Most Difficult Coin Types to Find Attractively Toned (Silver)
Teakie2
Posts: 17 ✭✭
Hey all,
I am looking to compile a list of Silver U.S. coin types and years/mintmarks that are the most difficult to find attractively or beautifully toned, as well as gauge the approximate premium multiplier relative to its blast white counterpart each type coin may carry while toned. Gold, copper, proof strike, and modern coins won't be added to this list, as I will do research on them in another discussion later. So far, the list for SILVER BUSINESS STRIKE coins I have is as such:
1) 1921 Peace Dollar - Unknown market premium, "Monster" toner nonexistent?
2) Peace Dollars (1927-1935) - approx. 10x-15x ValueView
3) Peace Dollars (1922-1926) - approx. 8x-14x ValueView
4) Bust Half Dollars
5) Monter Toned Morgan Dollar
6) Seated Dollars
7) Standing Lib Quarters & Walker Halves
8) Mercury Dimes
Thoughts?
Also, please share pictures of beautifully toned silver and nickel coins that cost you an arm and a leg. perhaps we can make this list more accurate. Thank you!
Comments
"Thoughts?"
Coins 8 and 10 are not silver.
peacockcoins
Please excuse the gauche nature of my response, but the idea of applying a multiplier seems naive.
In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson
Bust half dollars with attractive toning can bring premiums but nowhere close to three to ten times. Probably more like 1.2 to 1.5x.
Also, they are not difficult to find.
I paid a premium for this AU58+ recently. Maybe 25%.
Lance.
In addition to that, whatever the supposed color premium, it can vary even more, based on the grade level and value range of the coin in question. As an example, the premium is likely to be much greater on a two or three figure coin than on a four or five figure one.
Edited to add: I’ll still participate, however and nominate (Heraldic Eagle) Draped Bust Half Dimes as a super tough type to locate with great color.
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
To limit Mercury Dimes to 1.5-2x seems laughable. Sure, sometimes that's true but other times you can only dream. I wish all my Mercs could have been purchased for 2x or less. Some dates are more common with nice toning than others so that will impact things. The grade matters a lot as well.
Then you have to take into account auction fever sometimes as well and how bad a couple of people want something.
When something isn't for sale and isn't going to auction and you want to convince someone to let a coin go, you need to go higher.
For my Mercury Dimes, I have paid less than price guide a couple of times and all the way up to 20x Price Guide. I will admit some of my choices have not been the best but I also believe they have not been far off. There are a lot of factors that go into each one.
Much of this applies to the other series as well.
Looking for Top Pop Mercury Dime Varieties & High Grade Mercury Dime Toners.
3 cent silvers are pretty tough to find attractively toned for whatever reason. Most look mottled or splotchy.
Roosevelt dimes come attractively toned. However, some just are exceptionally nice and I would say some would pay 5-10x for such color!
I'm not sure what you're intending with the multiplier, but there are a few coins that are difficult to find with pretty colors. You both include and exclude nickel coin in your comments, but of all of those, only the buffalo is frequently seen with pretty colors. I don't recall ever seeing a gorgeously toned 3CN.
There are always exceptions, but, if we stick to silver, trade dollars, almost anything Draped Bust, and the majority of Franklin half issues (apart from the 57-58 mint set era) seem to be usually unnatractive.
For their respective issues, most of these seem pretty nice to me. Some of it is secondary toning, but they get it done for me:
I collect toned coins of all types, although my set starts in the 20th century. Of the ones you listed, I have never seen a seated Liberty dollar that would command a huge toning premium but there are definitely some nice ones out there. I’ve also never seen a real rainbow 1921 Peace Dollar although I have seen a few that I would call attractively toned. @BryceM’s example above is one of the best out there (although I have not had the privilege of seeing it in hand). There are a few Bust Halves that are very pretty but nothing is going to be encountered nearly as frequently the Morgans.
Ranking them from easiest to hardest:
Morgan Dollar
gap
Mercury Dime
gap
Buffalo Nickel
Peace (1922-26)
Standing Liberty Quarter
Liberty Nickel
Peace (1927-35)
Bust Half Dollar
Seated Liberty Dollar
1921 Peace
(Not sure why you are splitting low relief Peace Dollars into two date ranges but not SLQs into at least type 1 and type 2 but that’s ok.)
As Mark said the multiple will depend greatly on the price of a white coin and the grade level.
I can go into a lot more detail if you want to send me a message.
Peace dollars - most "toners" are mottled grey and black. A nice one is worth a little celebration.
1921-P/D/S Morgan dollars - beautiful toners are like prooflikes for the dates, really tough to find. 1878-1904 dates are fairly common, especially the highly available 1879-S, 1880-S, and 1881-S (not as much 1882-S).
Seated dollars - They are out there but not like the Seated minors, which abundantly spent quality time in the right albums for a good century. I have had a lot of remarkably target-toned proof Seated quarters especially.
Capped Bust Halves - Thank heavens they are otherwise really interesting. Yeah, you can bring out some examples, but they don't come around often at all in my experience (which is limited because I have avoided them, as I know I would get sucked into the Overton set).
My Coin Blog
My Toned Lincoln Registry Set
I believe tarnished coins should sell at a discount. After all, once acquired, it is necessary to invest time and materials to dip that ugly environmental damage off the coin.
Cheers, RickO
After reading responses, I've decided to nix the concept of a premium multiplier on everything but the Peace Dollars, as thats more my area of knowledge. Nickel coins have also been removed.
Attractively toned Standing Liberty Quarters and Liberty Nickels are hard to find.
"Seu cabra da peste,
"Sou Mangueira......."
I have noticed that peace dollars after 1925 and 1926 seem to tone less attractively, and its near impossible to find rainbow toning on a high relief. that is why i separated the three. With regards to the SLQ type 1 vs type 2, I havent noticed a significant change in how the coins themselves tone. I also dont know if there is a major premium difference between type 1 and 2... curious to hear your thoughts.
This Liberty nickel I find attractive . This is an interesting topic for me as I find attractively toned coins hard to resist. In fact that’s primarily what my collection consists of. With that said, I’d like to hear more from others on why some coins are more difficult to find than others attractively toned.
Happy hunting,
Joe
You are correct that the vast majority of nicely toned Peace Dollars are from 1922 and 1923 but if you are collecting by type then it shouldn’t matter how rare the other dates are. The 1921 is a different type so it makes sense to count that one differently. Type 1 SLQs may not be any rarer (and don’t tone differently) than Type 2 on a date by date basis but there’s effectively only 1 year from which to choose (vs the rest of the series for Type 2). That certainly makes them harder to find.