My toning experiment - now over 10 years old
Manorcourtman
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I bought the 2009 Lincoln proof set back in 2009, like millions of others. I put them away for a couple years and didn't look at them till around 2012. I was amazed they were toning a beautiful blueish pink near the rims. So I removed them and placed 2 older proofs and a 1942 wheatie in the packaging as an experiment. I don't remember why I didn't place a fourth one in the packaging? This was sometime during 2012. Over the past 12 years I have looked at them 2-3 times. It's been 3-4 years since I pulled them out of the closet. Well this past weekend I took a few pics. The 1942 is pretty darn beautiful now in my opinion. The two proofs are toning but not to the same extent. So 12 years into my experiment I'm posting my results. Apparently the packaging has chemicals in it that react pretty nicely to copper! The packing color has faded over the years. Anyway, here's how they look now:
Comments
Tenacity and perseverance is paying off in my opinion. I like the results.
The 1942 is pretty! Think it would straight grade?
30+ years coin shop experience (ret.) Coins, bullion, currency, scrap & interesting folks. Loved every minute!
I don’t know. I have no plans on submitting it. Just an experiment that has amused me over the last 10 years!
so do i
Perhaps… it is now ripe?
Or…are you going to ‘let it run’ and see what happens?
Please photo it from time to time and post here if you do!
A grand experiment, either way!
30+ years coin shop experience (ret.) Coins, bullion, currency, scrap & interesting folks. Loved every minute!
Might this put to bed some of the “blue toning” debate re copper?
Very neat experiment. I read in a few places that the brown paper Taco Bell napkins can be used to tone a coin so I tried it for a few weeks and the coin didn't have any change in color. Has anyone here had any luck with using a Taco Bell napkin to tone a coin?
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
Did you spread the fire sauce all around the rims?
Zero snark and non-parody feedback below, but this is a real thing...
From what I recall, this worked with Taco Bell napkins in the mid-to-late-2000's. Coin would have to be sitting in the napkin and placed in the sun or in a humid environment to speed up the process, so perhaps you just needed to let it sit more or sit in a different situation? I've handled several that went from raw to graded in the late 2000's.
I remember reading on one of the coin forums back then that in the early 2010's, Taco Bell changed something in their supply chain and you stopped hearing about the napkins working. "Esteemed toning physicians" would purportedly hoard the old style napkins from select locations before the changeover fully took hold. An acquaintance of mine who has done their own toning experimentation shared about 7-8 years ago or so that Chipotle napkins might be the new Taco Bell napkins.
May we never forget about fast food napkin toning.
Their food induces quick results as well.
So now we’re back to putting them in potatoes at 400degrees for an hour?
Or was that for silver?
30+ years coin shop experience (ret.) Coins, bullion, currency, scrap & interesting folks. Loved every minute!
I'll take one Burrito Supreme, and can I have three thousand napkins please?
I did it almost 20 years ago with two seated halves. Believe it took around 9 months. I dampened the napkins and lightly draped both sides of coins. Placed on top of medicine cabinet in bathroom.
Colors were nice. Blueish to red to orange color transition. The colors did radiate from edges although face of both coins were in contact. They did not have the fake bake AT look, but also lacked a true album toned look. Did not dip coins prior.
Funny thing is over the years as I receive brown napkins at fast food places still ask myself “would these work?” Even last week noticed Tropical Smoothie has brown napkins. Maybe should try it out with a few Intaglio Mint silver octagon PanPacs and high relief St Gaudens.