How can you do it? I know that old folders work as well as something else I won't mention because people may start doing it. Like HOW is it done and what chemicals are used in it?
a lot of sulphur. [wink, wink.. those particular old folders that you mention are excellent at toning. as well as some other 'supplies']
There's already too many doktars out there , what you should want to know is how to tell AT from NT But if you must know , read W.W.Whites book Coin Chemistry . The chemistry is spot on if you can understand it , but the author is quite on the fringe of most Numismatsts . rzage
Nearly put a hole in a quarter playing around with sulfur a few years ago! I also just bought some old whitman folders of each size from the 1960's, will these tone?
I think they feel it is less expensive if they do themselves, so if they sell it is more profit. Since there is no test for AT, especially good AT, they have a chance of getting an AT coin anyway. The majority are in it for the money, rather than esthetics. There is no law or regulation preventing the manufacture and selling of AT coins, as long as it is not represented as NT I expect a change towards AT coins in the future as those making them start representing them as art ( a whole different set of rules) and openly selling them as their art ( toning) on found objects ( coins). This would be similar to hobo nickels, the "made" 1964-D Peace dollar, etc. The precedence is there, just time will tell. Jim
They laughed at Picasso, they laughed at Pollock, they laughed at Dali, and they seemed to not do too badly I would take any of those offered by these canvas doctors.
Jim , your talking about apples and oranges here picasso was a great artist , Dali was ok Pollack just plain lucky . Anyways when these guys start selling their "art" in greater numbers I bet the prices will fall for the real NT coins , and that will be the shame of it . Rusty
Rusty, I do understand what you are saying, but until there is a reliable, accurate, and repeatable test, rather than relying on someone's word that it has been in their hands since it was blast white, or believing they somehow have an "other world" power to "KNOW" that a coin is NT rather than AT, then there are not apples and oranges, just fruit. I wish there was a test, but I don't forsee one. I have argued many times with people who say "Trust my coins as I can tell AT from NT". Maybe they really think they can, but they can't prove it , nor can anyone disprove it. TPG have more funds and lab equipment than any of us, but I don't expect them to say they can tell even 90% of the time, let alone 100%. Yes, they can do laser and spectroscopic plots and analysis and tell physically altered coins ( especially if they have already done it once in a past submission), but chemical is chemical. IMO. Jim
I'm not sure that's a shame at all for those who love the coins and would like to acquire them. If you're speculating in them rather than buying and holding them for enjoyment, I can see why this would seem like a bad thing.
I think they laughed with him rather than at him! Larry Harmon ( BOZO) was a great artist of the human spirit. He died 7.4.2008 @ 83. His actions was a love of his art. My point wasn't to comment on specific artists or their works, and I am sorry the main idea of what I was saying seems to be passed over.
Before I knew better, I stored some very nice 'blast' white coins in a manner that caused them to tone drastically. Since I didn't do anything that any other average young collector wouldn't do, and there was absolutely no intent, I figure the coins are naturally toned. However, now that I know how it happened, I could produce an endless supply of toned coins. So, at that point, the toning would be by the exact same situation, but it would be with intent. So is that therefore artificial? How would one tell the difference without reading my mind? Just something to ponder.
I myself don't own any rainbow toned coins , for the record I love them . But with all the more skillfully done AT coins that are Market acceptable the price would have to come down for both NT coins and AT coins , since there's no way of proving AT short of tracing it from owner to owner witch is impracticable at best . Sure you'll be able to own a beautiful rainbow toned coin with no way of knowing if it's NT or AT . To me it's sad because NT coins are rare things which should bring a premium . rage
Because odds are probably getting close to 50/50 that they're buying something someone else deliberately created, so why not do it yourself?
