Beware of rainbow toning

BEWARE OF RAINBOW TONED COINS

The reason for this post is that there are artificially toned coins demanding premium prices when the coin was just made up. For example, do a search for rainbow toned Eagles. There are silver eagles dating 2001 which have rainbow toning. I have collected coins for 40 years and never have I seen a coin that toned to beautiful rainbow toning in just 14 years! NO WAY! not naturally, and though these coins toning is artificial they are graded as MS 69. I guess PCGS doesn't have the nerve to say these coins are AT (artificially toned).
There are companies that deal with only rainbow toned Morgan Dollars, it makes me suspect. Do they tone them themselves to acquire the additional money that these coins would be worth if it were natural?
In order to avoid this possible scam, I have started to collect DMLP Morgan Dollars. They are beautiful coins that cannot be artificially made. At the coin shows they call these dimples, and they command high price. They should because they are rare, the DMLP's are made with only the first strikes of the coin. No more rainbows for me.

 

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They call them market acceptable, the doctors will tone a coin in a slab as they are not airtight.

As for DMPL's an PL's they used to frost them with Bondo the automotive body filler,

With whatever a person decides to collect they must educate themselves, as ssomeone will try to renew,improve or beautify anything to make more money.

 

Never heard of the Bondo thing... but I have only collected for 40 years.

 

How about brand-new toned 2015 ASEs? Is the mint doing this now?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/2015-RAINBO...860?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item541c0eb184

 

That is obviously artificial. It looks beautiful, I guess it matters whether or not you like made up coins instead of real ones.

 

So let me get this straight. If a dealer specializes in Indian Head Cents, do you assume that he is counterfeiting IHC's? If not, why would you assume that a dealer who specializes in certified rainbow toned coinage is a coin doctor who is artificially toning coins?

Furthermore, people can and do artificially frost Morgan Dollars to recreate the cameo effect seen on DMPLs. And it is entirely possible for an ASE to tone in less than 15 years. Here is your proof.



The only way to make this thread right is to change the name of the thread to "BEWARE OF MERRILL01'S ADVICE."

 

That's really a silly analogy there Lehigh96.

I have "often" suspected that dealers who ONLY deal in toned coins have some "source" for these toned beauties and it isn't at any coin show that I've been too.

I have collected Silver Eagles since 1986 and have had my collection in a Dansco album since the early 90's yet not a one has produced the toning which can be viewed on the so called "market acceptable" coins which are being bought and sold on a regular basis for some serious premiums.

Despite the fact that I've done everything I can to provide my Dansco Set with a rather harsh environment, all I ever see is a muddy yucky toning setting in on the coins closet to the bind and/or closest to the edge of the page.

Now, there is no doubt that .999 fine silver is W-a-a-a-y more reactive than a 90% coin. This has been proven endlessly and as such, has been taken advantage of by those dealers that like to sell these "beauties" such as the linked eBay seller above. He has quite a collection of artificially coins to offer to the public and this is just "1" small time dealer.

When these coins get past the graders as NT and get slabbed as MS68 or MS69, the premiums go right through the roof.

That's the market and there are those that fill the needs of the market.

So, as Merrill01 stated, "BEWARE OF RAINBOW TONED COINS". It's a valid and prudent statement.

 

Not really! There are also DMPL's from re-polished dies.

Chris

 

it should be obvious that any toned american silver eagle is artificially toned. they are not that old to tone.

 

It isn't silly at all. Chinese counterfeits present a much bigger threat to numismatics than artificially toned coins. And if you don't think there are people in the US who are proliferating these coins in the US market for a quick profit, you are the one who is silly!

Just so we are clear, are you calling me a coin doctor or a fence? If I am neither, which dealers are you talking about?

So what!

The seller linked above isn't fooling anybody. Even the OP said the coin was "obviously artificial." That means that the OP is not talking about the E-Bay cooks who are baking their own ridiculously toned coins. However, he does state in the OP that "I guess PCGS doesn't have the nerve to say these coins are AT (artificially toned)." This leads me to believe that he is talking about dealers who specialize in certified rainbow toned coins. You guys don't get to make inflammatory blanket statements that encompass a lot of people who have nothing to do with the practice of artificially toning coins and get away without explaining yourselves. If you or the OP thinks that a particular dealer is selling certified AT coins, I want to know exactly who you are talking about. And if you refuse, I will just assume that you have no proof and would rather not libel a specific dealer on a public forum.

The number of AT coins that sneak into PCGS and NGC slabs is extremely small. The most egregious example that I recall is an ASE that was graded AT by ICG and ended up in a problem free PCGS holder.



Now, I submit the monstrosity shown above will not drive a huge premium, despite the fact that it is in PCGS plastic, if it still resides there. If you have photos of obvious AT coins in NGC or PCGS plastic, feel free to show them.

On it's own, it is prudent advice. Followed by the post made by the OP, it is garbage.

 

It should be obvious that anyone who speaks in absolutes is destined to be wrong.



Is the pocketwatch a coin doctor?

 

I am not saying it is not possible, but there are many that are obviously A.T.

 

In NGC and PCGS holders? Show them to me!

 

1. Of course there are toned ASE's. Unfortunately I didn't store some of my 1986's I bought in 1986 properly, and they are now toned. (Natural) toning will happen quite rapidly on 99% silver.

2. There are coins I personally feel are naturally toned, (ie unintentionally), that get body bagged, and others personally I feel are AT in slabs. There is no great dividing line between the two in my view.

3. What should a collector collect? Collect what he likes. If you wish to avoid problem coins though, learn how toning occurs and about coin surfaces. Once you learn that, most of this stuff becomes very clear and you know why many coins with toning are in demand, (pristine surfaces), and why coins like the ASE's shown physically cannot be natural toning. Knowledge is power.

 

Rainbow coins within 90 days after release verses blast white that are 200 years old, are coins to stay away from. Just follow common sense when buying. It doesn't seem all that hard to do.

 

It is silly since one is against the law and actually creating a counterfeit piece while the other is simply modifying a legal tender piece for the purpose of attracting a certain crowd.

Just so we're clear, your moniker says "Toning Enthusiast" not "Toned Coin Dealer".

Well, I base my opinions upon my observations. That's what.

Ebay seller "Bphis" is selling artificially toned coins. There, I said it.
His creations may not reside in PCGS slabs but that does not prevent his "buyers" from submitting them and possibly getting them graded as Naturally Toned. Like this one: http://www.ebay.com/itm/2001-RAINBO...R-BULLION-1-OZ-999-ART-AT-COLOR-/111627337874
For that matter, whatever method he is using could also be applied to 90% or even 40% silver coins. It'll just take longer.

Here's one from PCGS Coin Facts that is questionable.

http://www.pcgs.com/Cert/30476167/

Here's its sister:

http://www.pcgs.com/Cert/24401321/

I disagree. The number of Toned Coins which has popped up over the past 10 years raises questions as to their authenticity and their origins.

 

No doubt and what the OP is suggesting is that these "right conditions" are being helped along.

Now, since the toning process is "assisted" and "targeted" and occured in less than a year, how can that possibly be considered "Natural Toning"?

 

I live in Hawaii. With all the sulfur being spewed into the air by Kilauea, I'm having coins tone that were oxidation-free (for visual purposes) when I received them.