https://www.originalskincoins.com/b...etween-naturally-and-artificially-toned-coins Pop quiz time! Take a look at the picture below. Of the four Morgan silver dollars, which would you guess are naturally toned and which are artificially toned? Finished thinking? NGC graded all four as naturally toned. The color on these coins spans the entire spectrum of the rainbow, but the NGC grading experts determined that the toning emerged naturally over time rather than being artificially created. But if coins that span such a wide range of hues and colors all fall under the banner of natural toning, how can a collector distinguish artificially toned coins? This article will reveal the main indicators used by experienced coin collectors to identify artificial toning, helping any toned coins enthusiast to tell the difference between artificially toned and naturally toned coins. It's important knowledge to have, as attractive natural toning can make a coin worth exponentially more, while artificial toning can completely ruin a coin's collectible value. THE CHEMISTRY OF TONING Any article on toning is best started with a quick chemistry lesson on what actually causes toning. At its basic level, toning is the result of a chemical reaction between the metal surface of a coin and an atmospheric element (most often sulfur or oxygen). As that reaction occurs, a compound forms on the surface of the coin, gradually changing the color of the metal. The color change is a gradual process, and typically takes years to fully develop - most vibrant naturally toned coins acquired their color over decades of storage in conditions that were conducive to toning. The environments most conducive to toning are often high-humidity with sulfur present (often in paper envelopes or bank bags), but that is only a general rule - toning can and will happen anytime and anywhere, unless a coin is hermetically sealed from all contaminants. Some individuals try to recreate those toning-friendly conditions to induce toning within a shorter period of time. These "coin doctors," as they're termed in the hobby, expose their coins to sulfur and other elements in humid, high heat conditions - trying to artificially speed up the toning process to produce vividly toned coins. The techniques they use range from sophisticated to crude - there are plenty of online articles promising great results by sticking the coin in a potato and baking it, storing the coin next to hardboiled eggs, and other equally ridiculous techniques. All methods of artificially inducing toning are condemned by serious coin collectors, and artificially toned coins are considered "problem" coins, just as if they were damaged, cleaned, or polished. A coin that has been artificially toned loses its collectible value, and will generally sell for only the bullion value of the metal. Third-party coin grading services refuse to assign artificially toned coins a specific numeric grade, instead grading them as "details" (i.e. "uncirculated details") and noting on the slab label that the coins have been artificially toned.
So? I agree that all of the four Morgans are naturally toned. No big news that many people try to recreate natural toning, by artificial means. That is why anybody who purchases toned coins should get a straight graded market acceptable toned coin. I have said this for over a decade on this board.
