Proof 1958 Franklin Half Dollar

Discussion in 'US Coins Forum' started by Lehigh96, Feb 19, 2011.

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Is this coin attractive?

  1. YES

    6 vote(s)
    28.6%

  2. NO

    15 vote(s)
    71.4%
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  1. GDJMSP

    GDJMSP Numismatist Moderator

    As long as a coin is stored properly then continued toning is slowed down so much that it becomes almost non-existant.

    But if a coin is not stored properly then toning will indeed continue but it will almost certainly change to a different kind (a different look or color) because no two environmental conditions are ever the same.

    Specifically, no. Some have specualted that haze on Proofs is due to the special washing process that the Proof planchets undergo at the mint. But most of that speculation has been regarding the more modern Proofs - say 1970's and on. But as those who collected for a long time know, and as you can see from this coin, haze on Proofs is nothing new. It has been with us for a long time. And since the mint is constantly changing the washing solution that they use, and since this problem has been around so long, I myself am skeptical that the washing solution is the cause of the haze. I also question this being the cause since some Proofs don't ever develop haze at all.

    For may years I have speculated that haze is nothing more than a particular kind of toning that is fully dependant on certain environmental conditions being present. I just don't know what those specific conditions are. It's the only thing that seems to make sense to me.
     
    GDJMSP, Feb 20, 2011
    #21 + Quote Reply
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  3. yakpoo

    yakpoo Member

    Thanks! I was thinking that excessive humidity may have played a role...like those Frankies I had a while back that I thought had milk spots. (LOL...I was convinced I found the cure for milk spots!!) When I cleaned up those spots, any toning was also removed. Do you think the OP's coin can be restored to BU...or is the haze something closer to a milk spot?
     
    yakpoo, Feb 20, 2011
    #22 + Quote Reply
  4. Lehigh96

    Lehigh96 Toning Enthusiast

    Yikes, don't even think it!

    Yes you could crack the coin and dip it back to it's original state, but why would you want to? When I think of a brilliant mid-grade Franklin Half proof, I think bullion at best and dreck at worst.
     
    Lehigh96, Feb 20, 2011
    #23 + Quote Reply
  5. yakpoo

    yakpoo Member

    Good point...wasn't thinking.
     
    yakpoo, Feb 20, 2011
    #24 + Quote Reply
  6. GDJMSP

    GDJMSP Numismatist Moderator

    Toning can always be removed, but sometimes at a cost. And I don't mean a monetary cost, even though one may be incidental.

    Milk spots can never be removed. At least nobody has found anything yet that can remove them. For that matter, nobody has ever figured what milk spots even are, let alone the cause of them. But there is some speculation.
     
    GDJMSP, Feb 20, 2011
    #25 + Quote Reply
  7. yakpoo

    yakpoo Member


    Speculation? I would be interested to hear.

    I thought I read somewhere that a guy reported leaving a milk-spotted coin in direct sunlight for a long time and the spots disappeared...or maybe that was just a dream I had. :scratch:
     
    yakpoo, Feb 20, 2011
    #26 + Quote Reply
  8. GDJMSP

    GDJMSP Numismatist Moderator

    Some have suggested that it might be caused by the planchet washing process used by the mint. I have strong doubts of that though for if it was, whatever caused the spots would only be on the surface of the coins (ASE's) and would be capable of being removed by a coin dip. But dipping has zero effect on milk spots. So that kind of rules out that possibilty.
     
    GDJMSP, Feb 21, 2011
    #27 + Quote Reply
  9. yakpoo

    yakpoo Member

    I find the enigma of Milk spots (silver) and Red spots (gold) fascinating. If a foreign substance applied to the coin accounts for the spots, then it would have to permeate the surface...or one should (as you say) be able to remove it. I've been trying to learn if there may be something upstream from the Mint that could account for an impurity being introduced into the metal...perhaps something in the refining or rolling process.

    The other day, the Mint asked me to fill out a survey. They asked if I had any suggestions of how they could do their job better. I said they should have a Blog where customers could have a dialog with Mint officials to get substative answers to quality concerns like these. I doubt anything will come of it.
     
    yakpoo, Feb 21, 2011
    #28 + Quote Reply
  10. coinmaster1

    coinmaster1 Active Member

    It was just an exaggeration, based on how some things blacken and haze in fires.
     
    coinmaster1, Feb 21, 2011
    #29 + Quote Reply
  11. GDJMSP

    GDJMSP Numismatist Moderator

    Ya never know, they might just do it. They do read this forum. That is a fact !
     
    GDJMSP, Feb 21, 2011
    #30 + Quote Reply
  12. green18

    green18 Unknown member Sweet on Commemorative Coins

    Hey Yak, maybe that's why you ain't getting your subscriptions in a timely manner......:)
     
    green18, Feb 21, 2011
    #31 + Quote Reply
  13. yakpoo

    yakpoo Member

    LOL...oh yeah, I brought that up in the survey, too! This'll probably be the last survey I see from them! :(
     
    yakpoo, Feb 21, 2011
    #32 + Quote Reply
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