Toned Gold

SilverEagle1974

Can someone tell me why some gold tones like this ?
Is it the packaging it was encased in or environmental issues (ie. humidity), that causes it ?
Will this toning stop or will it get darker or worse ?

I just grabbed an image online, but I have a 2011 $25 Gold Eagle PCGS MS70 that is similar to the above coin.

Thanks,

Chris

sellitstore

It's a combination of factors and really impossible to predict future toning.

My only thought is that if this much toning occurred in almost 20 years, it's likely to continue. But the rate and direction it will take is really unknown.

Mr_Spud

Those coins aren’t pure gold, they contain some silver and copper too. So humidity, atmospheric sulphides and other airborne things can cause and /or accelerate toning just like on non-gold coins. Storing in low humidity and/or intercept shield slab boxes should slow it down or stop it.

PerryHall

I like that light peripheral toning. It gives the coin character.

SilverEagle1974

But since the coin is in a PCGS holder, shouldn't the toning stop ?
Isn't PCGS holders air tight or sealed, or something ?

Chris

TomB

@SilverEagle1974 said:
But since the coin is in a PCGS holder, shouldn't the toning stop ?
Isn't PCGS holders air tight or sealed, or something ?

Chris

No. PCGS holders are not airtight. No holder is airtight. If the slab is left in an environment that is conducive to toning, or if the coin has something on its surfaces that causes toning, then the coin inside it might tone or continue to tone.

SilverEagle1974

Thanks.

PeakRarities

@TomB said:

@SilverEagle1974 said:
But since the coin is in a PCGS holder, shouldn't the toning stop ?
Isn't PCGS holders air tight or sealed, or something ?

Chris

No. PCGS holders are not airtight. No holder is airtight. If the slab is left in an environment that is conducive to toning, or if the coin has something on its surfaces that causes toning, then the coin inside it might tone or continue to tone.

CACG holders are air/water tight. I’ve tested it out on several of them, they are sealed for real.

zer0man

I have read, but can't confirm, that the best guess is these modern, high purity, issues which tone (sometimes purple hues, etc.) are doing so due to improper rinsing of the planchets during the minting process. You may be able to find such ideas raised in prior threads with a bit of searching.

Cougar1978

Toned Gold? Never liked it. But agree that one most likely from minting process.

lilolme

@SilverEagle1974
Isn't PCGS holders air tight or sealed, or something ?

Some information on the slabs and sealing. On a previous thread I took a few of my cracked out pcgs slabs and sanded the edges. I did it for the older style (not rattler or the one with the frame) and the newer style. Below are some of the images (didn't try to find the old thread).

First I will mention that the slabs are said to be sonically sealed or a term sometimes thrown out in talk is buzzed. This process as I understand it introduces a high frequency sound (energy) that 'melts' two pieces of touching material (in this case the front and back slab plastic) together. If someone knows a more technical definition or understanding, then please chime in.

When discussing air tight slab, I believe one is relying on the sonic seal being complete and solid around the entire periphery of the slab (which will have tolerances in the fit including surface flatness and waviness). And of course through time that the sonic seal has not cracked due to dropping or other.

In this first picture it is of an older slab (the purple hue). There is what I will call a groove and notch between the front and back. This is where the sonic seal happens. This from observing some cracked ones but not so apparent on this picture but at base of notch.
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The next pictures are of a newer slab (no purple hue). The front of the slab extends back more and 'covers' the back. The groove and notch is smaller. The first picture it appears that maybe the sides are 'melted' together but I am not sure about that and would not be typical from my limited viewing but wanted to show it. The next two pictures I believe show where the front and back are separate but where the groove and notch is there is some sonic sealing / 'melting'.
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CACG slab. I have not cracked/broken one of those and only have one sample slab. However, below is one that someone cracked apart. From this and the one I have, the back fits inside the front (similar to new pcgs). However, there does not appear to be a groove and notch but rather the back rest against a shelf on the front. This should be where the sonic seal is. On the one I have the gap between the front and back varies from in contact to something where I can get a piece of paper between them and down to the front piece.

Looking at the cracked one in the lower left, it appears that the slab cracked apart through the back part of the slab as it appears there is some broken slab on the front part and the back piece above appears damaged (the red arrows). Assume the sonic seal held together and the slab broke here. However, next to it appears to be a clean front and back where the seal broke if it was there at all (the green arrows).
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Tibor

I had a similar thread a couple of weeks ago.
https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/1106931/toned-gold#latest
Check out @jwitten collection of Indian Quarter Eagles. Amazing!!
Another comes to mind is the Twenty Lib that was I believe sea salvaged.
I would have bought that if I had the finances.