A toned 1979 Kennedy Half?

Hey guys.
Going through my newest box of halves today, I found one from 1979 that has a very cool tone to it. The colors go from gold to purple to blue to red to silver.
I can't seem to get the light just right, so this picture doesn't even begin to do the coin justice. There's a lot more color diversity and sparkle to this coin than the picture shows.

My question is... I thought only silver coins toned and this one isn't silver!
Thoughts?
~Christian

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

All coins tone, including gold coins. But I am not sure I would call what exists on that Kennedy toning. That thing looks like it has been in the oven, more than once. Here is a photo of a clad toned quarter.

 

An oven?! Eek. I've heard of storing cash in a freezer, but not coin baking!

What kind of camera and lighting are you guys using to get the great coin shots like the quarter you posted?

 

Many an artificially toned coin have been created in an oven. Some inside a baked potato.

The first photo I posted was taken with a point and shoot 10 megapixel Canon Powershot SD880 IS. This photo was taken with a NIKON D90 SLR.

 

Yes, I agree. That '79 half dollar looks like it was baked in an oven or torched. I've never seem a naturally toned clad coin that looks like that. All the metals used in coins can tone except for gold. Sometimes gold coins can be found with toning, but it is the copper used in the coin that is toning and not the gold. Copper is the most reactive metal used in coins, and silver is the second most reactive. Clad and nickel coins are not as reactive, but when nickel does tone I think it is the prettiest (just my opinion). Here's a toned nickel and another toned clad quarter.

 

Ok, so upon reading this I examined a number of items from my wife's jewelry
18k and 24k. Then I brought out my gold coins, some of which I had for more than 40 years, could not discern any toning. A Krugerand seemed to have a bit more copper look to it but then that's how they look anyway. So where can I see toned examples?

 

I've only seen a few gold coins with toning, and all of them had only the color pink except for one. I think it was one from Anaconda Rare Coins. It was a $20 St. Gaudens with wild pink, yellow, and green. I've never seen pure gold tone, and I've been told that it doesn't. I may be wrong, but that's what I've been told and I've never seen any pure gold with any sort of toning.

 

This is absolutely true, gold does tone...even pure gold It is far less reactive than other metals used in coins, but that doesn't mean it is non-reactive.

There are a number of examples of toned gold coins here: http://www.cointalk.com/t68524/

 

Well, I stand corrected.

 

Pure gold is weak, however by alloying with copper, sometimes in conjunction with silver or nickel, and often a little zinc,gold alloys are strong enough to last as coins. Addition of these metals changes the color of gold so that red, yellow, greenish, and white golds result.

 

Not that I ever need a reason to post this coin, but here is a wonderful toned Saint Guadens. I have posted the Anaconda coin for comparison.

 

I love all these pictures! Thanks for posting them and offering the education.
Ya, in comparing with mine (even though the picture is horrible) the difference is obvious. I'll probably keep it anyway cause it looks cool (in person anyway!), but I guess I'm still searching for my first real toned.
The hunt continues....

 

WOW! That makes two now I've seen with significant toning. Very nice!

 

Word of warning, die hard Saint collectors consider these coins absolutely AT and are very vocal about it. I personally don't care since I paid a very small premium for the toning in relation to the intrinsic value.

 

Why would they claim they are absolutely AT? Do they have any other reasoning than the belief that "gold doesn't tone?" Not that it matters, IMHO if it is attractive and market acceptable (slabbed), then it is of collector value.

 

Probably for the same reason that David Hall just deemed every rainbow toned Peace Dollar AT.

http://forums.collectors.com/messageview.cfm?catid=26&threadid=745974&STARTPAGE=1

Rainbow toned Saints are fare more rare than rainbow toned Peace Dollars.

 

I don't know why anyone would think they are AT. Those colors are exactly what should be expected with a copper alloy. The war nickels are 56% copper and they tend to develop some of the same yellows, greens, and pinks. There is absolutely no reason to suspect them being AT if they have a basic understanding of the science behind toning and the different metals.