Why are some high graded coins so ugly?

GottaGetCoins

Some are all discolored and stained and very ugly. What constitues good coloring, or is all coloring good?

ConstellatioCollector

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I personally don't appreciate toned coins as much as most but, if we all liked the same things this world would be awfully boring.

GottaGetCoins

Are toned coins considered better? I have seen rainbow coins that look great but some just look like rust...is that all good?

Skipper53

"coloring". or "staining", or "tarnish", or "toning" can add or detract from
a coin's value or grade.
Some toning can be attractive to some collectors and can bring a premium.
Con-artists will artificially tone a coin and make it worthless.

If a coin is ugly to you, DON'T BUY IT !!!
Collect what is attractive in your eyes because you're
the one who sees it most.

Coinosaurus

I completely agree. There are a lot of MS65 dogs out there. A certain national firm had an 1872-S quarter in gem a few years back. Incredibly rare coin. Sat forever and didn't sell. When I finally saw the coin in person I understood why. No matter what the price, it was not an attractive coin.

Even the big boys get this. I talked with someone awhile back about a certain coin (well into six figures on this, OK) and they were trying to explain to me why this coin looked better than what everyone else thought. It was kinda wierd, because it was very much a one of kind coin (nothing even close to it in the pops), the finest known by far, and in that sense it sholdn't have mattered what the coin looked like. But it still did to this collector!

Bear

Lately, every kind of discoloration is called beautiful toning.

Once you see what constitutes magnificent toning, you will

know instantly, what real toning should look like from the tarnish

garbage that is being hyped.