Blue haze on coins. What is it?

bagofnickels

Lately I've been curious about something I keep seeing on my coins and others. Can someone tell me what the light blue powdery toning or "haze" is that I have pictured below on 3 coins? For what it is worth both of the walkers shown here have some light toning on them. The mercury dime is pretty much satiny and white with the exception of the haze. I dont suspect this to be PVC even though its more easily spotted by tilting the coin or using a light source shined across the coin.

1944 walker in a rattler MS65.

1937 mercury rattler MS65FB CAC.

1935 s walker AU55 CAC Newer holder on this one.

Thanks for any help!

ricko

I have not seen that 'blue haze' before. The coins look good... not really tarnished ... I suspect some old contaminant of some type must have been on the surface and not visible under grading lights. Cheers, RickO

jmlanzaf

Hazy toning. Thin film effect.

Have you tried different lights?

PerryHall

Looks like a film deposited on the surface of the coin that developed over time from whatever material it was stored in. It would probably dip off.

Dave99B

Some like of residue ... most likely dipped in the past at some point.

Dave

Connecticoin

Just looks like toning to me. Did it appear AFTER you purchased the coins?

crazyhounddog

@Connecticoin said:
Just looks like toning to me. Did it appear AFTER you purchased the coins?

Looks like toning to me too.

bagofnickels

@jmlanzaf said:
Hazy toning. Thin film effect.

Have you tried different lights?

Interesting. I just finished reading an old thread about this. I wasn't familiar with the term "thin film effect." I think this is what I'm seeing. It's not particularly apparent unless viewed under a bright light.

@Connecticoin said:
Just looks like toning to me. Did it appear AFTER you purchased the coins?

No. This has been on several coins I've bought. I also see this same color on proofs dated 1936-42 which I've been looking at a lot lately. I'm mostly curious if it is a natural effect or if it comes from dipping, conserving etc.

If it's just toning and not residue left from dipping or PVC residue from poor storage I'm okay with it. Mainly I'm asking since I see many of these coins with this color touted as "original" or having unmessed with surfaces. If that's not the case I would want to know.

Thanks for the feedback all. Very appreciated.

lilolme

It is a form of toning. I say form because I see it more on walkers and then the dimes and not as much on say dollars and other. Also more on proof but on MS also.
Here are a few from CF.

bagofnickels

@lilolme said:
It is a form of toning. I say form because I see it more on walkers and then the dimes and not as much on say dollars and other. Also more on proof but on MS also.
Here are a few from CF.

Those are absolutely magnificent. I've personally noticed this type of toning on Mercury dimes, Washington quarters and walking liberty halves. And as you say its seems to be more pronounced and common on proof coins. I wonder if my coins, given more time exposed to whatever was toning them, would end up looking similar to these? But I guess you could also say there's more than one way to end up with a toned coin.

Here's a raw one with similar, albeit not as nice, color to the ones you posted.

ironmanl63

I notice this type of toning on some commems. It can be very attractive and often turns various colors when rotated under a light. I am always on the lookout for it. Bad part is JA will sometimes sticker this look and sometimes call it PVC. I have not learned to be able to tell the difference and it can be frustrating.

lilolme

@ironmanl63 said:
Bad part is JA will sometimes sticker this look and sometimes call it PVC. I have not learned to be able to tell the difference and it can be frustrating.

Oh no! @bagofnickels can I change my statement to 'it may be a form of toning'.

Maywood

This kind of tone is relatively common on the Proof Set coins from 1955-1964 which leads me to believe it is caused by the packaging. The other coins shown may have been contaminated from long term storage in some type of flip.

ElmerFusterpuck

I've seen silver proof Ikes that have this look too, almost always a shade of blue.

bagofnickels

@lilolme of course!

As a couple people commented I think it could potentially be the way in which many coins were stored during that time period.

@ironmanl63 said:
Bad part is JA will sometimes sticker this look and sometimes call it PVC. I have not learned to be able to tell the difference and it can be frustrating.

Ultimately this is what caused me to ask this question. I see this on coins with CAC and without. I've seen people say PVC, dip residue, toning etc. So I figured I would ask. To me it seems that its a stage of toning and thats why I tend to see this on coins that have some level of color.

lilolme

@bagofnickels said:
@lilolme of course!

As a couple people commented I think it could potentially be the way in which many coins were stored during that time period.

@ironmanl63 said:
Bad part is JA will sometimes sticker this look and sometimes call it PVC. I have not learned to be able to tell the difference and it can be frustrating.

Ultimately this is what caused me to ask this question. I see this on coins with CAC and without. I've seen people say PVC, dip residue, toning etc. So I figured I would ask. To me it seems that its a stage of toning and thats why I tend to see this on coins that have some level of color.

One thing that also seems to be different about it, is that the initial color appears to be blue.

When looking at the sunnywood color scale (or whatever it is called) the initial color(s) are a light gold/brown/tan....

In the initial toning it can appear kind of a like a haze or off white but the first color is the light gold/brown/tan...

These appear to have that initial haze like look but then blue. So I wonder if there is something else in the storage mix that is acting with the normal toning to generate that initial blue color.

One thing that I do know is - that I don't know.

ADG

Everyone seeing blue. Probably too much viagra.

dcarr

I don't think it is "putty" or any other intentional treatment.
When I have seen that before it is typically deposits from an oil fog that came off the plastic surrounding the coin.
1971-S proof Eisenhower dollars in the original hard plastic US Mint cases come to mind (I have seen those in unopened original packaging with bluish haze on them).

lilolme

@dcarr said:
I don't think it is "putty" or any other intentional treatment.
When I have seen that before it is typically deposits from an oil fog that came off the plastic surrounding the coin.
1971-S proof Eisenhower dollars in the original hard plastic US Mint cases come to mind (I have seen those in unopened original packaging with bluish haze on them).

Thanks, that was fairly easy to find on a search.
Also I was remembering the old proof sets and the box and is that cellophane bags? Could they also be contributing to this blue happening? Other storage mediums of that time?
Just not following the normal 'sulfur / bag' toning pattern.
.

.
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MFeld

Among other types of coins that occasionally display that delicate, ice-blue patina, I've seen original rolls of Walkers and numerous silver Proof coins from 1936-1942.

Floridafacelifter

I was just looking at this really nice one from the upcoming summer FUN auction

lilolme

@MFeld said:
Among other types of coins that occasionally display that delicate, ice-blue patina, I've seen original rolls of Walkers and numerous silver Proof coins from 1936-1942.

Original rolls - now it make me wonder if there was some change to the planchet processing (solutions used or something...) at this time that could be a cause or partial cause.

And of course it does not have to be one answer for all.

Bigtree

I have a number of blue toned coins, most of which have the subtle thin-film effect evidenced on this thread. For silver coins, I've noticed they are relatively common in certain proof issues (the 1936-1942 seem to often get the color from cellophane toning) and relatively uncommon in business strikes. No idea how the toning develops on business strikes, but I find it quite appealing.

bagofnickels

Thanks to all that replied. I agree with @dcarr that this isn't putty and I dont believe the coins I posted to have putty on them. The pictures I looked at of likely puttied coins look different to me. I think its a type of toning as someone said and potentially occurs on the coins that people have mentioned since they would have maybe been stored similarly at some point.

Some really nice coins posted as well. I always get good feedback here. Thanks everyone.

CommemDude

I have a set of Boones PDS with that same blue haze, a dealer thought the acetate windows from old Wayte Raymond or similar albums gave off a gas that sometimes toned the coins.