Ok so take a look at this one and tell me what you think, I did win it and if it is A/T then it'll be a study piece. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330440158687&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT
I'm certainly no expert, but it looks AT to me. Two reasons jump out at me: The colors are the same for the high points as the low points, and the toning pattern does not make sense the way it is covering only part of the coin in an irregular shape. Scott
I, too, do not consider myself an expert. That dime looks like it has been subjected to artificial toning methods, likely heat, but also could be chemical. I call it AT without hesitation.
$4.25 isn't bad for a study piece. I'd recommend getting toned coins graded by PCGS/NGC though, until you learn more about toned coins to buy them raw. I too am skeptical about this coin being NT, but I also think the pictures might be played with a bit.
I guess that means I will have to be the voice of dissent. This coin is a proof which tone much differently than their mint state counterparts. This color scheme (cobalt blue-russet) is pretty common on proof Roosevelts. The theory that the toning should not creep up over the devices is somewhat of a false tell and really on applies to certain series like Morgan Dollars. Even with Morgans it is an unreliable indicator at best. As for the irregular toning pattern and the fact that it only covers part of the coin, I think that bolsters the coin's originality, not hurts it. We need to remember that the color progression is yellow-magenta-cyan. On this coin the deepest toning is at 8 o'clock on the obverse (10 o'clock on reverse). You see the cyan (blue) at the rim which yields to the russet (magenta) as you move towards the center of the coin. Notice that I mentioned the location of the toning on both sides of the coin. If the edge of the coin was in contact with the toning source and the coin was naturally toned via air transfer toning, there should be correspondence between the obverse and reverse. Since 8 o'clock on the obverse equals 10 o'clock on the reverse, this coin shows the proper toning correspondence between the obverse and reverse. When coins are artificially toned via chemicals or heat, the coin doctor will usually tone either one entire side or both sides. It is rare that they will tone only a portion of the coin and extremely rare that they will tone a portion of both sides while maintaining the correct toning correspondence between sides. The danger of this coin is tha it is an extremely common and inexpensive raw silver coin. This is the exact type of coin that coin doctors will attempt to tone. Having recognized the danger, I still submit that this coin is market acceptable and would not classify it as AT. For anyone interested in seeing a certified proof Roosevelt with a similar toning color scheme, please checkout Schatzy's 1951 NGC PF68 CAMEO in his registry set. The Ness Collection I hope he weighs in on this thread since I would consider him our resident expert on the series.
I couldn't have said it better myself! Ummmm.......uh........well........I probably couldn't have said it at all. The biggest drawback as it stands right now is that the grading services are being very tough on toned coins, so it simply is not too good of an idea to be buying raw toners, especially from FleaBay, unless you really know what you are doing. Chris
Being that this coin started in a cellophane package and probably stayed in it for many years before being broken out, the toning pattern is consistent with a small pin hole or tear in the wrapping on the one edge. If a pinhole, it could take years to tone. This is conjecture I feel is reasonable based on common proof sets. My concern is that those I have seen like this had more yellow/gold tone on the rest of the coin. Generally russet and cyan would be of a less proportion in my estimate. I believe it is market acceptable also, and no one can tell if AT or NT, unless they have provenance of prior treatment or condition. The best study coins are those that are TPG labeled as AT or such. They may not really be so, but they are market unacceptable and that is the primary concern.IMO.
I sold a dime on ebay recently that looked just like that. I remember I didn't sell it for any more than that. I am by no means an expert, but I never thought mine was AT. In my opinion, if it is AT, it's not deliberate.
when I am able to I will post my own pic of the coin. The coin in hand is very nice and I didn't belive myself that it was A/T but still being new I wanted other opinions since I haven't seen these colors or pattern before on toned coins I've seen so far.
I'm not that seller, but it does look an awful lot like the one I sold. I'm gonna have to look through my records and see if this is the guy that bought it from me.
I guess? lol Just showing that that toning could be natural. Especially since those proofs were in roughly the same type of cellophane that these mint sets were in.
It's not cellophane, it's pliofilm. Totally different animal. Cellophane is made from cellulose, pliofilm from chlorinated rubber.