Why toned coins

I admit I don't get it. Although I don't collect coins, I do admire many coins for their history and natural beauty.

That said, I will never understand why toned coins command such a premium (see picture at bottom of page):


http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...72704&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT#ht_1031wt_1167

guy

 

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I totally, 100% agree! I like my coins to look like they were just minted. Or have been circulating for a while, but toning, I just don't like.

I likewise would not pay more for a car that is rusty. While I am aware that it is a simplification, it's the same basic principle. When I do eventually buy my own classic car, I am going to hope to get one with the least amount of rust possible!

The worst part of toning is that so many original coins have been ruined by the artificial toning crowd.

 

Why?



FWIW, the coin you posted is very interesting but I doubt that toning would bring much of a premium. It does however redefine bullseye toning.

For a more in depth explanation of the toning premium, feel free to read this thread.

http://www.cointalk.com/t39837/

 

Billy I fixed your post.

 

If GM, FORD, or even Chrysler made cars that look like that toning, they might not be on the verge of extinction. Imagine a Cobra 427 with that toning!!!

Jim

 

That's the second worst! While I don't care for toning, I don't advocate dipping either...My take on it is just to let it pass for someone who appreciates it for what it is...

I've got some coins that have toned to black but I am not ever going to dip them. I should take a picture some day.

 

I'm pretty sure a toned black coin is a sign of a previously dipped coin.
If improperly dipped, a coin will turn black over the years.

 

Billy,

I am afraid that you cant collect anymore coins. Every coin falls into one of two categories: Toned or Dipped. And the second category tries to join the first category the second you take in out of the dip.

Take a good look at the coins you think are untoned. If you look closely, you will see the patina. Can you see it?



I understand the subjectivity of toned coins, but at the same time, I abhor the Weimar White philosophy that toning is damage. The reason is because he is just down right wrong. A natural patina actually protects the coin from corrosion. If stored properly, the toning process can be slowed to the point where the reaction is all but undetectable. However, I pose this question to anyone who follows Weimar's advice. Have you ever seen what happens to a dipped coin when after it re-tones. Lets put it this way. If you didn't like the original patina, you ain't gonna like the secondary toning at all.

 

I don't know why ppl don't like toning but that's ok, thank God we are all different!! Incidentally Bart, the example you used would not be liked by millions of ppl. I love a uniquely toned coin but not that one! Check out this angel! :thumb:

 

This is very true. I have a special place in my heart for toned coins as well as blast white. Both are attractive in their own unique way. But, here is an example of a coin that was clearly dipped at one time and has retoned. I really like this coin and enjoy it's toning...but I'm sure the original toning was much nicer.

​

 

A coin that is black would be among the very few I would advocate dipping or at least rinse in acetone and seal in an environmentally secure holder if you want it to stop at that point. Black is the end of the corrosion color.

Snaz, dipping does initialize a coin towards toning/corrosion. That is why most silver AT docs start by dipping the coin. That provides a raw surface for either then normal environmental effects or artificially supplied chemical components to begin the process rather evenly across the coin. Black coins may be completely natural though.

Jim

 

This thread made me pull out my silver dollars again, I certainly have some black, and gross grey silver dollars. High grade coins are hiding under that gross toning.

 

I can assure you that the coins I have that have turned black have NEVER been dipped; they just sat in a old milk carton for about 45 years. Pics coming soon...

 

It depends on the toning. Morgan dollars, for example, are commonly available with average, brown or golden toning. So those don't really command a strong premium. But Morgan dollars with nice rainbow toning can command significant premiums. It all depends on the coin and nature of the toning. Supply and demand.

An interesting example of supply and demand is found with rainbow toning of Peace dollars. I was lucky enough to acquire a common 1923 Peace dollar with very rare rainbow toning forming a crescent shape of the reverse. I bought it from a dealer for about $100 about 20 years ago, when these dollars were selling for $20 each. A couple years ago, I sent it in to NGC to see if the toning was natural. They graded it MS63*. I was happy to get the star. I tried to sell it to several local dealers and they were willing to pay a small premium for it, but basically said that 'it's the grade, not the toning" that matters.

Well, I thought I needed a wider venue to see just how valuable it really was, so I put it on Teletrade. Even I was amazed when it sold for $675.

Again, Peace dollars are very rare with rainbow toning and command sizeable premiums. Depends on the coin. Supply and demand.

Haven't seen one since. Almost wish I still had it.

 

The short answer to "Why toned coins ?" is because they are beautiful and often retain their original "skin".

The OP coin is a classic example. That is a wonderfully toned coin with original "skin". Those well-defined circles on the back usually indicate the original packaging. That's the toning it got in it's original packaging.

For those who prefer a coin that looks like the day it was made, that's fine for recent issues. But for those who prefer older coins, that blast white look is very unnatural. Virtually no silver from the 1790s or early 1800s retains that look naturally; it's almost always due to dipping or cleaning. No original skin or luster, just blast white silver. IMO unattractive.

Original skin and cartwheel under a layer of toning is a true thing of beauty. Subtle, but unmistakable.

 

Wanna guess how much?




I am glad you didn't fall for that line given to you by the coin dealers. They knew damn well that an NGC * Peace Dollar would bring a strong premium in the multiples of bid for a common date coin. Trust me, my collection of Peace Dollars has been in neutral for almost a year now.

 

Lehigh, you said your collection of Peace dollars was in neutral over the past year. What experiences have you had that keeps you in neutral?

 

I could just use Doug's answer, but I will expand just a little. My standards for my Peace Dollar collection are much lower than that of my other collections with regard to toning because I recognize how difficult it is to obtain rainbow toned Peace Dollars.

When I set out to build my Peace Dollar collection, my standard was simple. Any coin included in the set had to have eye appeal. In this way, I did not limit myself to toned coins exclusively. As a matter of fact, my 1925 is a blast white coin in MS66 with great eye appeal. I had no intention of creating a matched set of toned coins. In fact, I wanted to see how a diverse collection of coins would look as a set.

Why is the collection in neutral. The answer is that I can't find eye appealling examples of the remaining dates I need to complete the collection. The second reason is that I have passed on a few coins over the last year because I needed the money to fund my Jefferson Nickel collection which is in full gear. I will post more on this subject later.

 

I think Lehigh just answered the ops questioned on why toned coins , they're beautiful and rare .
rzage