Just curious if you all that are familiar with the Wayte Raymond pages (or are they boards) think they would still tone coins? Or do you think that whatever they had in them that caused the coins to tone has lost it's 'umph'?
It's my understanding that it was the sulfur content in these albums that caused the toning, and most of the old-timers have said that the sulfur tends to dissipate with time. Chris
This is true. While the concentration drops with time, some will always remain as long as the holders are not chemically destroyed by a reaction that consumes all of the sulphur. Such a reaction would completely decay the boards to the point that they would not be identifiable.
I have an old green wayte raymond folder with the plastic slides. Volume 1 washington quarters. These tend to be much harder to find than the blue whitman folders. Idk if i will ever put anything in it, because ive been hoarding it for 3 or 4 years now, empty. Damn i wish i wouldve atleast put a few random uncs in there to see the results.
I have a Wayte Raymond 201 quarter page that holds 40 coins. Have had 6 white silver coins in it for over a year. I cant tell any change in the coins at all. But who's to say it has been ample time to see any change. They are just hanging out on top the ice box. I have wondered about the sulfur being depleted over the years myself. It only makes sense that the sulfur would have to deplete over time....
Here is how to test: https://www.canada.ca/en/conservati...nstitute-notes/test-sulfur-acetate-paper.html
Do it now! And let us know the results in another few years. But in all seriousness, put a few clad and/or silver quarters and see what happens.
I wonder. Couple of reasons I say that. In all of the reports I have read over the years those who have specifically purchased the old WR albums and placed coins in them hoping for positive results - all of the coins have indeed toned. Some in a positive way and some in a negative way. Just like they did when the albums were new. Second reason, just about everything has a standard rate of decay that does not change. Which means they would put off gas at the same rate when old as when they did new. And coins, well toning doesn't work that way. Coins that are fresh or recently minted tone faster at first. The same is true for coins that have been recently dipped. But assuming the environment does not change, once the initial toning has occurred additional toning slows down. So even with the same amount of gasses being present, the toning would be slower. This could lead to the false conclusion that the album pages do not cause as much toning when old as they did when new. What I'm trying to get across here is that it is not the album that determines the rate of toning, but rather the condition of the coins. Fresh luster, basically untoned coins, equals fast toning. Coins previously toned to some degree equals slower or even less toning.
Guys, I have often thought about humidity and temperature variation quite a bit as it relates to coin toning. We all keep our thermostats set at a constant "comfortable" temperature throughout the year in our homes and in our "coin safe places" as best we can. And heaven forbid it be humid in the house when its time to go to bed!! I'm sure that in the pre air-conditioner days our beloved toned coins were exposed to considerable temperature variation and humidity swings which probably contributed to the toning perhaps more that what we know.
