Can someone define patina for me?

haletj

Like how they use it in auction catalogs...

Russ

On eBay and Teletrade, it's a fancy word for haze.

Russ, NCNE

nwcs

Patina is usually used to refer to the surface toning/oxidation/protective layer a coin has acquired.

coppercoins

In technical terms, patina is a crust that takes a long time to form and it's found on ancients, usually cleaned off with a mild acid.

For artists, a 'patina' can be a color that something has taken on, so some collectors use the term to describe 'toning' - same term to some.

Bear

It is a term that can cover a multitude of crimes and meanings. On silver coins, in its finest sense,

it can mean the finely oxidized skin, that gives the coin a beautiful ,old ,subdued luster of well cared for

silver. It can also mean haze, crud, ugly toning and just about anything else that is in addition to the origonal

surface of the coin.

sinin1

for sellers, patina is a fancy word that should make the coin worth at least $5 to $50 more

jbsteven

is this worth $5 to $50 more?

stman

<< <i>is this worth $5 to $50 more? >>



Nope, why? well because it appears to be in a NGC holder.

DMWJR

Patina? As in Patina Jones? -- don't know her . . .

islemangu

I think on silver it's a reddish/brown/gold mix toning, like shades of rust. The light even skinned ones are nice, especially on barber halves.

Gilbert

I have taken it to mean "the appearance an item takes on with age" and so, similar to but not always synomous with "original but aged."

It appears that in coin sales, it has taken on a somewhat differing meaning - that of "I cannot adequately describe the unflattering color(s) ", so I'll call it "patina".

TWQG

Technically, it refers to the oxides of copper.

mgoodm3

rust. (word used non-specifically for all metals)

Russ

Here's an eBay or Teletrade example of patina:



This would be called "a lovely milky blue patina gracing otherwise immaculate surfaces".

BTW, that's an example of what vinyl flips will do to proof coins.

Russ, NCNE