Which coin series are more prone to natural toning?

Like the title says which US coin series is more prone to natural rainbow toning than others?
Never seen it ona franklin half or kennedy half yet. And havent seen them on mercury dimes or peace dollars.
So i was wondering what type of silver coins are more likely to be found with toning compared to others??

 

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Doug, your answer is a good one although I was surprised that you think Walkers tone more readily than Franklins. I collect Walkers, not Franklins but I have seen a lot of near-psychedelic Franklins slabbed in rainbow toning. It seems to me that most toned Walkers are a bit more subdued (as a general rule, I do remember when I first started collecting, Anaconda had at least a few Walkers).
You are also much less likely to find attractively toned early Walkers (20s and 30s). Doug's comments on nickels and proofs (at least as to Buffalos) seems pretty spot on to me.

 

Doug is a 1 st class Moderator

Doug always has the best answers!
Over the 53 years I been collecting coins.I notice one thing with all types of metals some will tone no matter how air tight or controlled area you keep the coin.it maybe the way it formed in to a planchet or the metal DNA.:kewl:

 

I love the way the new "golden dollars" tone to a beautiful "Statue of Liberty" like green when exposed to the elements.

 

The series I have seen with the most often natural toning are,

The series I have seen with the most often natural toning are,

1. Nickles esp. Jefferson and Buffalo.
2. Dimes esp. Roosevelts.
3. Copper esp. Lincolns and Indians.
4. Quarters esp. Washinton's.
5. Halves Kennedy's and Franklen.
6. Dollars, Morgans, Ike's and modern so called gold ones.

Like Doug said the more luster, the sharper strike the better esp. when combined with mint or proof set packaging materials.

Peace dollars rarely tone and older type coins have had mostly all original surfaces disturbed at some point in less than AU grades. IE: you find them toned but rarely natural.

 

In a word, "Morgans".

 

Lehigh. Where's Lehigh? Paul, your phone is ringing...pickup.

 

I have to believe that Morgan Dollars are the king of naturally rainbow toned silver coins due to the number stored in canvas bags. Second place would have to go to early commemoratives. There are some commems that are hard to find with toning but the sheer number of tab toned examples from the government packaging vaults them close to the top. After these two, making a definitive declaration about the originality of the toning becomes almost impossible. However, I think that some of the most beautifully toned coins are Mercury Dimes. Mint set Franklins and Washington's are also very easy to find with spectacular toning.

It seems odd to me that you listed three series (Franklins, Kennedy's, and Mercurys) that you have never seen toned that I think are very easy to find toned. Peace Dollars are extremely rare but they exist. In my experience, the most difficult 20th century silver to find with attractive rainbow toning are the Barbers and Walkers with SLQ's not far behind.

Maybe these examples of the series you have missed will satisfy your appetite:






This is to say nothing of the nickels or copper coins. Personally I find that the newer the nickel series, the easier it is to find rainbow toned.

 

****Not to change Subject****

***Lehight there all Gem coin!
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I see 1CAC/ and why I steer away from there sticker
but I did see 1 CAC sticker ,I would accept them better is they add all TPG Anacs Ngc Pcgs graded coins not just stop at Franklin. that will add 50/70% more coin sticker-ed like Kennedy's & modern coin with great toning to the ranks
CAC /income by adding more all series
There are some real gem Kennedy's with almost a 70 grade toned and jaw-dropping Deep/Ultra Cameo toned out 1970-84 there here a few I would send


& this



That is the only beef I have with CAC
&
Extra $$$ to buying but not getting any young and they&that I like to sell some of my doubled TPG graded coins I own

 

HUh
well I have seen them tone but quite regulary on morgans and quarters. thats abot it. theyre usually nice abnds but no distinction.
i have a nice 1923 peace dollar in MS ocndition that has rainbow toning on both sides. its kind of watercolor, nicest example ive seen in ages on any toning.
Then I have a MS walker that also has double sided rainbow toning except it looks liberty is walking on water since the lower part where her feet and end of the dress are are a very nice light blue haze.
Anyways I am trying to get pics but its hard to catch the tone plus I aint got macro.

 

Actually not mentioned is the invironment. That one feature is more important to toning than the coins themselves. The coin that could or should tone the most in an air tight invironment will do nothing. Another coin that seldom tones will tone readily in a harsher invironment.
The question really should have been if all temperatures, humidity, lighting, locations, containers are all equal, then what coins would tone more?

 

Morgan dollars by far i would think, Since thats mostly what i see on here!!

 

I'd never seen too many Kennedy's tone much, except for turning black. But, my dad gave me the one below the other day, and although the pic is a bit dark, it has some neat colors. It had been sitting in a brown envelope for the past 40 some years with a mint set, which wasn't toned except for the nickel.


Guy~

 

Gotta agree there, Paul. I've looked for years and all I was ever able to find were peace dollars with brown toning. Until I found this one:


Guy~

 

They used to store the Morgans in those canvas bags. That produced a lot of toned coins.

 

Buffaloes & Jefferson nickles tone a lot here in the south but that maybe do to humidity

 

Our goverment uses different materials in coins sent to the South to get even for the Civil War. :rolling:

 

Here's piggyback question regarding toning. How do you know if the toning is natural or if it was added by a coin doctor? My reading tells me that even the TPG services graded and slabbed some coins that had been doctored. As time goes by their ability to detect such doctoring and some coins that were slabbed in the past would not pass muster today. How do we, as the consumers and collectors, tell the difference. I know viewing many examples is one way to finally 'get it' but I don't even know where to start. One thing I have read is that 'fake' toning looks like it hovers above the surface whereas natural toning looks like its a part of the surface. Any insights?