The toning is aesthetically pleasing on this Buffalo nickel but how does it affect the grade? Also what grade would you give?
Pretend you are my brother so I can write what I really think. There is NOTHING attractive about the toning on your coin. That color usually indicates either corrosion or a residue. I'd grade it XF something and high XF if it were restored to the even color of a circulated nickel.
As you can see, beauty of toning is strictly a person taste thing. Personally, I like the reverse,and could take or leave the toning of the obverse. But that's irrelevant to your question. I *think* toning wouldn't (negatively) affect a grade unless it has caused damage to the coin (ie, terminal/corrosion/etc.), and if the toning has massive eye-appeal (think monster toned Morgans, etc), it could possibly up the grade for an increase in said eye-appeal, or add a * or + to a base grade. There's a lot of uncertainty in what I just said, because in my opinion, coin grading, and what affects a grade is coin toss (pun intended) based on the person doing the grading, as well as the secondary/tertiary graders.
Black is not a good color on a copper-nickel coin. It is the color of corrosion. This applied to the “thick, white cents” of the Civil War era, Nickel Three Cent Pieces, nickel five cent pieces and all of the copper-nickel clad coinage.
This piece has a strong resemblance to medals you might see where a substance has been applied to give it a high contrast effect. This is known as "antiqued." On your coin, I don't think its toning- I think its something which has been applied. It is trying to emulate the "circ cam" look that you might have seen Lord M and others of us lauding, but this nickel does not appear to have acquired that honestly. However, to answer your question - toning *does not* affect the grade on circulated coins. Toning affects the eye appeal, and toning will thus affect the value (up for positive eye appeal, down for negative), but will not affect the grade. The only thing that affects the grade of a circulated coin is the level of wear. As insider mentioned, this coin has an EF level of wear.
We are all brothers here on CT, even us from the Ancient forum. I never clean my US stuff but if this is artificial toning or damaging to the coin I would like to remove it.
If you try to remove it, you'll probably be left with a dull grey lifeless cleaned coin. I don't believe it is damaging the coin, but there is no way to remove it and leave an attractive coin. If you like the look, I'd leave it alone.
physics-fan3.14, posted: "If you try to remove it, you'll probably be left with a dull grey lifeless cleaned coin. I don't believe it is damaging the coin, but there is no way to remove it and leave an attractive coin. If you like the look, I'd leave it alone." Actually, the "stuff" can be easily removed and the coin will look more natural. We do it all the time. Unfortunately, the $25 return postage is not worth using on this coin since the OP likes it as is.
Love Brother AncientOne's coin! Appears to me like what a bonafide Buffalo nickel should resemble. Kind of looks like dried blood encrusting the obverse and a black hue, the favored color of the Bison Athabascae (American Buffalo) , occupying it's reverse. The reverse even has what appears to be wound ( from a bow & arrow? ) right above the Tatanka's rump. I love coins with character.......and this baby is oozing with it.
