need help with this toned walker

Need help from you experts ...
How can you tell the difference between artificial toning and natural toning?
What are the odds this coin was both cleaned and artificially toned?
Is this a "stay away from" coin?

Thanks for any advice!

 

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yeah, that things looks AT to me. I don't know that it is for sure, but the toning just looks to be sitting on top of the coin.

 

No, it looks more like a "shoot the SOB who did it" coin to me.

Chris

 

so AT toning looks like it's on top? are there any web references on how to tell the difference? (or maybe it's safer just to stick with PCGS and NGC graded coins?)

 

With toning I would say yes it is safer to stick with PCGS and NGC coins. I would search on lehigh's user ID and read all his posts, they has been many threads on this. My opinion is the natural toning seems to float on the luster - I am not an expert on this. Some of pauls coins show this. I am more a fan of light toning.

 

Mrs Natural, she ain't

To my sorry eyes~
Mrs Natural, she ain't.

 

The pictures didn't need to load below Liberty's head and I already knew it was a no question AT - and horribly ugly at that. You just don't find those colors on naturally toned coins. And certianly not in that combination.

The first place I would recommend you start reading is an article I wrote a while back, which you can find here: http://www.cointalk.com/t84670/

 

hey thanks for all the info and references! great stuff. much appreciated!

 

This is a start...if it looks like that it is AT

 

I have never owned a toned coin ...

Most of my collecting of coins took place back in the 1960s when "Brilliant Uncirculated" was the game. (I bet most of those old coins sold in the 1960's as BU were dipped!)

Some of the toned coins look kind of cool though ... but i never really understood how to tell a bad one from a good one. Obviously, i am pretty clueless on this topic!

 

Shame on the AT. The details of the coin look good.

 

Here are a couple interesting tidbits for you to chew on.........

When the GSA began releasing the CC Dollars in the early 70's, they used two different holders. If the Morgan was blast white it went into an "UNCIRCULATED SILVER DOLLAR" holder. If the Morgan had any toning at all, it went into a "SILVER DOLLAR" holder.

Occasionally, someone will submit a GSA Morgan for grading and it will come back "Improperly Cleaned".

What? Wait a minute!

A Morgan is produced at the Carson City Mint. It remains in a sealed bag there for 5 years or so before being transferred to the Treasury vault in Washington, D.C. It lies untouched in the vault for another 80+ years before it is opened and the coins are packaged and sold through the GSA.

How in the heck could it have been improperly cleaned?

You have to bear in mind that the GSA couldn't possibly assign their regular staff to the massive task of holdering tens of thousands of Morgan Dollars for the Treasury release and still conduct day-to-day operations. Instead, they hired local college students as temporary help to complete the task. There was no prerequisite that they have any numismatic knowledge at all. They were just filling plastic holders.

Now, go back to what I told you about "UNCIRCULATED" silver dollars and toning. Suppose that a young college coed came upon a particular Morgan that had ever-so-slight toning, so she decided to use some of her nail polish remover to see if she could remove it. Or, suppose some other kid tried to use the eraser of a pencil to remove a "stain".

Voila!

You are now the proud owner of an improperly cleaned Morgan Dollar direct from the United States General Services Administration.

Chris

 

You're right, I can't state positively that some toned CC's didn't get into the UNCIRCULATED cases, that is just the general concensus from everything I've been told.

And, my comment about college students possibly cleaning some of them is just speculation on my part. I do know that college kids were hired for the job, because I'm from the Maryland suburbs of D.C. In July, 1971, I had just returned from my stint in the Army, and friends had told me that the GSA was looking for temporary help. Notices had been posted in the career counseling offices and student unions on all the campuses. I looked into it because I still had my Civil Service rating from when I worked at National Institutes of Health. Unfortunately, I was too late to get the job.

On another note, can you tell me the source of the GSA CC mintages that you posted for Goldstone? I want to add the numbers in my Red Book, but I would also like to include the source.

Thanks,

Chris

 

looks like the guy or girl used it for a "science" experiment, 1 hard boiled egg, one zip lock bag, one silver coin. crush egg with silver inside sealed bag half an hour or so later one ugly toned coin.

 

Looks like the guy or girl used it for a "science" experiment, 1 hard boiled egg, one zip lock bag, one silver coin. crush egg with silver inside sealed bag half an hour or so later one ugly toned coin.

Are you serious? That's how it's done? Bizarre.


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The coin posted by the OP does not appear to be natural toning to my eye. I'd guess secondary toning at best, AT at worst....Mike

 

Your word is good enough for me.

Thanks!

Chris