Another dumb question

dlimb2

Modern coins: Do people like them more white and pristeen or do they like them in the toning stage?
With them being silver I would think that time would tone them all even if graded. Am I right, or no. I would like to know how many of the old Morgans have remained so pristeen over the years.

braddick

<< <i>Modern coins: Do people like them more white and pristeen or do they like them in the toning stage? >>



Yes and Yes.

Stuart

I would like to know how many of the old Morgans have remained so pristeen over the years.

As for Morgans, there are a number of reasons why so many have remained white after over 100 years:

Many were not ever circulated, and were stored in bank vaults for decades, either in mint sewn canvas bags, paper rolls, etc.

Some of them which had acquired unattractive toning may have even been "dipped" (unabrasively cleaned in an acidic solution) to rejuvenate their white color, sometimes giving up a percentage of their original mint frost luster.

I'm sure that others will add additional insightful comments -- we're not a shy group

By the way: There are no dumb questions.

nwcs

For the most part, for many people, it's all about the eye appeal.

As for how many morgans and similar stayed white... Some were dipped, but many were in mint bags due to nonuse. The ones closer to the bag toned, while the inner ones did not tone due to being shielded by many other coins.

dlimb2

Stuart, Thank You for the kind words. So in reality all things including coins tone, no matter how you try to preserve them. So when I am looking a a white Morgan over 100 and some younger, I guess at one time I could speculate that someone has dipped it, for it to be as white as it is...and the degree of luster is the key. I saw a Frankie at the dealer, it was almost black and it had been graded, visually the coin was the ugliest thing I had ever seen and just looked nasty. how do they grade through all that tarnish and toning and would someone buy a coin looking that way?

dlimb2

nwcs, even though they were covered with surrounding coins, still there would be oxygen in the vault. I would think through all those years it would still tone...I guess none of use will ever really know...look how many years they were tucked away and then someone decided to find all those Morgans...I would have hated to have spent alot of money on some of those rare ones back then. OUCH.

nwcs

Oxygen isn't what tones it. It's the toning source chemically bonding to it. Specifically the sulphur used in the making of the mint bags. The more protected the coin is from that toning source, the more likely it'll be white. Many people have opened mint bags even recently of Morgans and found white coins in there.

Stuart

I saw a Frankie at the dealer, it was almost black and it had been graded, visually the coin was the ugliest thing I had ever seen and just looked nasty.

dlimb2: Whatever you do on this forum, don't ever let LucyBop see the above quote from your post below. ... But it is kind of funny...

Stuart

dlimb2: Humidity and temperature also have a catalytic impact on the toning process as they can accelerate the chemical reaction between the sulfur within the canvas material of the mint bag, or in the paper roll that the coins were stored in.

Lots of times the end coins in the roll are darkly or vividly toned and are sometimes pretty, and sometimes not so pretty. While the coins in the center of the roll and the inside face of the edge coins are pristine.

dlimb2

Stuart, I think she would agree on the beauty of that heavily tonnned Frankie.