An Improperly Stored Barber Quarter

Who wouldn't want to own some of Lehugh96's coins. I'd also like the black coin!

Bruce

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

I wouldnt want one of his rainbow bright toned coins and certainly wouldnt pay a premium for one, just personal taste...

Its funny he calls it a POS because I would say that the rainbow stuff is POS and this coin is actually attractive. This coin looks more like what most of my old coins end up looking like naturally and what most silver I have tones like...Its an attractive coin...or as attractive as a barber can get...not even close to a POS...all the same, I wouldnt pay a premium for rainbow toning OR toning like this...

 

I really am not seeing the polished part in the picture. Maybe it would look moreso visible in person.

I do see something odd going on at the top of the hat, but I figured it was a reflection of the camera's flash.

There is also that scratch on the neck.

 

While you may find this coin attractive, most people would not. I can make that statement confidently because otherwise, coins wouldn't get dipped by the millions. I normally don't refer to my own coins as POS's but if the shoe fits.... I call a problem coin exactly that, a problem coin. I call a coin that has multiple problems, a POS. This coin has been harshly cleaned and the toning has advanced to the stage where it can no longer be safely removed by dipping the coin.

I must admit that this is a unique situation I find myself in. I am desperately trying to convince people that one of my coins sucks.

 

I loike it, it looks more natural with even dark toning. To me, that is.

 

I would call your rainbow toned coins, mostly POS's and problem coins...and you have said you pay premium prices for them, why is beyond me...THAT I do not understand.

So I guess it all matters what problem you like the most. I don’t care if a coin was cleaned as long as it has great eye appeal and this one, at least in the pic, does. I would take this over a rainbow bright AT coin any day. But its all personal preference, I don’t care if others disagree and prefer bright shiny coins...or in your case tie died rainbow colored coins (be they AT or NT...they are almost all AT IMO and in most cases there is no way to confirm or deny this).

to each what they like and oddly, even though you say you can assure me that most people do not like this type of toning, there was no lack of people commenting positively on it in this thread...and almost every collector I know prefers a nice even natural tone on silver...I guess they just dont know what they do!!

 

The rest of the numismatic community does not agree with your opinion. While the Weimar White fans will call any toning damage, they represent the lunatic fringe. The overwhelming majority of the numismatic community do not consider rainbow toning a "probem". Whether collectors pay a premium for toning is another issue entirely and completely irrelevant.

Your statement that almost rainbow toned coins are AT is also incorrect. You are free to believe that there is no way to confirm or deny the originality of toning, but to do so would include ignoring the fact that Morgan Dollars developed dramatic rainbow toning by sitting in canvas bags for decades in bank vaults. You would also ignore the fact that coin albums routinely produce concentric target toned coins from prolonged storage. You would ignore that the original goverment packaging was the result of tab toning on many early commems and crazy rainbow toning on silver mint sets. You would ignore all of these things because you are aware that some coin doctors have decided to try and replicate what mother nature has done on millions of coins and claim that their actions cast doubt on all toned coins.

You can call rainbow toned coins POS's and it is an opinion. You can state paying a premium for any toned coins is reckless and that is an opinion. You can call the rainbow toned phenomenon a "fad" and that is an opinon. What you can't do is state that rainbow toned coins are "problem" coins and present it as an opinion simply because there is not indisputable proof of originality for every coin. To do so would be to disregard all of the known ways that create rainbow toning naturally. Furthermore, can you name one leader in the numismatic world who considers rainbow toning a "problem" and shares your opinion.

If you don't understand why collectors pay a premium for rainbow toning after reading all of my posts over the last two years then I submit that the reason you don't understand is because you have a closed mind. I will also submit that you are not being truthful. I believe you fully understand why they do it but you disagree with it so strenuously that you can't even bring yourself to admit that you understand it.

It is your position that almost every collector you know "prefers a nice even natural tone on silver." The large majority of toned coins appear lifeless under drab shades of grey, brown, and russet. The most common toning pattern is undoubtedly mottled. Some of the members of this forum (including some that posted in this thread) may not even know what mottled toning is. The reason for that is mottled toning is unattractive as are colors like grey, brown, and russet. Dealers know that collectors will pay more for a bright fresh white coin than one of these "nice even natural toned" silver coins so they dip them. Dip them by the thousands, by the millions. That is why you don't see mottled drab colored coins in the market place; collectors DO NOT prefer them.

As for the members commenting positively on the coin in this thread not knowing. Unfortunately, that may have to be true. We can't hold principles like "there is no price to cheap for a problem coin" in high regard and then praise a problem coin for it's originality. For anyone who thinks this Barber Quarter is a quality coin, I submit they don't know what a quality Barber Quarter looks like.

I think the members who commented positively did do for a few reasons. The coin looks kinda cool in a spooky, eerie way, that is why I bought it. Many members will post a positive comment just to be nice. And some may be so used to posting positive comments about my nice coins, they did it out of sheer habit.

I am willing to put my money where my mouth is. I will bet you a certified crusty BU Franklin Half Dollar that no member who liked this coin in this thread would bid even XF money for this coin if I listed it on E-Bay!