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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;dougsmit, post: 1116651, member: 19463&quot;]Several years ago I picked up a Jefferson nickel someone dropped on a relatively new blacktop parking lot.&nbsp; The sun was very hot and I have no idea how long it had been there (not over a year due to the date and when the lot was paved).&nbsp; Both sides were&nbsp; toned but the top was darker so the fumes from the blacktop may have been involved along with the light.&nbsp; Perhaps it was mostly heat; I don&#039;t know.&nbsp; The appearance was similar to this coin. </p><p><br /></p><p>This brings up the question as to what toning is natural and what is artificial.&nbsp; My coin struck me as beautiful (your opinion may vary) and gained its color as part of a natural sequence of loss and recovery.&nbsp; Had I taken a roll of new nickels out and positioned them for the purpose of inducing tone, it would be artificial.&nbsp; Coin collectors can define such terms any way they choose and many people make a living buying and selling tones.&nbsp; To me the difference between AT and NT is a bit artificial in itself.&nbsp; Tone is a result of exposure to pollutants, heat and time.&nbsp; Coins tone differently in different parts of the world and it makes a difference if they are in an air conditioned bank vault of a 100 plus degree parking lot.&nbsp; Don&#039;t clean the nickel.&nbsp; If you don&#039;t like it, trade it to someone who does.</p><p><br /></p><p>Yes, I know the coin is damaged and worth about 5 cents.&nbsp; That is not the question here.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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