TACO BELL NAPKIN COIN... THE LEGEND.... NEW PHOTOS ADDED
Bruceswar
Posts: 2,869
As some of the newer people have been wondering about how all this Taco Bell Napkin business got started and why it is sooo popular. As the originator of this I feel it need to spread some light as to how happened and the results. Thus why people like it sooo much and now recommend it for coins that need help. First lets start with the coin as I first got it back in Dec of 2005, Which I took the first photos of it on Jan 7th 2006
Then It was left on my desk for 2 months on the napkin I used to photo the coin. It started to get color. Then I took the napkin and wrapped it up with the coin inside. Put it in a Kraft Envelop and inside the cabinet it went.(Bathroom) There is a cup of water in the cabinet as well. Took a series of photos over about 6 months time. Which brings us to here..
Here is a series of pictures.
1st is on 1/7/06
2ndis on 3/28/06
3rd is on 5/10/06
4th is on 6/10/06
5th is on 7/31/06
6th is on 8/29/06
So I said I was stopping the expierment and put the coin in a 2x2 flip. About 2 months later I decided with new lights I wanted to photo the coin again. I took the coin out of the 2x2 and took more photos. I did not much care for the photos, but anyhow I put it then in a flip in case I got the urge to photo it again. Few months passed and the TNA Show came up. Showed the coin to a few people who liked it. Brandon Kelley of ARC said he thought the flip was not the best storage for it. So got home and took it out of the flip. layed the coin top of it. Sometimes thing on my desk get a bit cluttered soo somehow I managed to lose track of the coin again. Texas Heat in the summer, and no AC heated things up again when I was cleaning my desk off. Low and behold all the coins on my desk were fine, but this one had changed more. Here is how it looks currenly, since the next day I got an airtite for it...
This is how Taco Ball Napkin toning got started and how it grew on people. Many have tried it with diff results. Some have been posted while others have not been. This is the coin that started it all. Now Fire away with questions, comments, etc.
Then It was left on my desk for 2 months on the napkin I used to photo the coin. It started to get color. Then I took the napkin and wrapped it up with the coin inside. Put it in a Kraft Envelop and inside the cabinet it went.(Bathroom) There is a cup of water in the cabinet as well. Took a series of photos over about 6 months time. Which brings us to here..
Here is a series of pictures.
1st is on 1/7/06
2ndis on 3/28/06
3rd is on 5/10/06
4th is on 6/10/06
5th is on 7/31/06
6th is on 8/29/06
So I said I was stopping the expierment and put the coin in a 2x2 flip. About 2 months later I decided with new lights I wanted to photo the coin again. I took the coin out of the 2x2 and took more photos. I did not much care for the photos, but anyhow I put it then in a flip in case I got the urge to photo it again. Few months passed and the TNA Show came up. Showed the coin to a few people who liked it. Brandon Kelley of ARC said he thought the flip was not the best storage for it. So got home and took it out of the flip. layed the coin top of it. Sometimes thing on my desk get a bit cluttered soo somehow I managed to lose track of the coin again. Texas Heat in the summer, and no AC heated things up again when I was cleaning my desk off. Low and behold all the coins on my desk were fine, but this one had changed more. Here is how it looks currenly, since the next day I got an airtite for it...
This is how Taco Ball Napkin toning got started and how it grew on people. Many have tried it with diff results. Some have been posted while others have not been. This is the coin that started it all. Now Fire away with questions, comments, etc.
0
Comments
That final pic has really nice color. It would be interesting to send it to ANACS for a net grade and see what they say about the toning.
Recipient of the coveted "You Suck" award, April 2009 for cherrypicking a 1833 CBHD LM-5, and April 2022 for a 1835 LM-12, and again in Aug 2012 for picking off a 1952 FS-902.
Had an extra one and figured it would be fun
Box of 20
Utah I think ANACS would be ok with the color. Net Graded for sure. due to the scratches.
<< <i>Wow...
That final pic has really nice color. It would be interesting to send it to ANACS for a net grade and see what they say about the toning. >>
LMAO if it comes back with a label saying "AU55 DETAILS. TACO BELL NAPKIN TONED"
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars • Variety Attribution
Recipient of the coveted "You Suck" award, April 2009 for cherrypicking a 1833 CBHD LM-5, and April 2022 for a 1835 LM-12, and again in Aug 2012 for picking off a 1952 FS-902.
<< <i>
<< <i>Wow...
That final pic has really nice color. It would be interesting to send it to ANACS for a net grade and see what they say about the toning. >>
LMAO if it comes back with a label saying "AU55 DETAILS. TACO BELL NAPKIN TONED" >>
We have a new numismatic term....
TBNT = Taco Bell Napkin Toned.
Recipient of the coveted "You Suck" award, April 2009 for cherrypicking a 1833 CBHD LM-5, and April 2022 for a 1835 LM-12, and again in Aug 2012 for picking off a 1952 FS-902.
<< <i>Has anyone ever experimented to see what happens when you wrap a slabbed coin? I've heard that slabs aren't air tight, so theoretically....
If this was the case every slab could would be turning... all the toners would go black...
