I may be wrong but I am under the impression that to get a grade of MS a coin has to be in Mint State condition or the in other words the same condition as when it left the mint. This being said and if I am right how does a toned coin receive a MS grade as no coins that I know of were ever released by the Mint that were toned? I am not trying to start a NT/At battle just curious about the MS grade. Thanks Kent
Not necessarily. Mint State coins cannot show any signs of circulation. Just because a coin is toned, doesn't mean it has been circulated. Signs that it hasn't been circulated could be having full mint luster, no wear, minimal marks (although marks don't keep it from being uncirculated)
Mint State (MS60-70) simply refers to a coin that has no wear. Toning isn't wear, so that's why a toned coin can still be mint state.
OK thanks I thought it ment they had to look just they did when they came out of the die. Toning would not be wear so thanks for clearing that up for me.
Unless you believe Weimar White who calls it "chemical wear". Obviously, I don't subscribe to that lunacy.
It is however important to realize that there is such a thing as chemical wear, but it is not due to toning, at least not until toning reaches its apex and becomes corrosion. Typical chemical wear is the result of dipping a coin to the point that enough luster is removed so that it becomes noticeable that it has been removed. That's why an over-dipped coin is no longer MS.
I've seen come amazingly beautiful toned coins, green with blue and red swirls. I also saw a Franklin half that was listed as toned, but it was just pock marked with rusty looking corrosion all over it. The dealer had it listed as MS62. I was like, yeah right....for a beautifully toned coin....but one with rusty pock marks...like, really?
