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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;medoraman, post: 2020045, member: 26302&quot;]Btw, just for a background, toning is corrosion. They simply call it something else. Now, normally the reaction stops, (and the toning actually creates a barrier to stop the reaction), when an equilibrium is reached. However, if you store coins in a very hostile environment, (high humidity, warm, in the presence of sulphur compounds), the reaction can simply continue indefinitely. The end result of this will be simply a pile of rust. I have literally held them in my hands, coins only 20 years old utterly destroyed by corrosion due to very imperfect storage. I have also bought ANCIENTS that were dark black. A Trajan denarius comes to mind I bought a few years ago. Once I dipped it there was a touch of corrosion under the toning, but by removing the toning and storing properly, that coin is now safe from any further damage. Always be VERY careful with silver coins that are black toned. Many times these coins are already corroded. I bought the Trajan in a group lot, so did not buy it on purpose, but am happy it got an owner who knew how to protect it from further damage.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>So, MOST of the time collectors are safe assuming a decent environment. But it is on us to ensure we are storing our coins properly. That is why I use loose, fresh silver, one of the most reactive metals, so that I always have a &quot;canary in the coal mine&quot; to check every time I open the SDB. If it is starting to tone, it means conditions are not perfect in there. Also, since the fresh silver is more reactive than my coins, they will &quot;take the hit&quot; and the toning chemicals will tend to be sucked up on them rather than the coins.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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