Do rainbows grow??

MoneyLA · February 4, 2003 5:45PM

Maybe my eyes are playing tricks on me (after all Im past 50 years old now) but it sure looks like my recent rainbow crossover proof is adding more color since I got it back from pcgs.

It was in a ngc slab, and had it crossed and since I got it back the rainbows appear to be larger and even brighter. Not right away-- but after a couple of weeks.

Okay, before I commit myself -- has anyone else had a similar experience? Is this even possible? Or should I chalk this up to a former alien abduction that I fail to remember consciously?

cheers, alan mendelson

Steve27 · February 4, 2003 8:18PM

It's hard to imagine that toning could occur in such a short period of time. However, if the coin was dipped and improperly neutralized prior to being encapsulated by NGC, then it's possible. Hopefully this is not the case, because it could continue to rapidly tone to an undesireable color.

MoneyLA · February 5, 2003 2:56AM

This coin had rainbow toning when I got it in the NGC slab. What Im seeing is that the rainbow toning is still growing -- covering more of the coin now, and still in attractive bands of color. Weird. cheers, alan mendelson

quattrocoins · February 5, 2003 1:17PM

Alan,

I have witnessed this same phenomenon on a few Washington NGC crackouts. One is a '44-S that was blast white with just a wisp of light metalic royal blue along the bottom left obverse periphery. After sitting for a year in a PCGS holder and in a safe deposit box, that wisp of light blue has become a thick dark blue cresent that covers almost 1/3 of the obverse.
I also cracked-out a few proofs that had thin rings of gold/copper/magenta/blue along the reverse rims, surrounding blast white centers. These rings seemed to have widened and intensified since being transfered into the PCGS holders, and the Eagle sides are becoming awesomely rainbow-rim-target-toned.

Don

Rainbow Proof Washies and

Steve27 · February 5, 2003 7:52PM

I wonder if the plastic in the PCGS slabs is outgassing. Does anyone know what type of plastic is used in the slabs?

Bear · February 6, 2003 12:51AM

Alan- It should be obvious to you by now, that coins just naturally like you.

In fact, it seems that coins will do anything to please you , like expanding a rainbow. Bear

MoneyLA · February 6, 2003 7:31AM

Bear, I think Im going nuts -- but this rainbow is growing daily.

Quattrocoins -- thanks for the info.

cheers, alan mendelson

littlewicher · February 6, 2003 7:50AM

I have a fully toned blue and purple jefferson nickel. When I first got it, it was gorgeous. But now, about 8 months later, it's starting to turn to a really dark purple, almost a black.

MoneyLA · February 6, 2003 9:34AM

Littlewicher, you raised an issue that I have been very concerned about. We are told that coins are always in a state of toning. Does this mean that eventually all toned coins will be toned to black? In this forum, some have suggested that being in the air tight slabs the toning process stops. As I have experienced with this one coin -- recently reslabbed from NGC to PCGS -- it appears that the toning process continues (or looks that way). Now, should we wonder/fear/enjoy the continuing toning of other coins? cheers, alan mendelson

MoneyLA · February 18, 2003 4:01AM

Update on Feb 18th: the coin is now in my safe dep box and the rainbows have GROWN and become more intense. It's not my imagination. Hmm... what could have happened when it was crossed from the NGC slab to the PCGS slab??? cheers, alan mendelson

littlewicher · February 18, 2003 4:22AM

<< <i>Littlewicher, you raised an issue that I have been very concerned about. We are told that coins are always in a state of toning. Does this mean that eventually all toned coins will be toned to black? In this forum, some have suggested that being in the air tight slabs the toning process stops. As I have experienced with this one coin -- recently reslabbed from NGC to PCGS -- it appears that the toning process continues (or looks that way). Now, should we wonder/fear/enjoy the continuing toning of other coins? cheers, alan mendelson >>

I'm not an expert on toning, but some forum members have said that eventually some day, all toned coins will be black. I don't know if that is true or not. However, from what I understand, if the compounds that are causing the coin to tone are neutralized, the coin won't tone anymore. My deep blue/purple almost black Jefferson isn't in an airtight holder, and it continues to get darker. I don't know how I can stabilize the coin, I have been thinking about putting it in my intercept shield box. To explain your rainbow could get a little harder. I was thinking that maybe some kind of compound could be on the coin's surface which is continuously making the rainbow grow.

MoneyLA · February 18, 2003 6:30AM

Littlewicher wrote: "I was thinking that maybe some kind of compound could be on the coin's surface which is continuously making the rainbow grow."

I think you might be correct -- and when the coin was released from the NGC slab, the "new air" allowed the toning process to resume.

Any other thoughts?

cheers, alan mendelson

WalkerGuy · February 19, 2003 1:06PM

I don't have any evidence on the toning, however, I see coins that are nearly 200 years old toned quite spectacularly that are not black. I have many Walkers in the older holders that have not changed at all. Seems the comments on growing toning were with coins NGC to PCGS, and here I am only commenting on the change of holder, not the service.
It would be a nice question to PCGS as to the reactivity of the holder's plastic over time.
One of the folks here on the registry gave a very specific answer on the characteristics of plastic, I think he was a chemist. Does anyone remember him or the thread?
Dick

solid · February 19, 2003 2:52PM

Alan,

I could see new air restarting the toning process when the coin was cracked
out, but it seems that it would slow down after a short period.

It would be interesting to see before and after photos of any coins changing
over time! Maybe we should all start taking photos every year (every month???)
of our toned coins...

Ken

P.S. You haven't been storing that coin in any warm/sunny places, have you?

MoneyLA · February 19, 2003 6:36PM

Ken (Solid) wrote: "You haven't been storing that coin in any warm/sunny places, have you?"

Hi. don't know if you're joking or if this is a serious question but no-- the coin was kept away from sunlight and was left on my dining room table for several weeks, away from any heat source. As I said in a previous post it is now in my bank safe dep box which is usually cool, very dark, and still.

I will visit the coin again sometime in the future and report back.

In the meantime I would like to know if anyone can report on the PCGS slabs, their reactivity (is there such a word?) and what might have happened during the crossover process to let the toning grow in size and intensify in color.

cheers, alan mendelson

Do rainbows grow??

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