It's hard to mistake that toning job. Wish I could remember the guy's name, but he's notorious for producing coin after coin that looks exactly like that.
Well, someone liked it... I guess someone liked the stuff that the Franklin mint used to put out as well. If there's a buyer there'll always be a seller!
"I kept this one because the colors put me into a trance. "
Why didn't he just keep doing what he was doing .
The longer I live the more convincing proofs I see of this truth, that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice is it possible for an empire to rise without His aid? Benjamin Franklin
I sure wish I had seen that second Columbian, because with that original toning, it did go too cheap. Now, on the first one- I did see that one! I bid early and low just for the novelty of owning it. I too am surprised it went anywhere near the price it did.
I have been very satisfied with the coins I have bought from the seller of the first coin, who ironically, spends much time looking for original Barber half dollars. And yes, I have enjoyed his posts here.
The artificial toning on the first Columbian looks to me like the work of Katzcoins, who sold many similarly colored Morgans and Walkers on eBay before all five of his accounts were Narued. Their last eBay account was Nizcollectibles. I recall that Texas Bullion Traders first posts here were about similarly colored coins which they admitted came from Katz.
The seller of the second coin makes his auctions appear honest and low key, as if they were from a mom and pop coin shop. This seller gets many returns on raw coins sold from his weekly multiple-page display ads in Coin World. (Hint: his first and last names are both four letter words)
I was surprised to see the high bids on the first coin, but felt a sense of justice that the honest collector received much more than the professional merchandiser of overgraded coins. Not a sad day at all.
"Never attribute to malice what can be adequately explained by stupidity" - Hanlon's Razor
Well folks that is my half. I bought 3 coins that I thought were original bullseyed toned, two morgans and the columbia half for about $50.00 each on Ebay last year. I sold both morgans 6 months ago. While they were listed on Ebay I recieved numerous E-mails asking if they were AT or not. I truly believed they were original and told all who inquired that they were.
A day before the auction closed I got to wondering if indeed they might be AT. Never having owned a true rainbow coin I was unsure (I collect almost exclusively circulated coins). I knew about Tonelover (john) as I had visited his toned coin web site and had emailed him once or twice. I emailed him and told him my dilemna of being unsure about my coins. I e-mailed him my morgan scans and he replied that he was absolutely sure that they were both AT. His e-mail came two hours before the auctions closed.
Both morgans sold for $160.00 each! I E-mailed the buyer and told him that in good faith I could not take his money as I now knew the coins to be AT. I did not want to relist them, so I gave the buyer the option of backing out or buying them at my cost of $50.00 each. He took me up on the offer to buy them.
I collect Barber Halves and decided to keep the Columbia half as part of my collection. I have to sell everything to buy a home. I am sorely amazed, seems the toning rage spills over into any coin original or not with coloring. I put the auction at $1.00 like all my auctions and in BOLD LETTERS stated that it was AT. I was willing to take a loss to sell the coin honestly.
Hey can I help it if people want this coin with my full disclosure of what it is?
Can anyone teach me how to create this toning?? Seems the big money is in coins that are beautifully toned AT or not.
I recall reading many times that AT coins that look "nice" at first will tend to continue toning over time until they become black or nearly so. However, I don't recall ever seeing a comparison which shows such a coin over time. Does anyone have pictures to post that would show how such an interesting look can degrade?
BTW, while the first coin does look completely phony due to nearly identical tone patterns on both front and back, I kind of like it. It would be an amusing one of a kind, at least in my collection
<< <i>AT is sposed to be in the same class as damage and reduce the value to the coin to mere bullion >>
I hate to say this but..: Why? If someone likes the coin then they should pay what they want for it. What "class" YOU put it in may not be the same as someone else. How do you know the buyer won't dip it or whatever? I just wish people would quit catagorizing coins. If someone want to buy the damn thing that's up to them. Who cares?
AT or not that first coin that sold for 123??? that really was a beauty....nice & even all over. I agree it is a shame that an AT would make more then a natural but it was sweet lookin.
Comments
Frank
"I kept this one because the colors put me into a trance. "
Why didn't he just keep doing what he was doing .
<< <i>market decided the price... >>
That was my point. AT is sposed to be in the same class as damage and reduce the value to the coin to mere bullion.
Now, on the first one- I did see that one! I bid early and low just for the novelty of owning it. I too am surprised it went anywhere near the price it did.
peacockcoins
BC
Proud of America!
I Have NO PCGS Registry Sets!
I like the reverse. The obverse looks rubbed. If I bought it, I'd add a little color to Chris's cheeks.
I have been very satisfied with the coins I have bought from the seller of the first coin, who ironically, spends much time looking for original Barber half dollars. And yes, I have enjoyed his posts here.
The artificial toning on the first Columbian looks to me like the work of Katzcoins, who sold many similarly colored Morgans and Walkers on eBay before all five of his accounts were Narued. Their last eBay account was Nizcollectibles. I recall that Texas Bullion Traders first posts here were about similarly colored coins which they admitted came from Katz.
The seller of the second coin makes his auctions appear honest and low key, as if they were from a mom and pop coin shop. This seller gets many returns on raw coins sold from his weekly multiple-page display ads in Coin World. (Hint: his first and last names are both four letter words)
I was surprised to see the high bids on the first coin, but felt a sense of justice that the honest collector received much more than the professional merchandiser of overgraded coins. Not a sad day at all.
A day before the auction closed I got to wondering if indeed they might be AT. Never having owned a true rainbow coin I was unsure (I collect almost exclusively circulated coins). I knew about Tonelover (john) as I had visited his toned coin web site and had emailed him once or twice. I emailed him and told him my dilemna of being unsure about my coins. I e-mailed him my morgan scans and he replied that he was absolutely sure that they were both AT. His e-mail came two hours before the auctions closed.
Both morgans sold for $160.00 each! I E-mailed the buyer and told him that in good faith I could not take his money as I now knew the coins to be AT. I did not want to relist them, so I gave the buyer the option of backing out or buying them at my cost of $50.00 each. He took me up on the offer to buy them.
I collect Barber Halves and decided to keep the Columbia half as part of my collection. I have to sell everything to buy a home. I am sorely amazed, seems the toning rage spills over into any coin original or not with coloring. I put the auction at $1.00 like all my auctions and in BOLD LETTERS stated that it was AT. I was willing to take a loss to sell the coin honestly.
Hey can I help it if people want this coin with my full disclosure of what it is?
Can anyone teach me how to create this toning?? Seems the big money is in coins that are beautifully toned AT or not.
Now I am going to go drink a beer to celebrate.
Tyler
BTW, while the first coin does look completely phony due to nearly identical tone patterns on both front and back, I kind of like it. It would be an amusing one of a kind, at least in my collection
<< <i>AT is sposed to be in the same class as damage and reduce the value to the coin to mere bullion >>
I hate to say this but..: Why? If someone likes the coin then they should pay what they want for it. What "class" YOU put it in may not be the same as someone else. How do you know the buyer won't dip it or whatever? I just wish people would quit catagorizing coins. If someone want to buy the damn thing that's up to them. Who cares?
Hey, at least the seller didn't lie. No BS.
jom
I agree it is a shame that an AT would make more then a natural but it was sweet lookin.
JL
<< <i>If someone want to buy the damn thing that's up to them. Who cares? >>
I really don't care, I thought some readers of this forum might find it interesting. I sure did.
Positive BST Transactions (buyers and sellers): wondercoin, blu62vette, BAJJERFAN, privatecoin, blu62vette, AlanLastufka, privatecoin
#1 1951 Bowman Los Angeles Rams Team Set
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