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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Lehigh96, post: 860371, member: 15309&quot;]I just spent ten minutes waiting for the initial shock to wear off.&nbsp; What an incredible sight :bigeyes:.&nbsp; I have a feeling that the initial response of an overwhelming majority of collectors to this coin would be to conclude that it is AT.&nbsp; However, the coin shows so many characteristics of an NT coin that I just can&#039;t bring myself to deem it AT.&nbsp; The rainbow toning is restricted to areas that have not been worn and is only in the protected recesses of the devices and fields.&nbsp; Note that the letters of LIBERTY are toned but the area of the cap that houses the lettering is untoned.&nbsp; That is a widely accepted indicator of natural air transfer toning.&nbsp; The toning surrounds the stars but is not on the stars.&nbsp; Another indicator or NT.&nbsp; The color progressions are off a little and I think that alone probably got this coin in a GENUINE holder if it is in one at all.</p><p><br /></p><p>Regardless of the current slab state of the coin, I will declare that this coin should be the poster child for questionably toned coins.&nbsp; The simple fact is that we don&#039;t know whether this coin is AT or NT.&nbsp; Because of it&#039;s phenomenal appearance, it will be forever subjected to the highest level of scrutiny.&nbsp; The eye appeal of this coin is completely undeniable.&nbsp; I can&#039;t imagine any coin collector thinking this coin is ugly despite their predisposed opinions on toning.&nbsp; Before anyone declares such an aesthetic masterpiece to be artificially toned, they must subject their opinion to the same scrutiny that they gave the coin by asking the following question:&nbsp; what if I am wrong?</p><p><br /></p><p>Therein lies the problem.&nbsp; It seems equally uncomfortable to call the coin AT as it does NT.&nbsp; That leaves the coin in a questionably toned abyss.&nbsp; The deciding factor is the professional graders who will have the unenviable responsibility of deciding if the coin is market acceptable or not.&nbsp; The decision must be made because the coin collecting community holds originality king over eye appeal even when determining originality is impossible.&nbsp; Therefore, I shall root for eye appeal and hope that this coin is not condemned to the ranks of artificial toning.</p><p><br /></p><p>Thank you for posting such a beautiful coin.:hail:[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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