How does this type of toning occur (if it is in fact toning) ?

Discussion in 'US Coins Forum' started by CircCam, Apr 26, 2018.

  1. CircCam

    CircCam Victory

    1936 Buffalo Dark copy.png
    Being a CircCam guy, I have lots of dark Copper/Nickel stuff... but the surfaces on this aren't the run-of-the-mill rough, borderline environmental damage I see with coins this dark 95% of the time.

    You can see it in the fields on the reverse in the pics... there is a smooth quality to them I've never seen before. It makes me wonder if it was doctored somehow, but it's a common circulated coin so that would seem strange.

    Any thoughts/experiences with black toning as opposed to environmental damage?
     
    CircCam, Apr 26, 2018
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  3. Pickin and Grinin

    Pickin and Grinin Well-Known Member

    Nice photos, and cool looking circam.
     
    Pickin and Grinin, Apr 26, 2018
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  4. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan Eclectic & Eccentric Moderator

    I think environmental factors like sulfur have something to do with it much of the time, though I couldn't tell you what specific chemical reactions cause the dark greys on CuNi "nickel" coins like that. (Leave that to the brainy, science-y type folks.)

    Being the original CircCam guy, I will say that I like it ... until it crosses over that nebulous line into "enviromental damage" territory. That's a somewhat subtle distinction sometimes.

    I do like the look on this particular Buffnick and think it's a subtle CircCam, and I would call it problem-free and attractive (for CircCam fans like ourselves, anyway). It's not got dramatic contrast, but the contours and relief on the Buffalo nickel design probably wouldn't lend themselves to a strong "black and white" contrast like we see on some other types.

    PS- I see what you mean about those smooth reverse fields. That does look a bit unusual. Dunno. That's a question for the Buffalo specialists.
     
    lordmarcovan, Apr 27, 2018
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  5. GDJMSP

    GDJMSP Numismatist Moderator

    I'm not sure what exactly but something's been done to that coin. In other words it's been messed with one way or another.

    My guess is the coin was toned almost completely if not completely black at one time. You can see the results of the corrosion in places on both obv and rev, most easily seen on the rims and upper portions of the coin. And some on the devices themselves.

    They couldn't have gotten white/light like that unless somebody removed the dark - but I'm not sure how they went about doing that. And yes I agree, the overly smooth surfaces are also suspicious because that just aint normal.
     
    GDJMSP, Apr 27, 2018
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  6. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan Eclectic & Eccentric Moderator

    Oh, well. A circ '36 Buffnick is a cheapo, at least. I still think it's cool looking, even if (smoothed?). Weird.
     
    lordmarcovan, Apr 27, 2018
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  7. Clawcoins

    Clawcoins Damaging Coins Daily

    Looks like a home made Black Ruthenium plated job kind of worn down, like they were trying to replicate Merrick Mint's stuff.

    Merrick Mint uses Rutheniumon buffalo nickels with various other options.
    BuffaloNickel.jpg
     
    Last edited: Apr 27, 2018
    Clawcoins, Apr 27, 2018
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  8. CircCam

    CircCam Victory

    Interesting. I hadn't noticed the corrosion prior to taking these photos... I wonder if the surfaces were corroded/green and a black substance like @Clawcoins mentioned was used to "paint" over it to enhance the eye appeal.

    Whatever they did, it worked cause it looks pretty cool. Seems like pretty careful work for a common coin if that's the case... the rim looks as it should and nothing looks sloppy like I've seen when some people use that brown product (can't recall the name) to paint cleaned copper.
     
    CircCam, Apr 27, 2018
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  9. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan Eclectic & Eccentric Moderator

    Yeah, I didn't pick up on anything unusual but the smoothed fields, and not even that at first glance.
     
    lordmarcovan, Apr 27, 2018
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  10. CircCam

    CircCam Victory

    1936 Quarter.png
    While we're on the subject, here is another one with a "white wear on the high points with dark surfaces" thing going on. I picked it up because George looked too ominous to pass up, but I've always wondered what was done to it. Not nearly as nice/passable of a job as the Buffalo if that's in fact the case...

    I suppose it could have sat in a gutter, corroded/turned black and then been circulated briefly.
     
    CircCam, Apr 28, 2018
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  11. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan Eclectic & Eccentric Moderator

    Sounds like a reasonable theory to me.

    Meh. That one doesn't have as much eye appeal as far as I'm concerned. I don't hate it, but don't love it, either. "Ominous", indeed. LOL
     
    lordmarcovan, Apr 28, 2018
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  12. Pickin and Grinin

    Pickin and Grinin Well-Known Member

    This one looks like it was circulated briefly then put into an album. the darkness reminds me of a coin that got cooked, (sat in a hot area)The untoned high points probably were touching the plastic insert. Cool coin I would have had to buy it also.
     
    Pickin and Grinin, Apr 28, 2018
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  13. CircCam

    CircCam Victory

    I have a bunch of empty capital "us mint set" holders.... time to do a 1936 Blackout set! Challenge accepted. :D
     
    CircCam, Apr 28, 2018
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