Lesson in AT Detection
CoinDr
Posts: 27
Here's a quick lesson in determining AT on coins that were artifically toned.
Take a wooden toothpick. It must be of the type that comes to a point and it has to be made out of wood, not plastic.
Dip this in a 100% solution of Jeweluster. MS70 will not work and do not delute the Jeweluster.
Make sure the tip of the toothpick you dipped into the solution does not drip once it is removed. Only dip the last quarter inch or so of the toothpick, but leave it in long enough to soak up the Jewluster.
Now, pick a spot on the coin in question. Gently touch the tip of the toothpick against the surface of the coin. Don't rub the toothpick on the coin, just touch it straight down so only the very tip touches and not the side of the toothpick.
YOu should end up with a very small pinprick of a dot on the coin. Under magnification of 30X power examine that speck.
If the dot has a small crater around it that bleeds into the rest of the coin, the surface has toning that aged and is probably, in all likelyhood, authentic.
If the dot does not have a crater effect but instead the color changes instantly from the coin's natural surface color to the toning color, you have a coin that has either been enhanced and the toning sped up, or the toning is chemical.
This will test coins that have been worked on in the past and up to about six months ago. The methods have since been improved and changed so as to make this test invalid on newer product, but if you have coins that have been in your possession for awhile and you question or doubt the authenticity of the color, the above should work well for you.
Take a wooden toothpick. It must be of the type that comes to a point and it has to be made out of wood, not plastic.
Dip this in a 100% solution of Jeweluster. MS70 will not work and do not delute the Jeweluster.
Make sure the tip of the toothpick you dipped into the solution does not drip once it is removed. Only dip the last quarter inch or so of the toothpick, but leave it in long enough to soak up the Jewluster.
Now, pick a spot on the coin in question. Gently touch the tip of the toothpick against the surface of the coin. Don't rub the toothpick on the coin, just touch it straight down so only the very tip touches and not the side of the toothpick.
YOu should end up with a very small pinprick of a dot on the coin. Under magnification of 30X power examine that speck.
If the dot has a small crater around it that bleeds into the rest of the coin, the surface has toning that aged and is probably, in all likelyhood, authentic.
If the dot does not have a crater effect but instead the color changes instantly from the coin's natural surface color to the toning color, you have a coin that has either been enhanced and the toning sped up, or the toning is chemical.
This will test coins that have been worked on in the past and up to about six months ago. The methods have since been improved and changed so as to make this test invalid on newer product, but if you have coins that have been in your possession for awhile and you question or doubt the authenticity of the color, the above should work well for you.
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Comments
And, according to the results, it's REAL toning.
YEEEHHHAAAAWWWWWW!!!!!! I'm rich, I'm rich!!!!!!!!!!
Russ, NCNE
BTW, Russ please quit messing with my future coin.
<< <i>BTW, Russ please quit messing with my future coin. >>
Sorry, I'm still having too much fun!
Russ, NCNE
I'm curious as to what would cause what you described to happen. I've seen many AT postings and have started a few myself and I'm always looking to learn more on the subject.
Thanks in advance.
Frank
Exactly what were the results?
GSAGUY
TBT