Toned or not?

Sylvestius

What's your stance with regards to toned coins? Do you like subtle toning, monster toning, very colourful toning, blue toning, grey toning, or do you like the coins bright without it?


Well my stance on this subject is a bit unclear.

With silver coins i tend to like grey toning and blue toning, failing that i like a gorgeous bright white mint bloom... (i got a picture of a gorgeous shilling to illustrate this!) I really love white coins... [pity i had to part with this beaut]





With copper i don't mind some copper that's lost it's lustre and has a chocolate brown appearance, but my favourite has to be the 100% bright shine of freshly struck ones.

I avoid monster toning and rainbow toning like the plague, and most other colourful toning for that matter, especially on silver.

ajaan

<< <i> Toned or not? >>


Yes.

ColinCMR

I like toned and bright white, depends on what I'm looking for.

ccrdragon

It actually depends on the coin itself... sometimes I do and sometimes I don't. If the tone enhances the over-all appeal of the coin, then I say go for it, but I will not pay multiples of bid to just to get a coin that has a few sploches of color on it. I also do not like coins that look as if they have the measles (spotty toning is ugly JMHO).

laurentyvan

If the coin is original, I like white just fine. Otherwise, original natural toning is mother nature's art and I love it.

wybrit

I prefer white, but not whizzed white.

If it's not white, rim toning or subtle coloring will do.

trozau

or not

Teg

The best, for Brit copper, has to be BU UNC full lustre - no toning (perhaps my being red/green colour (not color)blind) does not help! Just love full red colour. Not logical - sometimes a toned steely grey farthing can look superb.

Aethelred

For me it depends very much on the coin in question. If we are talking about a silver coin, I would rather have a toned specimen than one that is untoned provided the toning has positive eye-appeal. With copper it is hard to beat a full red coin!

cosmicdebris

This picture says it all

spinaker2000

<< <i>(perhaps my being red/green colour (not color)blind) does not help! >>



Teg, are you related to Aethelred???

ajaan

<< <i>Teg, are you related to Aethelred??? >>


Oh NO! not two of them.

python

I like toned coins as long as they have eye appeal.

Aethelred

<< <i>(perhaps my being red/green colour (not color)blind) does not help! >>



Those of us who are color (or colour, I don't care) blind are taking over. The rest of you had better step aside or be crushed, if you don't step aside just wear green and we'll never see you!

MacCrimmon

Well, certainly "red" copper always brings a premium, but for the right price I like it in all shades as long as it swirls with booming lustre.

Most 1887 silver to mid Geo. V which is stark white is, IMO, dipped. Given the climate in the UK, I don't see how it could be otherwise.

Many of the superb, original toned pieces which I've acquired tend to have a subtle rose to violet colour in the centers, going to reds, yellow, green towards the peripheries. As long as the coin has 90% unimpeded lustre shining forth, I'll vote for toners.


Send me a PM if you have a date run of bobs like this one....

joecool

Rainbow toning......

Askari

It depends on the coin. I do not like the greys or browns or violets on silver. A little pale pastel color of gold, rose or blue is what I find most appealing. On copper or bronze coins, either full BU "red" or a dark, rich brown is most attractive.

I get even more picky on art medals. Bronze varies considerably and the individual patina has to be judged against the individual medal's design. Bronze is such a complex metal that it can produce a wide array of hues and what looks good on one may look atrocious on another. I think most medal designs look best in bronze, but some look better in gilt, and a few appear best in silver.

Clankeye

I have made the classic progression in my numismatic life from not liking toning (or understanding it) to seeking only toned coins (because I thought it gave coins character) to a new found appreciation for wonderful white coins as well as toned coins.

I am one of these that likes some original toning that other people do not in fact find attractive. I pretty much am distrustful of something like NCS--don't like the idea of conserving coins--unless it's an extreme and necessary case, and hope that in the future alot of misunderstood coins will have there day in the public court of happyland coinville.

Happyland Coinville is a happy place too, don't knock it if you haven't been there. People are very friendly.

Clankeye

oldshep

I like whatever has good eye appeal, some "toned" coins do not have a good look where others have a beautiful blend of colors that make the coin alive.
Shep

williamdtipton

well, not to sound too naive about the whole thing.......but whats the thing with toning anyway?

Are toned coins more valuable ?

I mean, they look kinda neat from what ive seen on this and other sites.

Do folks just collect cause of the looks or are they considered more collectable / rare toned?

Clankeye

<< <i>Are toned coins more valuable ? >>



Well, William sometimes, yes.

On the liteside (American coins) recently an Oregon commemorative that was wildly toned sold for $69,000. The usual price of the coin in the grade it was slabbed in (PCGS 67) is around $2000. That premium was totally for the toning.

That is an extreme example.

But, certain toning can send the price of a coin through the roof.

Clankeye

JohnZ

Clank's got it right as usual. In the end beauty is always in the eye of the beholder.

For instance, I've had some blast-white girlfriends and some deeply-toned ones, and I loved them all.

Apples and oranges.

SYRACUSIAN

<------------- look here

Sylvestius

<< <i>Most 1887 silver to mid Geo. V which is stark white is, IMO, dipped. Given the climate in the UK, I don't see how it could be otherwise. >>




I beg to differ, there is quite alot of blast white specimens out there going at least back to George III (I've seen older ones too), these are usually the specimen that have been stored in cabinets, somewhere dark and cool.

I see a whole load of Victorian coins that are blast white and have not been dipped. (Jubilee head ones especially), but i've seen gorgeous blast white gothic florins too, and there's nothing quite like a white gothic!

I think i fall into the pre-1816 i want grey/blue toning, (but not so it looks like it's been dropped in oil at the side of the road), even toning is best.

Post 1816 the whiter the better. (altrhough i do have some nice grey ones).

Askari

Welcome to the forum, William!!


I would further point out that the extreme valuations for toned coins is more a recent American fad and usually only for US coins. The premium for non-US coins tends to be much smaller.

Clankeye

William--

Here is a picture of a toned Vatican coin that I found at a local coin store:




Now, do I value this coin more for it's dramatic toning, than I would a white example of the coin? Yes, I do.

But, I know some people would not. With toning, it pretty much comes down to a private conversation with yourself how much you are willing to put out above and beyond to own a particular coin.

Clankeye

Cougar1978

Not a toner fine - like brilliant with super luster.

John Conduitt

Wow. This thread is 20 years old. Those coins must have toned pretty well by now.