All, Question if you please. Sent a lot of 5 toned coins to NGC, all pulled from the same old album. 4 of them came back in MS state, but one was graded UNC Details Artificial Toning First time this has happened to me. What does this do to the overall value? Should I send it back in, or to another grader?
Here you go. All 5 of the album coins had monster toning like this one, but only this one came back artificial
It happens a lot. They are very wary of toned coins today it appears. I have seen many coins just like you describe come back the same way. TPGs are simply too strict, because those albums DID produce toned coins. I pulled many coins out of the same albums.
That's a very nice coin... sorry it got bagged. I think the obverse color probably surprised them and they didn't know what to do. Reverse progression seems normal and quite nice. A resubmission to another tpg perhaps? I've got a 58' mint set that is hugely toned and I'm actually afraid to send the coins in for the same reason. Would be my first submission...
It's unfortunate, but I'm not surprised considering the colors. If I found that coin raw, I would question it. Graders don't know a coin's history. They don't want to OK toning that looks questionable. If I liked the coin, I'd break it out, I wouldn't want it in that holder. I'm not sure the coin is valuable enough to try again, but others opinions may differ.
Why are the graders even judging the toning? It has nothing to do with the grade except if the toning has progressed into damage.
As @longshot mentioned, if you wanted to spend the additional money, maybe crack it out and send it through again just to see what they do with it. TPG are just trying to make the best "guess" on toned coins, IMHO.
Unless it's fake...which would be an altered surface. They will call it "questionable" if they think it was (or might be) toned intentionally.
And just a day or so ago someone mentioned TPG bumping it a point because of the toning. Makes me wonder. Personally, I am rather fond of the many toned Jefferson nickle proofs I have. I pick em up every chance I get never thinking about artificial toning.
Well, if you believe the conspiracy theories about grading... Buy five or six clearly AT coins and throw this one in, in the middle of the submission, hoping for a pity grade. Oh, coin #4 isn't as bad as 1-3 and oh, wow, 5 and 6 are worse, so we'll let #4 slide...
Why are they calling the toning anything? The coin grades what it grades. Toning is either damage or non factor and unworthy of comment (i.e. who cares if it is questionable, natural, or wtf'ever). Does toning have an impact on grade because it is used to hide something about the surfaces that would affect the grade? If so who cares what kind of toning it is...its effect on the grade is the same (but in fact should be zero!!!). MONSTER stupidity!!!
Eye appeal impacts the grade...toning can factor into that. But in this case toning prevents the coin from grading as they deemed it damage.