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toning on SA proof sets

jimmycjimmyc Posts: 63
in World & Ancient Coins Forum
I have a couple of South Africa 1960s era proof sets(non gold in orig. cases). In both cases the brass-bronze coins are heavily toned, the silvers have a light white haze, while the nickels are as fresh as the day they came out of the mint. Anyone know the cause of this? Could it be vinyl? Did SA proofs come packaged in it?(other countries used vinyl plastic for their proof sets during the 60s and 70s, I have such sets from Austria and Spain)
researching the"distinctive paper" LS SS Fracs and even bonds" most notably from the Wilcox era 1869-80

Comments

  • ajaanajaan Posts: 17,447 ✭✭✭✭✭
    The sets from the 60s toned ugly IMO. Very unattactive.

    DPOTD-3
    'Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery'

    CU #3245 B.N.A. #428


    Don
  • ccrdragonccrdragon Posts: 2,697 ✭
    the 60's sets are originally packaged with the coins laying in blue felt with a satin lining on top of the coins. Most of the cases also have a peice of tissue paper on top of the coins (between the coins and the top of the case). The combination of the three different materials causes the wierd and sometimes very ugly toning on these coins.

    As a side note, nickel is one of the least reactive of the metals used for coins, so most of the time all that happens to the nickel coins is that they develop some haze that can be removed with an acetone dip. Most of the sets that I have owned or examined from the 60's have some very heavy toning on the silver/brass/bronze coins with little or no toning on the nickel coins - tho I do currently have one set that has some very subtle toning on the nickel coins. This set was one of the 'gold' sets that has the red felt insert as opposed to the standard blue felt insert.
    Cecil
    Total Copper Nutcase - African, British Ships, Channel Islands!!!
    'Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup'
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