NT v. AT

SanctionII

When I was a kid I was given two blast white MS 1943-D nickels. I placed them in Whitman holders. 35+ years later they have beautiful rainbow toning. Are they NT or AT? Please explain why in your answers. Human intervention (placing the coins in the albums) is present, as is a long time span. No intent to have the coins tone is present. Does human intervention and/or intent (or its absence) compel your answer?

Steve27

Any toning process which happens over a long period of time is considered to be NT; thus your coins are NT. Generally speaking "target" toning and "album" is caused by small amounts of sulphur, contained in the paper the albums are made of, and is considered to be NT.

Shamika

From a market standpoint, it's NT.

sliderider

I consider album/envelope/roll toning to be natural. Heating or chemically treating a coin to bring out color is artificial.

FrattLaw

I don't believe that intent has anything to do with the issue. I like toned coins. I own Wayte Raymond albums. I have many coins in WR albums and I hope they will tone nicely over several years or several decades. My intent is that with a little luck the coins will tone. I wouldn't consider them to be AT in 20 years. If you have ever seen album toned coins, you are well aware of the fact that only a few coins in an entire album will tone so that there would be a premium for the color if ever sold.

I think replication, time and human interaction are the real issues in regards to the whole NT vs. AT debate. Now if I took my Wayte Raymond albums and stuck them in the oven on a low heat for several days and applied moisture to the oven and the coins toned quickly then I think we have AT coins that will look market acceptable. And if I could continue this process so that 50% of the coins toned so that a premium could be had, now I think I'm a doctor and the coins are AT.

Michael

Baley

When I plug your data into my proprietary equation for determining AT vs NT (which takes into account the following factors: storage environment [this has many subcomponents such as contact materials, temperature and humidity fluctuations], length of time, intent [this includes initial intent, as well as if you are happy with the results, and also how many coins like this you have, and if you're trying to sell them for a profit], and appearance of results [as judged by consensus of experienced numismatists) I arrive at the conclusion that your coins are 89% NT

You lose the 11 percentage points for having more than one of each date (6 points), and calling the colors "beautiful" (4 points) and one point for the storage only being 35 years (only one point, as this is 3 standard deviations from the mean storage time, but obviously, longer is better and to not lose any "storage time" points, the coins must be stored the same since minted (original bags or rolls)

SanctionII

Baley, what a great reply. I am still laughing.

I thought about this some more and dredged out of my memory banks data on when I received the two coins. I stated 35 years+, it is actually closer to 40 years and may even be 41 years (I am 48, I started collecting at 7 and I received the coins as a gift when I was in early elementary school 7,8 or 9 years old). Mea cupla on using "beautiful" (Isn't "beautiful" so twenty minutes ago?) to describe the toning. I retract same and replace "beautiful" with the current adjective de jure. I do not know what this word is and I leave it to you and other forum members to eductate me on same.

With the above in mind, please rerun the data in your proprietary equation and recompute your conclusion. I so hope that your revised conclusion pushes me to 90% or more NT. Such a result will do wonders for my self esteem, my self image and my place in the world. I certainly would not want to be the owner of any coin that has more than a 10% chance of being AT. LOL, LOL.