I was wondering about the natural tone. I know about the cleaned causing, but not the natural. So, Do you know?
Oh c'mon Thad sure we do Ricky, in simple terms toning is nothing but oxidation of the metal. It's a chemical reaction between the metal itself, oxygen in the air, and various other chemicals in the air. We say that iron and steel rust, but that's a just a common usage word for it oxidizes. The same thing happens with coinage metals, they oxidize. It is a chemical breakdown the metal molecules themselves. And as the metal oxidizes it changes color. And then we have what we call toning. Toning is a common usage word for oxidation that is used when talking about coins. When the very same thing happens to other items made of the same metals our coins are made of we call it tarnish. Rust, toning, tarnish, they are all common usage words for oxidation. But each has a specific application that is only used when talking about a given subject. The reason we colors, any colors from gun metal grey to reds, greens, blues etc., is due to the properties of light. For just as you see colors when you shine white light through a prism, you see colors on coins when light is reflected and refracted while passing through oxidation. The oxidation acts as a prism acts. That's about all there is to it.
GDJMSP, are there any biographical threads about you? I'm curious after I read your post the other day that said you don't have any coins? :O I find that unique and interesting
Oh Good Lord ! Probably not more than a thousand or so Short and sweet. I started collecting coins in 1960. Have studied them, read just every book, every magazine, every article on the internet I could find, for basically my entire life. Collected US coins up until 2002, sold the entire collection and started collecting world coinage specializing in world gold with an emphasis on Netherlands ducats, French Royal, and Spanish colonial. Gave that up and sold entire collection in '06 because I finally realized it was the study of coins that I really loved, not the collecting of them. Since then I have continued my study as I always have.
Common to collectors and those already familiar but some people don't even know what direction is North, South, East or West, which should be a very basic common knowledge.
Interesting. I bet that doesn't happen very often Well I'm glad you're still here spreading the knowledge.
I was sadened to find out that my 1960's Toned Mercury's Dansco has ruined many of my coins. The obverse is so beautiful with bright rainbow toning, but when I went to pry out a couple semi-key dates (PCGS Submission) the reverse was black, or atleast around the ring. I am not sure how this happend, but it has to be because of the old green dansco holders.
No! Black is the final stage of sulfide toning. Read the book Coin Chemistry and you'll learn a lot about toning. Doug's explaination was kind of right. It's actually hydrogen sulfide that does the bulk of the work and it's what produces the multitude of colors. Metal surfaces quickly oxidize, in fact, right after being minted. The oxidative layer actually provides a layer of protection to the surface and is virtually invisible.
