Do you think the "toning craze" of the last few years came about because of the pretty col

TheLiberator

coins that were "untouched?" The reason I ask is I have recently begun appreciating toning from the perspective of knowing the coin hasen't been dipped. (At least in awhile anyway...! ) What do youguys think is behind the new appreciation for it in the last few years? I kind of think it is the "pretty colors..!"

Purple73

I think it gives them something new to Haggle over...AT/NT thing.

pharmer

I agree, colors. I think it has come as a revelation to a lot of people that incredible rainbows can occur naturally on coins. Then the other color combos get noticed. The colors/patterns probably are pleasing at a subconscious level too, so you keep going back to look some more. And then there's the uniqueness of each coin's pattern/color combination.

lordmarcovan

I don't totally understand it. Some folks may like the supposed "originality", but it seems toning junkies go for color, no matter what the toning itself looks like. Me, I gotta have symmetry and light pastel colors most of the time, if I'm to like toning. Sometimes I see a coin that has pretty colors but hideous toning.

The Franklin that Jeremy posted last night is a good example. Pretty colors, hideous toning. (Sorry Jeremy, but I think that is one of the fugliest things I have seen in a good while). But I'm obviously in the minority, as everyone else seemed to love it. Sometimes I just don't "get it". (The Morgan he posted I am neutral on- nice colors, but asymmetrical toning- I neither like nor dislike it- it's OK.)

mgoodm3

I like color and non-descript brown toning. I don't feel like a 150 year old coin should be white or fully red.

PuddlePirate

When I first started collecting years ago "toning" was a detriment to coin pricing. Now 20 plus years later its special and commands a premium. I have seen some horrid toned coins and seen some that take your breath away. In the end the "toning craze" will fade and the premiums will shift to something else. The craze is just a cycle, it may last awhile or it may not. Alot depends on exposure and hype (aka marketing).

Myqqy

I think part of it is having a coin with "originality", and people (like me) are attracted to the vibrant colors. Also, I do think that nice toning adds a bit of uniqueness to a coin, and sets it apart from white examples. It can also accentuate a coin's other attributes- for example, I really love pretty rim toning on cameo proof franklins, as the right kind of toning can add to the beauty of the cameo contrast...

morgannut2

I think originality has a lot to do with it, plus getting sick of dipped 150 year old coins that aren't supposed to be white.

Plus a beautiful colored coin that is also in superb gem is quite rare and always in demand.

0i812

I think perhaps the older methods of storing coins and them being brought to market may have influenced the recent craze. I am old enough to remember when toning was not an asset to selling a coin. You can often tell how a coin was stored by the type of toning....i.e toning around the rim=acidic paper from edge of a "press in "album or one side toning= cabinet flat storage (obverse up) etc.... the market would not be this hot for these coins if their was a great abundance of them currently available. I'm also curious to see what the future of toned coins is in light of the grab em' and slab em' mentality of the current market. If slabbing works as adervertised toned coins should not be as available in the future.
Mike

MrEureka

Even if the trend towards toned coins is exaggerated, it's not just a "craze". There has been a fundamental shift in the way coins are collected. On the Internet, the minor subtleties of a coin's surface quality (hairlines, etc) are more difficult to ascertain, making them now less of a focal point. By comparison, toning is much more easily displayed and viewed on the Internet, making that aspect of the coin more of a focal point. That has a real impact on buying habits and, consequently, values.

ccr

Just to put my two cents in, I perfer a toned coin with charecter. Charecter like in the scans of the coins I`ve posted and own. Preferable at least completely one side if not both sides as well. Not the best scans around but, I think one gets the gest of what I like. The Seated Quarter a dark brown and some gold peppered in it with the devices a light brown color. The Trade dollar has a similar effect along with good details for the grade. The Morgan Dollar I`ve nicknamed " Fruity Pebble ". The reverse is half toned in very dark with some reds but, mostly black ( a tad ugly for my liking ). The other half is a blue pearlescent type toning. But, the obverse really makes it worth while keeping and intend to keep for a long time.

So basicily " Toning " to me doesn`t mean anything if it doesn`t have some chareter to it. Toning is different strokes for different folks kind of thing and the scans I`ve shown I consider among my better/favorite toners I have.

zkcoins

There is definitely good and bad toning. I like Bright rainbow colors as well. I won't bu a tone just b/c it has color. It must be appealing as well, and a good strike doesn't hurt either.
Zach

michael

most/many great collectors after many years have gravatated to great toned coins or coins with extraspecial extraordinary qualities

i have seen this time and time again since the late 1960's and also in my case too

it is just like anyone who begins to play an instrument and goes thruogh high school and college and becomes more proficient and gets good at it and develops a style then the great compositions/songs ie toning comes into play it is just the journey of a true collector


it doesnot happen overnight but it is an upper part of the progression of a beginning collector to advanced numismatist/collector connasuier of pre 1955 usa federal coinage and especially moreso of pre 1945 federal coinage and the creme de la creme of usa federal coinage -------pre 1916 coins

michael

pharmer

Been gone all day with the wife, and caught up on some of the posts in this thread, and MrEureka's usual right-on-the-money comments put an idea in mind. Coupled with his points, it occurs to me that there are also a greater number of coins available to BE collected that are not of the perfect variety, perfect being ms66 and up without imperfections, whose sole selling point is color and pattern of toning. Lot more 63 and 64's around than 67's, and rather than languishing at the bottom of a box because of scratches or dings or tarnish, these babies are getting $1500 per every couple of weeks on Teletrade with the right toning, less for great color whose toning is not symmetrical or approximating a perfect rainbow, but still hundreds of dollars. The depth of that supply coupled with the new breadth of the marketplace convinces me this ain't no fad.

I also think that left to its own devices, this new market would have occurred long ago, people being who and what they are, liking pretty colors and originality. But since the suppliers only supplied one thing, white and shiny whether naturally or dipped, the consumer had no choice, but now does.

nwcs

I think the "toning craze" has been going on for more than the past few years. At least for the better and more exceptional pieces. The above average ones have ridden their coat tails.

Newmismatist

The toning "craze" is actually not new at all. There have been many astute collectors who have been quietly buying original eye-appealing toned coins for years. There are attractive toned coins and there are unattractive toned coins - the attractive coins seem to be well liked and sought after by astute collectors - If you don't believe that, just look at some of TradeDollarNut's nicest coins or Boiler78's beautiful patterns. There are also many attractive untoned coins, it's just that attractive toning adds to the eye-appeal of the coin, and not surprising, a collector will pay more for an attractive coin. All one need do is check out the prices realized from the recent Heritage auctions. Seems collectors who spend a lot of money want something that looks pretty. You might say that these are the people who vote "eye-appeal" with their wallets. Then again, an ugly rare coin may sell for a lot of money also - just not quite as much as it's pretty sister!

Lakesammman

A significant part of the toning "craze" is the desire for appealing original material that hasn't been screwed with. It's getting rarer every year and a good investment as a result.

cosmicdebris

It's all the baby boomers having flash backs and thinking they are really psychedelically cool to own for an investment for retirement.