PCGS and artifical toning? I don't get it!

Ogden

I submitted three coins for grading, two 1909 vdb's and one 1949. I have had all of these coins for years and have no idea what PCGS is talking about. No one did anything to these coins. Why would they? Who would aritificially tone a 1949 Lincoln cent? or for that matter a 1909 vdb? Neither coin is worth much. Can someone explain if I am missing something. Do they look at it for a split second and toss it to the side, laughing as they do it? Heck I wouldn't know how to artificially tone a coin if I wanted to.

Ogden

Russ

You're not alone. The only body-bag I've ever gotten was for AT. It was a '64 JFK proof that came directly from the sealed set and sent in to PCGS. Yet, they slabbed one for Morris that was toned exactly the same way.

Russ, NCNE

Morganluver

Yep, there seems to be no rhyme or reason for some of the BBs they give toned coins. It's hit or miss and often, as you said, the coins aren't worth enough to keep playing the resubmission game. It's very frustrating and is just another example of how inconsistant they can be. If they were at least consistant you would know which coins would be a waste of money to submit and which ones would be holdered. Just my opinion, but based on experience.

Wisconsin

I will post a thread tonight on my latest submission results, but I am too starting to wonder how they come up with the things they do.

MikeSettles

Well, I've toned a 1964 LM.

Just a test to see what AT looked like. I noticed that it looked pretty natural till it got half way to brown and then started turning blue. Since copper sulphate is blue, I suspect that's what it was. I have gotten pennies with a slight blue tone in change as well and suspect they were not AT. Was there any blue to your coins' tone? Could be shades of particular colors trigger the AT opinion even though there may be natural wasy for them to occur.