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What causes ring toning on one side only?

oih82w8oih82w8 Posts: 12,254 ✭✭✭✭✭

I just picked up a PCI slab for my slab type set. I consider it a nice addition, but am curious about one sided, ring edge toning. The reverse is blast white.

Thank you for interest and comments!


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Comments

  • Morgan13Morgan13 Posts: 1,340 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I wouldn't put much faith into that holder. It's a nice looking coin. Chances are its artificially toned. I could be wrong.

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  • Namvet69Namvet69 Posts: 9,015 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I just read another recent post about the propensity of this ring toning in PCI holders. Curious to say the least.

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  • emeraldATVemeraldATV Posts: 4,642 ✭✭✭✭✭

    What causes ring toning on one side only?
    Part one.
    There has to be some kind of...
    cat·a·lyst
    /ˈkadləst/
    noun
    a substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction.
    without itself undergoing any permanent chemical change.

  • OldeTowneCoinShoppeOldeTowneCoinShoppe Posts: 227 ✭✭✭
    edited October 18, 2024 11:10AM

    In this case, what caused the one-sided toning is the fact that it was artificially applied.

    James at EarlyUS.com

    On the web: http://www.earlyus.com
  • Walkerguy21DWalkerguy21D Posts: 11,469 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited October 18, 2024 6:18AM

    I’ve seen coins in albums (not talking about folders) tone on one side only, or significantly more so on one side. To balance them out, I’ll reverse them in the album for years. Even then it doesn’t always work. In those cases I assume either the “catalyst” has been consumed, or something on the surface of the lesser toned side is preventing it.

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  • sellitstoresellitstore Posts: 2,922 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I would guess that it could be a coating on one side of a holder, maybe the PCI slab, maybe an album. Albums or holders that have a surface material that differs from the rest of the holder could be the cause. Maybe the obverse was in direct contact with a surface covering (like the blue material over the cardboard of a Library of Coins or Whitman folder) while the reverse wasn't.

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  • MICHAELDIXONMICHAELDIXON Posts: 6,516 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Where's TomB?

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  • emeraldATVemeraldATV Posts: 4,642 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @OldeTowneCoinShoppe said:
    In this case, what caused the one-sided toning is the fact that it was artificially applied.

    Just a polite, spit balling question on your theory.
    ........The "what if" factor....
    Would you call the stock used for coin rolling (way back when) an applied act, to produce a fact ?
    IF ?

  • DrewUDrewU Posts: 177 ✭✭✭

    The old green labeled and maybe the gold labeled PCI had a propensity to tone both sides of the coin, often attractively.

    Whoever owns it now just seems to have a propensity to slab a bunch of AT coins that feature that one sided ring toning.

  • DRUNNERDRUNNER Posts: 3,857 ✭✭✭✭✭

    (Response sufficiently buried that I should avoid too much backlash . . . . )

    From a layman's perspective. There are superbly qualified scientists, engineers, and metallurgists here who vastly trump (cute buried reference) my knowledge base in that area . . but here goes:

    Toning on silver (BU type, modernish, high purity stuff in this case) requires exposure to a toning agent (usually some sulfurous compound . . . like processed paper) in conjunction with oxygen. On many types of third-world slabs, the slab insert is exposed to only one side of the coin (on the interior around/near/adjoining the coin) and the other (reverse usually) side of the coin is not exposed to oxygen as it is mechanically sealed from the insert. Therefor . . . it lacks the chemical reactive agents and does not tone.

    Resulting chemical reaction from the insert on the obverse rim to oxygen and sulfurous paper residue causes the toning . . . . this happens most often on PCI and old ANACS generation 'soapboxes'. . .

    Drunner

  • BillJonesBillJones Posts: 34,060 ✭✭✭✭✭

    My experience with pieces like this is the coin was dipped and fully rinsed. The dip residue was only on one side.

    Retired dealer and avid collector of U.S. type coins, 19th century presidential campaign medalets and selected medals. In recent years I have been working on a set of British coins - at least one coin from each king or queen who issued pieces that are collectible. I am also collecting at least one coin for each Roman emperor from Julius Caesar to ... ?
  • leothelyonleothelyon Posts: 8,464 ✭✭✭✭✭

    When the 1994-P or 1997-P SMS Jefferson nickels came out if left too long in the original packaging, only the reverse sides would end up toned. Interestingly enough, for the commemorative included in the set, the obverse would tone.....it did for mine anyway.
    But as someone posted, I too have returned one coin back into the packaging but with the obverse down.......I need to go check on that one.

    Leo

    The more qualities observed in a coin, the more desirable that coin becomes!

    My Jefferson Nickel Collection

  • MFeldMFeld Posts: 13,624 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @BillJones said:
    My experience with pieces like this is the coin was dipped and fully rinsed. The dip residue was only on one side.

    Bill, It looks as if you meant to write “not fully rinsed”.
    Either way, in my experience, coins that have been dipped but not fully rinsed will eventually end up with toning that’s more splotchy and uneven than seen here. And it’s not usually confined just to the border. To me, this doesn’t look like a coin that’s retoned from a dip.

    Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.

  • BillJonesBillJones Posts: 34,060 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited October 21, 2024 5:29AM

    Sorry, I have a bad habit of missing the word "not." Here is an example of what I mean.

    I have owned this piece for over 20 years, and the toning on the rim has only gotten worse with proper storeage.

    Retired dealer and avid collector of U.S. type coins, 19th century presidential campaign medalets and selected medals. In recent years I have been working on a set of British coins - at least one coin from each king or queen who issued pieces that are collectible. I am also collecting at least one coin for each Roman emperor from Julius Caesar to ... ?
  • gtstanggtstang Posts: 1,755 ✭✭✭✭✭

    So just a thought on how someone could create toning like this would be to hold the coin over a flame like a lighter or mini torch to create the toning. After the toning has been created, take a q-tip and dip in ez-est or similar to remove any excess toning from the reverse, pop it in a slab and voila... I don't believe it was stuck in a potato and baked though!

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