A new arrival! I couldn't resist the old cabinet toning! You know how it is! Let's see some toned silver!!! Post your toned treasures! Marcus Aurelius, Augustus AD 161-180. Roman AR denarius, 3.15 g, 18.1 mm, 11 h. Rome, 36th emission, AD 178. Obv: M ANTONINVS AVG, laureate head, right. Rev: COS III P P, Annona standing left, holding corn-ears in right hand over modius and cornucopia in left hand; to right, prow. Refs: RIC 424; BMCRE 691; Cohen 151; RCV 4893; MIR 436-4/30.
Impressive old cabinet toning on one of my favorite Roman emperor! Here's mine and some lovely toning on silver:
Beautiful @Roman Collector ! I like Antonine denarii and I like toned silver. Win win! Here are a few of my favorite toners
I have very few toned treasures. Trajan, with what you could call artificial toning. I cleaned it with sodium hydroxide, vinegar, lemon juice, sodium thiosulfate, and a final splash of Tarn-X silver cleaner. The nice colors you see have since changed to a rather more dark colors, especially on the obverse. This Quintillus has some delicate blue toning on the obverse, probably not "natural" but not too egregiously artificial. This Vespasian has some more blue toning, again what I believe to be artificially induced. It almost looks like fire damage combined with some sulfur. Maybe burned in a acidic envelope? At least it's more stable than the Trajan.
Nice one, RC. This past April I bought a large lot of miscellaneous ancients on eBay. The silver was all toned and/or crusty, most of it with plugged holes. I'm not sure if green counts as toning on a silver coin, but here are the best of the lot (only the Philip has a hole - somewhat hard to see at first glance). Philip I, Gordian III, Trebonianus Gallus and Volusian: Here's a group shot of all the plugged ones - sometimes silver can have too much toning!
When I made my reply above, I had not scrolled down far enough to yet be bedazzled by the arrays posted by @Curtisimo and @zumbly. Wow. @Ryro not too shabby, either!
I'm not into shiny so this thread really appeals....Some wonderful coins shown so far........Here's a few of my favs...
I may have already shown this too often, but this colorful bracteate is probably my favorite toned coin: Abbey of Fulda, under Heinrich IV. von Erthal, AR bracteate, ca. 1249–1261 AD. Obv: Abbot seated facing holding palm branch and book; in Gothic polylobe and double pearl border; around outer rim; H-V-H-V. 29mm, 0.52g. Ref: Berger 2293. Ex “HC Collection;” ex CNG, e-auction 459, lot 579.
Natural or 'assisted', I always consider rainbow coins to be retoning after cleaning. 'Natural' after so many years should go to gray or even black. It would be interesting to see rainbow coins shown in photos may years apart. How long does 'rainbow' last?
Beautiful specimen...I see nine different TONE's! And this thread developed into more awesome specimens...thanks to all!
The silver has taken on a gold tone on this one. Licinius I. AE Follis. 315 AD. Alexandria. Obv: IMP C VAL LICIN LICINIVS PF AVG, laureate head right. Rev: IOVI CONSER-VATORI AVGG, Jupiter standing left, chlamys across left shoulder, holding Victory on globe and sceptre, eagle with wreath left. Wreath over H over N in right field Mintmark ALE. RIC VII Alexandria 10, R2. Black denarius. Septimius Severus Denarius OBV: SEVERVS AVG PART MAX, laureate head right. Rev: RESTITVTOR VRBIS, Septimius standing left, holding patera in right hand over tripod altar, & spear in left.
That's a beauty, RC - all the colours of the rainbow! I love these eye candy threads. Here's my favourite heavily toned Antonine: