Lots of folks on the AT vs NT bandwagon today!! Any thoughts on this piece? P.S. it came this way, this is not a trick question. I'm leaning toward AT but I'm not highly familiar with mint set toners. One point to be made, in my opinion, is that mint set toners seem to generally have flecks of luster even if toned heavily (just an observation) whereas this coin is completely colored on the obverse. . I have several with blue colored toning but not this color particularly.
Doesn't seem unnatural. If it was in an album, obverse facing out, would that explain the lack of toning on the reverse?
@Michael K . Interesting point. That's getting into a gray area I don't have the knowledge to argue only speculate! If it were in an old holder with a paper back, the reverse would not be subjected to as much light I guess. But light shouldn't be a factor in a folder anyway if its closed all the time!... I gotta be careful..I'm gonna cause a picture of dead horse getting kicked to be posted!! haha
Light is not the factor. It is the gases that come out of the cardboard album that can cause toning. I don't understand why the reverse wouldn't also tone, unless there are more gases going across the obverse and mixing with the air.
@jake1932 That one is borderline with the following caveats. FROM THE PICTURES, ASSUMING THE COIN LOOKS EXACTLY LIKE THAT I'd say AT. However, that could be simply because of the way the coin is tilted and the ambient light source. Blue and purple are standard colors for a decently toned 1957 P mint Washington. The area from about 2 to 4 o'clock on the obverse relatively close to the periphery are closer to the colors I would expect on a 1957. The area from about 7 to 1 o'clock AS PICTURED look a little off to me, but I somewhat suspect that is a function of the lighting given the yellowish tone there. With regards to the reverse, it is quite common with mint set toned coins that only one side tones color wise and the other side just grays up. Normally it is the side of the coin that is exposed to air that tones up, while the side next to the paper that is glued to the cardboard holder does not tone up, or tones up only a fraction of the air exposed side. That gray looks a little off to me, which is what makes me think that the whole questionable aspect to this coin is how it is lit during the imaging process. Here's an example of how different lighting and imaging techniques can affect the final pictures. This is the same mint set coin imaged by two different coin photographers. IMO the second set of images is much closer to how the coin looks in hand. Also, note how only one side has toned up nicely, and the other side has somewhat mucky toning. Here's another coin that has more classic (and nice) blue and purple 1957 P mint set toning. As you can see, you can get a richer blue, like on the reverse, or you can get a softer blue with some purply reddish areas, like on the obverse.
Well, I took one more shot at photographing the 57D. I've tried and done about the best I can do..........Its electric green/blue/purple from 2 oclock to five oclock near the rim (green at the rim/then blue/ then purple) and fades to purple behind Washingtons head. The darker coloring in front of Washington's portrait is all purple (kinda electric purple). The rest of the portrait and field are brass colored. Actually the photo is really close on the color. With the coin being completely "colored" with no breaks or flecks in the evenness of the color I have just been suspect of it being AT. The entire reverse is kinda a dull greenish gray. Thanks for looking at with me. I appreciate ya'll guys!!
Truth be told, in the opening post I saw the color and just assumed it was a P mint, skimming over the reverse. My bad. Given that it's a D, and given your description, I'd say that is indeed AT. Normally D mints, if they are going to tone nicely, they will tone either red, green or yellow and/or gold in there. You will see blue in there every now and then, but it's much less common.