Actually it has to do with the flow of metal on the surface at the molecular level which alters the surface metal around the date and legend as those areas see the most metal flow since they essentially turn liquid due to the intense heat created by the pressure being exerted by the press. This distrubed metal if you well does not tone as readily as the surounding surface hence the untoned shadow. This phenomenon seems to primarily happen with bag toned morgans and you will rarely if ever see it on album, end roll, envelope toned examples which I think points to the time it takes for the toning to develop being a key ingredient. Coins exposed to high concentrations of sulfer directly touching the coins surface tend to tone across the entire surface while coins within a low sulfer environment who only come into contact with sulfer via outgassing if you will tend to feature the shadow. Pull away toning is actually quite different and refers to toning that is pulled off the surface of a coin due to it being stuck to the side of a bank bag for decades. When the coin is removed from the bag pieces of the toned silver sulfide at the surface actually flake off leaving a color muted or dull surface underneath usually surounded by vibrant neon colors. As stated.....the untoned shadow around the date and mint mark is a very very good sign that the coin is NT if anyone even had doubts. Here is an example of pull away toning:
The difference is that I am conscious of when I "pay too much" for a coin and I don't do it with every purchase. My bids are usually what I would consider full retail price for the toned material that I buy. That means that when it comes time to sell, I will probably lose money due to transaction costs. However, I see no difference in paying full retail for toned coins than I do for untoned coins. If you consider purchasing items which you will know you will take a financial loss at time of sale "not thinking with my head", then I am guilty as charged. I consider the loss to be the cost associated with the enjoyment of the hobby. A loss that I am more than willing to pay. What you are talking about is something entirely different. You are claiming that toned coin collectors are just bidding/buying frivilously because they have an emotional attachment to the coin. While that happens from time to time, it is certainly not the norm.
Personally there is no such thing as paying too much for coins, I gladly pay 100x for coins I think are worth the money, coins you rarely see, and are just WOW coins when you do actually see them. If you have the money, buy what you like, not what other put privetag on. It's like one person buying a ferrari and another person saying Its not worth it. It's all preference of the person.
Toning Thank you Kryptonitecomics, AKA" Shane", for the best explanation about toning I've ever read. John
$3,500. Kinda hard to see what's happening in the areas of the obv. that aren't fully lighted (reflective). I'm assuming the toning carries consistently into those areas. Would like to see the coin in hand.
Doesn't do it for me... I'll go $2,250. Looks like it may be very dark and unattractive around the rims (unless exposed to very very high light), with the nicer toning specific to only the portrait..... that said, the grade and green should still command some percentage. btw,,, I tried to upload a test picture also after seening seasnakes post,,, same issue, it would not let me upload a picture. Anyone got a line on this issue ?
In fairness, it could be argued that any bid for a coin above it's face or bullion value is based on emotion. There is no difference, IMO, between bidding $10k for an untoned chain cent and $10 for a toned morgan -- they are BOTH emotional decisions.
Are you sure only naturally toned coins exhibit this feature? PCGS says this coin, which exhibits the same feature, is AT: http://forums.collectors.com/messageview.cfm?catid=26&threadid=797884\ I can remember when toning enthusiasts used to say the same thing with green on copper, or that blue on copper proofs was only from tissue paper. Now, we know better. IMO, pullback toning can be artificially done, and we should be very careful from assuming anything about toning.
I'm baffeled. I have posted pictures before here but now I get this error msg when I try to upload: 500[10erroreventtype]="ioerror"=falsecancellable=falseeventphase=2text=error#2038. any ideas wtf this is about?
I don't disagree at all that many buy coins based on emotion instead of reason. But emotion sure seems to be a lot more prevalent with toned buyers than any other group.
Based on the other set of pictures the owner of the coin posted I don't believe that coin isnt AT or even looks at but as I stated in his latest thread...PCGS is seeing something in hand that I don't think any of us is seeing based on the images. I still submit that I have never seen an AT coin with the untoned shadow but I don't believe it's 100% impossible that it could be duplicated. I have seen some coins that were already partially toned that then had heat or chemical applied to further advance the toning and I certainly feel in those cases this affect could potentially be seen.