Quiz# 8 Natural or Artificial toning?

There's a couple of things that collectors need to keep in mind when it comes to flips, both kinds of flips, vinyl flips and mylar flips, can and will harm coins. They each harm them in different ways, but both are harmful.

With vinyl flips you have the PVC residue to worry about. But it needs to be noted that PVC residue is a time related issue. What I mean is this, if you put your coin in a vinyl flip and it's only to be in that flip for week or 10 days - it's not gonna hurt your coin. That's because it takes time, usually a good bit of time, measured in months and or even years for PVC residue to be released and accumulate on a coin. In a week or 10 days - it aint gonna happen.

Mylar flips on the other hand can harm your coin the very first time you put it in the flip ! And while it's in the flip, and the very first time you take it out of the flip ! So, in the flip, and putting it in and taking it out - all can harm your coin. The reason is mylar is a hard, and sharp plastic, particularly sharp on the edges at the opening of the flip. And that sharp edge can and will scratch and or hairline your coin when it is put into or taken out of the flip - each and every time. And while the coin is in the flip the coin moves around. And since the plastic is hard the coin moving around against that hard surface can and will cause wear on the high points of the coin.

Now of you take great care when you put coins into or take them out of mylar flips the risk of scratches/hairlines is minimized somewhat, but it is always there. And while the coin is in the flip, wear is always being caused. It may be slight with each movement, but it is happening, and wear is cumulative.

So when you send your coins in to a TPG in a mylar flip, don't be surprised if when you get it back you see a light scratch or a hairline or two, or three or four that wasn't there before. Odds are you caused them yourself simply by using the flip. And of course the TPG may have caused a few more when they took the coin and or put it back in - at least 3 and sometimes 4 graders look at each coin before it is ever slabbed. And each one takes it out and puts it back in.

What's the answer ? Simple, don't use flips ! Admittedly you're kinda stuck when you send coins in to TPGs, but you're sure not stuck when ya use them yourself - THAT'S a choice you make !

 

No, not at all. Hairlines can occur in more ways than you can count. And while hairlines detract from the grade, unless they are extremely excessive in number they do not prevent any coin from being graded MS.

The determining factor between MS and not MS is and always has been wear. If the coin has wear it is not MS. And the TPGs used to follow that rule as well - but no longer do.

 

No, not necessarily, but it might. The coin getting a light scratch or a hairline or two from being in the mylar flip is not an absolute - meaning it's not gonna happen every single time. The point I'm making is that it can happen, does happen, and happens a lot. But not every single time.

Most of the time, if the collector is "sure" it's a 70, and the TPG doesn't grade it 70 - it's because the collector was wrong, missed something.

Other times it's because the TPGs are inconsistent. Other times, it may be because a scratch or hairline got caused by the flip.

 

Yeah it does sometimes but not always - you can also get false positives. Ya see, it has to do with the copper.

What color does copper turn when it corrodes ? Green. And if you burn vinyl, yeah it also puts off a green color.

So, instead of a piece of copper wire use a piece of aluminum wire. Then if it's vinyl you'll see green and you'll know it's the plastic making the green color.

But some plastics, and or other materials, can react with the copper when the plastic/material is burned and you'll see green - but it's the copper causing the green color - a false positive. But if use aluminum, with the same material - there is no green. Meaning that material does NOT contain PVC softening agents.