Will an AT coin turn black faster than an NT coin?

NoGvmnt

The following is from Legends/Lauras "Dealer wannabe" topic on her website:

" Another example of a horrible incident I saw recently was a collector bought a "wild" colored commem from an internet dealer (in fact it was through a chatroom meeting). The coin was definately wild. It so wildly ARTIFICALLY toned that the coin displayed PL surfaces-when it should not. The dealer had NO clue. The collector now owns a coin that not only will be black in a few years, but certainly will wipe out his investment. Want that to happen to you? NO!"


With this in mind it appears Laura is advising against purchasing "wildly ARTIFICIALLY toned" coins.

My question is, will an "artificially" toned coin turn black faster than an equivilently "naturally" toned coin?

And if not, wouldn't it be hypocratical of Laura to demand a premium for the toning on the 1864 PCGS MS 68 3-cent silver that is currently in her inventory considering it too will eventually turn black and will therefore be worth less than its current purchase price?

Jim

rainbowroosie

I do not advocate buying AT coins, but they won't turn any quicker than NT....maybe less inclined to turn because of their origin.

sliderider

I generally try to stay away from all toned coins, unless it's very light and doesn't interfere with the luster shining through. Once they start to become thick with toning and you can no longer see the shine underneath, it's time to move them along to the next guy or dip them.

MrSpud

It may depend on how they were AT'd or how they were NT'd. If the source of the toning is still present it could continue to tone faster than one that doesn't have the original source present. For example, if the coin was exposed to a chemical and still has some residue on it that continues to react for an AT, or if a coin is in an old album that has sulfides in its paper for an NT one. I would imagine that a coin with residual toning agents on it would darken quickly if such a coin gets exposed to heat and/or high humidity. Both an AT or an NT coin would probably darken if exposed to new sources of toning though even if the original source wasn't present.

Dog97

If it artificially toned that much that fast it stands to reason it will turn black just as fast.
Even if it is removed from the chemical that toned it the residue is still present in the layer of oxide on the coin so it won't stop toning.
IMO.
Now watch one of the chemist guys blow that away.

Higashiyama

NoGvmnt,

Your question presumes that naturally toned coins will eventually turn "black". (or at least continue to tone until they are much less attractive than at present)

This is not the case. In fact, many beautifully toned coins have been removed from the environment which caused them to tone and are very stable. They will look very similar 50 or more years from now.

The chemists on the board can verify this, as can many of us who have owned nicely toned coins for 30 - 40 years.

BigE

A dip with chlorine can make a coin turn black------------------BigE

Myqqy

wouldn't it be hypocratical of Laura to demand a premium for the toning on the 1864 PCGS MS 68 3-cent silver that is currently in her inventory

I don't see any hypocrisy in advising people to avoid AT coins, while looking for a premium on an attractive, slabbed, MS coin that is NT.....

nwcs

From what I have heard, AT will always turn black faster than NT. But NT can usually be stopped if the coin is stablized. AT may not stop.