First time I've ever come across a gold coin that someone tried to tone, blew it and then placed it on the bay for sale. I'm thinking they tried the Liver of Sulphur approach! Anyone here ever tone a gold coin? Look at that price tag! https://www.ebay.com/itm/4059507446...SkGE5gBRZTihF3xzqf0FJZ4GNT|tkp:Bk9SR9zq2LftZQ
Absolutely gross. But I think I'm more offended by a few of their other listings that apparently did grade cleanly. I wonder if they're in the slab-gassing business, too.
That coin is offered by a Jeweler. I don't think I would consider buying a diamond ring from them. Or for that matter, nothing.
The seller is good from my experiences. I have picked up two graded toned Morgans and both were solid coins. I would be surprised if they gassed anything. I believe they buy from local people and sell on eBay, including the details coins. Some of the prices are on the higher end (so the item does not sell) while others are fair (and they do have plenty of sales).
The toned ring around that gold piece has me wondering if that's the new definition of a Potty Dollar.
Almost all the coins from the SS Central America were covered with an adherent layer of rust of a form called goethite. They were really ugly … like rusted washers! Robert Evans, an Ohio geologist and paleontologist, was hired to restore the coins. After considerable research and experimentation, he found a way to remove the goethite without altering the gold surfaces underneath. Many were graded MS by PCGS. You can read about here: https://www.coinworld.com/voices/eighteen_years_ago.html or watch a video on it here: . The mess on the coin in the OP can almost certainly be removed with little change to the underlying gold … but only by an expert. PCGS or NGC can probably do it. Would I buy the coin? Only at a bargain price. Cal
Looks like purple PVC primer was used to tone down the gold. Maybe someone was looking to snuggle it across a border without attracting attention.