Blues, purples, greens, pinks, etc. The colors of the rainbow. While some might think about unicorns and candy, those little marshmallows in that one brand of “lucky” cereal, or perhaps the second piece (let's be realistic) of confetti cake you had a birthday party last week, true coin collectors and numismatists might think of the most beautiful coin they have ever seen. Whether you are a coin collector or not, toned coins can catch the eye of anyone who enjoys anything remotely attractive.
But how much does one, other than the pure eye appeal, know about the process of toning and why it occurs? Can it really affect the value? We are here to help you wade through the waters of this specified collectible coin.
How Does Toning Occur?
Simply put, toning is a chemical process. Don’t worry though, we do not all have to be chemists to understand why a certain process turns your silver dollars blue and purple. When a coin is toned, it usually means that a good deal of time has been put into changing the colors of your coins. Natural toning occurs over long periods of time and is the outcome of oxygen or sulfur reacting with the metal surface of a coin.
The most susceptible metals? Silver and copper, but do not count out gold as a fair amount of gold coins contain a small percentage of copper depending on who strikes them. Although rare, it has happened. Even the tiniest copper content can oxidize a coin. Additional factors that can affect the toning of a coin, or accelerate it, are heat, moisture, and the environment surrounding the coins and the potential presence of other chemicals.
Silver most notably has the potential to create the prettiest of toning as colors have ranged from a variety of hues of blues, oranges, greens, purples, pinks and so forth. What some do not realize though is that not all toning creates rainbows but can introduce a darker color palette in black and browns. In some cases but not all, darker colors such as these can lead to corrosion which in turn, can cause damage to the coin itself. This circumstance is the worst that could occur but not all these circumstances lead to further damage.
The Difference Between Natural and Artificial
As mentioned before, natural toning occurs over time. A coin’s environment, which is made up of many different factors, affects the surface of the coin. Most generally, the number one example used to explain the process of natural toning is the Morgan Silver Dollar.
Years ago, Morgan Dollars sat in canvas bags in vaults for nearly a century. This sort of storage mixed with the chemicals within the bags that were used to hold the coins resulted in toned coins. Namely, rainbow-toned coins. Albums, folders, and envelopes can also turn the surfaces of coins due to the different chemicals within the paper materials used.
The problem collectors run in to at times is artificial toning. For example, a collector who has found and/or purchased a raw, toned coin can send it to any grading company. That grading company may send it back with no number grade and has graded it as “details.” This means that they do not believe the coin was naturally toned, but what some might call “doctored.” Grading companies refuse to number grade any coin that reeks of suspicious artificial toning.
But how can you tell you may ask? Some believe it is all in the color pattern. More intensely colored, or toned, coins are considered suspicious in any count. Deep purple and blues in addition to how the blend of all the colors work together can make artificial toning more detectable. To be perfectly clear, artificially toned coins are highly condemned by the numismatic hobby and the value of those coins that are accelerated in order to achieve a certain toned look decreases dramatically. It can ruin a collection.
Eye Appeal and the Influence On Value
We say it on the show all the time. Eye appeal, eye appeal, eye appeal. Some collectors look for ONLY that when they collect coins. How can you blame them, especially when a coin has all the colors of the rainbow?
Rainbow-toned coins go for a much higher premium within the market and if a collector feels that strongly about collecting toned coins, they will pay them. It is highly suggested amongst coin collectors that before paying such a high price for a toned coin, make sure that the coin has been certified by a grading company to reassure authenticity. Regardless, toned coins are highly sought after in the hobby.
The other side of that is when a coin is black or brown, the eye appeal alone will affect the way a collector looks at it and perhaps the final value of the coin depending on your dealer or seller. Regardless of what sort of toning a coin has, the negative impact potential increases. But if you are someone who is afraid of this sort of toning, there is no reason to be. Most generally, natural toning occurs on coins as they get older and in the grand scheme of things, if an old coin looks old, then is that so bad?
In the coin market, people either care about toned coins or they don’t. Some collectors want their old coins to be old; some want them to look brand new despite their 50+ years of circulation. In the coin game, it is all about what a collector prefers and quite frankly, some just prefer beauty over everything.
Sources: www.coinworld.com; www.originalskincoins.com;