as thread of the year, and feature it on the front page for the next , 25 years or so. @Insider @SuperDave @Cascade @Paddy54 @C B D
@jtlee321 @ldhair @Kirkuleez @Skyman @Lehigh96 @messydesk @Mainebill @robec sound off and/or vote and/or recieve a best answer and/or multiple likes!!!! Ready? Begin!!!

 

I do worry about this. I carefully track the toned mercury dime market, and I know that there is a very proficient coin doctor out there making a nice profit. I can identify his or her coins in a second (all in PCGS holders mind you). It astounds me what has become market acceptable to PCGS. I have had coins bounce that are 100% natural, and yet there are some absolute monster phonies that they regularly let pass. It is crazy.

 

Part of what sustains the market are people like you educating your peers....

 

I know right, me and im sure others would LOVE to hear/see more of what you are referring to @MercuryBen !! Ive only owned 1 rainbow merc but i HAVE probably close to atleast 1 toner from every series.

 

Don't sweat the small stuff. When ya get old, ya age, and ya change color.........I'm starting to look like my black neighbors......terminal state........ Acetone don't help much. Especially when I drink it.

[Disclaimer] No animals were harmed in this feature.......including me.

 

High-end toners are only going up in the future. The lesser ones will fluctuate

 

In my opinion, both of the coins below are AT from the same doctor. They went to auction more than two years apart. Note that I am not just basing this on pictures. I purchased the top coin and in fact made a small profit after upgrading it. After I sold it, it upgraded to an even higher grade holder (68fb), so I don't feel guilty. Based on colors and toning patterns, I have identified a number of other mercs from this same doctor, as well as roosies and at least one walker. I have purchased and inspected in hand probably 6 or 7 of these over the last 3 years.

Beyond the issue of natural v AT, I wish the toned coin market would transition towards valuing nice patinas over clown colors.

I will follow-up with some contrasting pictures of monster-toned mercs that I think are 100% natural.

 

In contrast, here is a 1945s from my collection that I believe is 100% natural. (I sold the 45s above and held onto this one).



And here is a natural 1938 with orange toning.

 

Now try for yourself. Three out of four of the 1945s mercs (all holdered by PCGS and TrueViewed) below are natural imho. One is likely AT imho from the same coin doctor as above. Pick out which one you think is AT.

Coin A

Coin B

Coin C

Coin D

 

C

 

Toned coins are here to stay. Will there always be those who prefer blast white sure, as well as those whom prefer the color. Will there always be someone doctoring coins yes ,if not color,other items on the coin to try and make a quick buck at someone else expense. I will also add as much as I like toned coins, some coins in blast white look just as good or even better...as it's to me a combination of both the strike , luster, and color that makes a coin eye candy.

 

I have only a handful of toned coins in my collection. With me, it's an inability to judge what premium, if any, should be attached to a toner. And yes, I have concerns about coin doctoring in this regard and how it could affect future values.

I will enjoy hearing from more experienced voices on this topic.

 

Coin C. Your original coins don't have a neon look to them.

As to the answer to this question: I don't care. People have grown accustomed to appreciating attractively toned coins, and I think that is here to stay. Monster-toned coins might be a different story.

I paid $17 for my monster-toned Morgan. I just need one. I don't care if the market collapses for them or not.

 

Of the specimens posted I have to say C also as it looks as it was heated to obtain the color. Now that's my opinion however of the 4 all look like NT to me.