favorite patina on coins

As far as toning goes, this is one of my favourites. Some iridescence on a denarius of Domitian.

 

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It’s a really nice coin. It’s been said often, but Steve really did know how to pick em.

 

My favourite Patina...

"Lovely Mahagony tone with lighter tones on the high points" (Forum Ancient Coins):



or, depending on lighting conditions,
"beautifully toned natural Orichalcum colour" (David Sear):



Shows little if any signs of ever having been in the ground (was in the Prince Waldeck collection since the late 1700s)
"Strike 5/5 - Surface 5/5" (NGC)

 

Favorite Color? Jade!

 

ro1974, Photographing bronze coins to get accurate color can be difficult, however, the color seen in my photograph is what the coin looks like in natural diffused sunlight, not artificial light. For comparison see my photos of the coin after being slabbed. The slabbed photos have more direct sunlight on them or they would look unnaturally too dark, especially the reverse side of the slab. The auction house I bought this coin from used photo editing to lighten the coin giving it a much lighter brown color, not what the coin really looks like. Many auction houses & dealers do this to bring out more detail in a photo or make it easier on the eye.

 

Some real stunners in here!

I have always preferred surface smoothness over patina color, although I do have some nice patinas in my collection.

Bronze:

Glossy black




Deep green



Bright green


Brown


Desert


Turquoise!

 

I don't really collect bronze, but I do have one one coin with amazing blue green patina.



Anonymous Æ Litra Circa 234-231 BC. (3.19g, 15.7mm, 5h). Rome mint. Laureate head of Apollo right / Bridled horse rearing left. Crawford 26/3; Sydenham 29 (half litra); Hannover 56; HN Italy 308.

Provenance:

Dorotheum GmbH & Co KG November 2016 Coin Auction (Haeberlin collection) November 16, 2016 Lot 78;

ex Ernst Justus Haeberlin Collection.

 

That is a fabulous coin.

 

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Eduard, Did you know jade comes in many colors, not just green ? Older generations of Chinese actually preferred white jade over green , like the dragon pendant pictured below, 2.0 in. diameter. I sold this pendant at a Heritage auction several years ago.


Newer generations of Chinese like vivid greens like the brush washer below that I also sold at auction, but the tide is changing. White jade is coming into favor with the current generation & bringing very high prices .






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The ancient Meso Americans also like the brilliant green jade like the 1,500 year old pendant from Costa Rica, 3.375 in. long.

 

I war referring to the colour commonly known as Jade, not to Jade as a NOUN.

https://www.thefreedictionary.com/Jade+(color)

 

Then maybe you should have said jade green instead of jade....

 

Some real beauties on this thread. Love the colors and the depth it gives. Husband and wife here. Glossy black patina with lightish "spirit" highlights on the Aurelius while the Faustina is called "brilliant".