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a basic lesson in Artificial Toning and what to look for
truthteller
Posts: 1,240 ✭✭
This subject has come and gone for many a thread, yet there seems to be renewed interest in this form of coloring coins. Over the many years in the hobby, I have seen various forms of AT, most very badly done, and some, quite good and attractive. I have experimented extensively to try and replicate the look, not to deceive, but to gain a working knowledge of what to look for, mostly with unc 90% Kennedy Halves. Many true colorful coins have an original look and those who have been in the hobby for over 15 years know what to look for. Those who have recently entered the hobby, should really be careful and ask an 'old timer' for his/her opinion before a major purchase. Many times I have succeeded with common household items, other times I have failed. This thread is not intended for those to start artificially toning their coins, but more as what to look for. I define AT into two groups, applied substance on the surface, and chemical interaction between the surface metal and gas.
1)applied substance: In most cases, this is very obvious, whereby the doctor will place a color coating or chemical coating to the silver or copper to produce various shades of color. Often times this substance does not interact with the surface metal and will come off with a wipe of the finger or acetone. In addition, various coatings have been formulated by the doctors to give the appearance of a patina, usually a powerlike substance. The coin will look nice at first, but with a 4X glass, the color will not have a graduated texture, but more like a solid shade of color. This was the method of choice on many DMPL dollars in the 1970's whereby the doctor would coat the a PL dollar on the devices to give a DMPL look and then colorize the dollar to give a wonderful appearance. Some of these dollars earned the reputation as the "California Specials"
2) chemical gas interference.: This method is much more complicated yet when it works, the color is fabulous. A gas chamber is created to hold a specific gas or gaseous chemical that will interact with the surface metal of the coin. The doctors clean off the silver or copper to have a virgin surface, then place the coin in the gaseous chamber and apply heat. The method is somewhat uncontrollable and 70% of the time, the effect is less than acceptable. However, the gas interacts with the surface of the metal to give a textured look, much like the original colors. The doctors play with temperature and humidity to attain a desired look. Coins from pre-1930 have a different color than post-1930 coins due to change in sulfur content of paper holders at that time, so the doctors must give the 'right' look to a coin of a certain era. For example, a Alabama commem comes with pretty russet colors, while a Long Island commem will have rainbow colors. In addition, and this is the most difficult part, a patina is created over the surface of the coin. A rainbow coin without a patina is a giveaway as to AT color. Doctors have a difficult time with patina since the process of application tends to change the color on the surface. Most doctors use a color stablizer solution to halt the chemical interaction after the desired color is attained.
3) heat: although considered by some as a Artificial enhancement, I do not agree. Heat from the sun in a case, heat from the oven, or heat from the humid environment all give rise to a chemical process on the surface of a coin. Placing a coin in the oven for 20 minutes will artificially speed up a process of toning silver or copper, but the results are obvious and, in general, very haphazard.
4)Many unsophicated methods, such as the 'potato', the 'thumbing' , the 'smoking' of a coin have been around for generations, but are very detectable and poorly done.
Almost all of these methods have been told to me by actual coin doctors, however, some doctors have formulas which are highly secret, complicated, and notorious. Some doctors actually have a 'signature' color creation and coins are sometimes refered to by the creator, much like a work of art.
In conclusion, many AT coins are simply wonderous and I would not have a problem buying the coin raw or holdered. The major problem in the industry are the doctors who treat the coins, holder them, while knowing full well the color will eventually change(for the worse) after time.
TRUTH
1)applied substance: In most cases, this is very obvious, whereby the doctor will place a color coating or chemical coating to the silver or copper to produce various shades of color. Often times this substance does not interact with the surface metal and will come off with a wipe of the finger or acetone. In addition, various coatings have been formulated by the doctors to give the appearance of a patina, usually a powerlike substance. The coin will look nice at first, but with a 4X glass, the color will not have a graduated texture, but more like a solid shade of color. This was the method of choice on many DMPL dollars in the 1970's whereby the doctor would coat the a PL dollar on the devices to give a DMPL look and then colorize the dollar to give a wonderful appearance. Some of these dollars earned the reputation as the "California Specials"
2) chemical gas interference.: This method is much more complicated yet when it works, the color is fabulous. A gas chamber is created to hold a specific gas or gaseous chemical that will interact with the surface metal of the coin. The doctors clean off the silver or copper to have a virgin surface, then place the coin in the gaseous chamber and apply heat. The method is somewhat uncontrollable and 70% of the time, the effect is less than acceptable. However, the gas interacts with the surface of the metal to give a textured look, much like the original colors. The doctors play with temperature and humidity to attain a desired look. Coins from pre-1930 have a different color than post-1930 coins due to change in sulfur content of paper holders at that time, so the doctors must give the 'right' look to a coin of a certain era. For example, a Alabama commem comes with pretty russet colors, while a Long Island commem will have rainbow colors. In addition, and this is the most difficult part, a patina is created over the surface of the coin. A rainbow coin without a patina is a giveaway as to AT color. Doctors have a difficult time with patina since the process of application tends to change the color on the surface. Most doctors use a color stablizer solution to halt the chemical interaction after the desired color is attained.
3) heat: although considered by some as a Artificial enhancement, I do not agree. Heat from the sun in a case, heat from the oven, or heat from the humid environment all give rise to a chemical process on the surface of a coin. Placing a coin in the oven for 20 minutes will artificially speed up a process of toning silver or copper, but the results are obvious and, in general, very haphazard.
4)Many unsophicated methods, such as the 'potato', the 'thumbing' , the 'smoking' of a coin have been around for generations, but are very detectable and poorly done.
Almost all of these methods have been told to me by actual coin doctors, however, some doctors have formulas which are highly secret, complicated, and notorious. Some doctors actually have a 'signature' color creation and coins are sometimes refered to by the creator, much like a work of art.
In conclusion, many AT coins are simply wonderous and I would not have a problem buying the coin raw or holdered. The major problem in the industry are the doctors who treat the coins, holder them, while knowing full well the color will eventually change(for the worse) after time.
TRUTH
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Comments
I've mentioned this point in a number of threads (maybe too many in the opinion of some) but I keep coming back to fact that this practice ends up hurting the owners of coins that have naturally toned of 50 or 100 years without any intentional munipulation of the surfaces. The value of those coins will slowly be eroded as more and more coins are doctor in such a way that even the grading service can't tell what's ATed and what's not. It also hurts the collector who has a coin that is natural toned but can't get it graded by one of the major services because they're gun shy about any coin that's slightly suspect. I say if someone really wants to make pretty colors on their coins that's fine but when you go to sell them are you going to be up front and tell the buy that you played with the coin?
The same is true for the dip doctors out there.
Heres my thread showing you what a Cleaned Barber dime looks like. I cleaned it with non other than "Mothers Aluminum & Metal" Cleaner, you know, what you clean your mag rims with.
It's really good stuff I might add.
Cleaned 1914-D Barber Dime
Robert