Stunning Zincoln Toner - Who Else Pulls These?

As I go through each box of Lincoln’s I typically run across one or two Zincoln’s that, instead of going the “Zinc Rot” route, opt to take the high road with gorgeous toning.

This one that I just found was exceptional - with all sorts of rainbow colorations. Even my crappy cell phone camera managed to pick it up because it’s so strong. (See pics…)

Does anyone else save the exceptionally well toned Zincoln’s? I know lots of collectors, myself included, hate this composition due to its inherent instability. But pretty is pretty and I think these deserve to be saved from circulation.

 

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Here’s a couple more pics from different angles….

 

Stability is the problem without slabbing the coin. Progression will invariably change the appearance. Enjoy it while it lasts!

 

Too bad, really. Dang Zincoln’s are like radium. Decay is inevitable unless hermetically sealed from all moisture in the environment. Does this mean survivors in slabs a century from now will be great rarities? One wonders…

 

I have zero problem with post 82 Lincolns.
The corrosion depends on the climate in which you live. Most cents that look this way have been in a washer or a dryer, most likely both.
I wouldn't call this NT (natural toning)

 

Hard to say. These cents come into contact with so many environmental contaminants that it is difficult for me to render an informed opinion on “natural toning” (like album toning), and unnatural toning, which I mainly associate with coin doctoring by eBay quick-buck shysters.

I will say that my camera phone photos distort the color, lose much of the natural mint luster, and just don’t really do proper justice to the toning. I wish the pics were better. You should see it in hand.

 

Considering the fact that the change from copper to zinc to save money proved a vain endeavor by the mint, it’s probably high time that Congress abolish the cent, just as Canada finally did. It is now a useless denomination.

I am presently working on an album of 1959 to present Lincoln’s, working to build the highest grade set possible strictly from circulation pulls from roll searching. It’s about 99% complete and I love adding these occasional toners when the eye appeal is good. The trick is finding them devoid of zinc rot, mint rinse spots, verdigris, and other problems.

Amazingly, I have a substantial percentage of coins in this album that are mint state - both pre-1982 and post-1982. Some came from BU roll dumps that I was lucky to have intercepted not long after others hauled them to the bank to cash-in. All of my 1959’s are BU, as are many from the 1960’s and ‘70’s.

 

I have seen plenty of new cents collecting. The reds with nearly full luster and above go into an airtite jar. The RB's go into rolls. Check em in a few years. They may have taken on a better skin. The coin you posted has definitely. been washed and dryed.

 

Beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder.

 

Those colors on Copper Cents are usually a result of dried urine

Sorry buddy.

 

If you have an electric oven, put a few shiny Zincolns on a piece of aluminum foil directly below the element and set it to 450 degrees. When it comes to temperature, turn it off and remove your interesting looking "toners". Don't burn yourself!

 

That’s a bit…..uh…disconcerting.

Care to share with the rest of us how you came to know this? LOL…

 

Interesting discussion so far. Detergent - urine - high temp oven baking - all sorts of theories and speculation on causes of such toning. This leaves me wondering something. If there is that much lack of consensus on how toning occurs, does it even matter?

I mean, the bottom line is whether or not the coin has any eye appeal. All toning is the result of chemical reactions. Some occur over time from natural environmental exposures and some happen because coin doctors like playing chemistry professor. But at the end of the day I’ve yet to ever read a satisfactory and convincing dissertation on how to conclusively tell the difference.

After reading such discussions for years I’ve concluded that it simply doesn’t matter. People continue to buy and sell toned coins and the people who hate this continue to gripe about it - all mostly to no avail. So at this point that debate sort of bores me.

All I really wanted to hear back on was whether other coin roll searchers pull attractively toned coins when they find them. So far, I haven’t heard one person say a simple yes or no to that question and that’s a bit disappointing. I really was curious to know.

Oh well…

 

I've explained it a few times here on CoinTalk.
Long story short.. I'm a maintenance worker for a commercial building here in NYC

 

It shouldn't matter to a new collector what the toning is or isn't. Collect what you like, as you see more coins and study what the TPG's say about toning. You will find that there is plenty of consensus on toning. There are known colors that happen naturally (NT) and colors that happen when a quick skin is applied/ heat or detergents/ Urine is applied (AT) artificial toning.
@paddyman98 LOL