Log in or Sign up
Coin Talk
Home
Forums
>
Coin Forums
>
Coin Chat
>
Difference between red and brown copper toning?
>
Reply to Thread
Message:
<p>[QUOTE="GDJMSP, post: 2927567, member: 112"]Yes, kinda. As others have said, copper isn't really red, but that is the word, the color, that is used to describe untoned copper. if you asked 100 different people (who do not know coins) what color untoned copper was you'd probably get at least 10 different answers as to what that color was. </p><p><br /></p><p>And that said, there are several different colors that are considered to be original mint red. What I mean by that is that not all copper is exactly the same shade of color when it is untoned. Most of it is quite similar in color but some can have a slight yellowish cast to it, a pinkish cast, a reddish cast, and an orangeish cast. But this is due to the coins coming from different batches of copper, or copper mined in different places. </p><p><br /></p><p>To be Red, the accepted definition is that the coin must be 95% or more original mint red. Now another way of putting that would be this - to be Red no more than 5% of the coin can be toned any other color other than original mint red - whatever shade that original mint red color happened to be. In other words toning is the factor that matters, the factor that determines if a coin is original mint red or not. Not the shade of the color that is being called red.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>You've hit upon a key point, that is that luster is what makes coin tone more quickly. This is because the what creates the luster is the metal being in flow lines. And the very top of those flow lines is quite fragile because the metal is so thin there - it's only a couple of molecules thick.</p><p><br /></p><p>Think of luster, the flow lines, as looking like this - /\/\/\/\/\/\/\ . It's a series of peaks and valleys and the very tip of the peak is the very fragile part. That is why it is so easy to destroy or break the luster with even minor contact - because it's only a few molecules thick there. And, toning has the same kind of effect because it's so thin there - it allows the air to affect it more readily, to corrode it more readily.</p><p><br /></p><p>This is also why we so seldom see circulated coins that have any color to them - well other than what we call battleship grey or with copper brown. It is because circulated coins don't have much if any luster left on them. </p><p><br /></p><p>Now if you really want to try an experiment take some unc cents, rub them with your finger or a cloth and destroy the luster. Then put them side by side, in the open air, with some unc cents that have their luster. And then watch the difference in how the 2 different kinds of coins tone. And if ya really want to mix it up, take some toned unc cents that still have their luster, dip them, and put them side by side with the other 2 kinds of coins. </p><p><br /></p><p>What you will see is that the original unc cents and the dipped unc cents both tone at about the same rate, while the coins you destroyed the luster on tone much more slowly than either of the other two. And all of this will occur in just a week or less. </p><p><br /></p><p>And if you don't think they've toned in that week, then dip just the bottom half of the coins and you'll quickly see just how much they have toned in that week ![/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="GDJMSP, post: 2927567, member: 112"]Yes, kinda. As others have said, copper isn't really red, but that is the word, the color, that is used to describe untoned copper. if you asked 100 different people (who do not know coins) what color untoned copper was you'd probably get at least 10 different answers as to what that color was. And that said, there are several different colors that are considered to be original mint red. What I mean by that is that not all copper is exactly the same shade of color when it is untoned. Most of it is quite similar in color but some can have a slight yellowish cast to it, a pinkish cast, a reddish cast, and an orangeish cast. But this is due to the coins coming from different batches of copper, or copper mined in different places. To be Red, the accepted definition is that the coin must be 95% or more original mint red. Now another way of putting that would be this - to be Red no more than 5% of the coin can be toned any other color other than original mint red - whatever shade that original mint red color happened to be. In other words toning is the factor that matters, the factor that determines if a coin is original mint red or not. Not the shade of the color that is being called red. You've hit upon a key point, that is that luster is what makes coin tone more quickly. This is because the what creates the luster is the metal being in flow lines. And the very top of those flow lines is quite fragile because the metal is so thin there - it's only a couple of molecules thick. Think of luster, the flow lines, as looking like this - /\/\/\/\/\/\/\ . It's a series of peaks and valleys and the very tip of the peak is the very fragile part. That is why it is so easy to destroy or break the luster with even minor contact - because it's only a few molecules thick there. And, toning has the same kind of effect because it's so thin there - it allows the air to affect it more readily, to corrode it more readily. This is also why we so seldom see circulated coins that have any color to them - well other than what we call battleship grey or with copper brown. It is because circulated coins don't have much if any luster left on them. Now if you really want to try an experiment take some unc cents, rub them with your finger or a cloth and destroy the luster. Then put them side by side, in the open air, with some unc cents that have their luster. And then watch the difference in how the 2 different kinds of coins tone. And if ya really want to mix it up, take some toned unc cents that still have their luster, dip them, and put them side by side with the other 2 kinds of coins. What you will see is that the original unc cents and the dipped unc cents both tone at about the same rate, while the coins you destroyed the luster on tone much more slowly than either of the other two. And all of this will occur in just a week or less. And if you don't think they've toned in that week, then dip just the bottom half of the coins and you'll quickly see just how much they have toned in that week ![/QUOTE]
Your name or email address:
Do you already have an account?
No, create an account now.
Yes, my password is:
Forgot your password?
Stay logged in
Coin Talk
Home
Forums
>
Coin Forums
>
Coin Chat
>
Difference between red and brown copper toning?
>
Home
Home
Quick Links
Search Forums
Recent Activity
Recent Posts
Forums
Forums
Quick Links
Search Forums
Recent Posts
Competitions
Competitions
Quick Links
Competition Index
Rules, Terms & Conditions
Gallery
Gallery
Quick Links
Search Media
New Media
Showcase
Showcase
Quick Links
Search Items
Most Active Members
New Items
Directory
Directory
Quick Links
Directory Home
New Listings
Members
Members
Quick Links
Notable Members
Current Visitors
Recent Activity
New Profile Posts
Sponsors
Menu
Search
Search titles only
Posted by Member:
Separate names with a comma.
Newer Than:
Search this thread only
Search this forum only
Display results as threads
Useful Searches
Recent Posts
More...