AT WHAT POINT DOES TONING BECOME DAMAGE

DSH1963

I SEE A LOT OF UGLY MS66 AND MS67 COINS
MOSTLY ROOS. AND WASHINGTONS AND A FEW FRANKLINS
MORGANS AND COMEMS LOOK OK MOST OF THE TIME.

eagle7

When it gets so thick and ugly that you try to dip it, then it becomes damage because too much surface of the coin will be removed when removing the tone, killing the coins natural luster. Of course when the toning gets that thick and ugly, the natural luster is dead any way. Melt time!

keets

..........it really doesn't have to get thick at all. it can be very minimal and if it renders the coin unattractive or "ugly" it has done some damage. i see a lot of those franklins you referred to. i don't really care what the insert or writing on the 2x2 says, when they have that gray or brown mottled color i just glance right past them.

al h.

Ronyahski

I really like deeply toned coins. Deep toning is not the same as ugly toning in my book. A coin lightly toned in grays or browns can be ugly. The ability to dip a coin shouldn't be a parameter as to when toning gets ugly. I don't think toning actually "damages" a coin until the coin becomes burned, turning dark purple to black, and most importantly, impairing the luster of a coin.