Sold it for $22 to a forum member recently.
<< <i>Sans the scratches, I think this is one of those coins that would fetch some pretty big bucks. If this were one of those AT or NT posts, I would vote NT. And if you look at my record, I vote AT most of the time. >>
I'm inclined to agree with Utah here. Beautiful color and seemingly market acceptable. I'm becoming more and more of a toning cynic. Yes, lots if not most of the 19th century coins out there should have natural toning of some kind on them but just how much are you willing to pay for these? Really quite disheartening.
Bruce, thanks for posting the results of this for us to share. Very eye opening.
However, I also have an SAE on a stack of Saturday Evening Posts from the early 1960s (theorizing that their paper content, dyes, inks, etc. should be similar to 1950s and early 1960s -era coin boards and folders). The SAE has completely toned. Brilliant burnt umber splashes across the reverse, and a mottled brown with concentric green circles on the obverse.
--Severian the Lame
<< <i>Sans the scratches, I think this is one of those coins that would fetch some pretty big bucks. If this were one of those AT or NT posts, I would vote NT. And if you look at my record, I vote AT most of the time. >>
BTW what would be stupid money for a coin like this??
<< <i>No A/c during the summer, sell your coins, buy a A/c unit. Geeze! >>
It was only out for 2 days... but it did get really hot fast..
and what coin doctors do to coins to get them colored.
hey guys, why not cut up a mint bag and put the mint bag cutting on both
sides of the coin.. then wrap in a napkin! yea, textile toning produced on demand!
how about tone it a bit then cut up a coin wrapper, so you can produce end roll
toning!
sigh.
collect what you like! :-P (cause someone will be sure to sell it to you for insane
profit)
The upshot is that toning should demand it's own premium, but should not be used to impute a value for originality of the coin.
I knew it would happen.
Coincidence??
JJ
Here is one with simmilar toning (not by me) slabbed by NGC.
I agree with a previous comment that those end-result colors sure look like A LOT of slabbed toned seated material I've seen.
<< <i>the number one reason not to pay extra for toning on coins, this thread
and what coin doctors do to coins to get them colored.
hey guys, why not cut up a mint bag and put the mint bag cutting on both
sides of the coin.. then wrap in a napkin! yea, textile toning produced on demand!
how about tone it a bit then cut up a coin wrapper, so you can produce end roll
toning!
sigh.
collect what you like! :-P (cause someone will be sure to sell it to you for insane
profit) >>
I agree , How is this NOT AT?
I've got a few silver eagles lying around that might make for a fun experiment with my kids - (they already love Taco Bell!)
Mark
Mark's Mattes
Mark's Cameo SMS Set
Mark's Non-Cameo SMS Set
I wrapped this one in a piece of a page from 'Numismatic News'...the areas where there is no toning were milk spots.
Interesting that the milk spots didn't tone. Does this mean that whatever causes the milk spots doesn't react with the toning agents?
My Adolph A. Weinman signature
Thanks for the thread and photos. I and others really appreciate it.
I've seen some photos before and filed it away in my brain, but sometimes my brain files get corrupted and deleted.
I've recently bought a huge collection that was begun many yrs prior to 1964. All the coins have been sitting in a huge old safe that was kept in humid NY for 50 plus years minimum. A lot of albums included. Lots of silver coins. NOT one single coin in the booklets or 2x2's are toned. Very few of the BU end roll coins have toning. Nothing spetacular. Thousands and thousands of coins.
Take a look at all the old auction catalogues and descriptions. I think the far majority of the toning is relatively modern phenomana that is AT. I'd never in a hundred yrs buy a monster toned coin with a premium. Purty, yes. AT, yes. The grading services are totally whacky on this. I can't send in an original coin without BB for the smallest of environmental damage, yet they slab thousands of AT coins. It's a total sham that the market has created. I don't blame anyone for using the Taco napkin, it's what the TPG's have allowed and it's become market accepted.
Thanks again for the reminder of your experiment. Really enjoy seeing the results.
I'm telling the wife that we are "making a run for the border" tonight for dinner
<< <i>I'm telling the wife that we are "making a run for the border" tonight for dinner
Usually to be followed by a "run for the bathroom" an hour later.
<< <i>Thanks for the thread and photos. I and others really appreciate it.
I've seen some photos before and filed it away in my brain, but sometimes my brain files get corrupted and deleted.
I've recently bought a huge collection that was begun many yrs prior to 1964. All the coins have been sitting in a huge old safe that was kept in humid NY for 50 plus years minimum. A lot of albums included. Lots of silver coins. NOT one single coin in the booklets or 2x2's are toned. Very few of the BU end roll coins have toning. Nothing spetacular. Thousands and thousands of coins.
Take a look at all the old auction catalogues and descriptions. I think the far majority of the toning is relatively modern phenomana that is AT. I'd never in a hundred yrs buy a monster toned coin with a premium. Purty, yes. AT, yes. The grading services are totally whacky on this. I can't send in an original coin without BB for the smallest of environmental damage, yet they slab thousands of AT coins. It's a total sham that the market has created. I don't blame anyone for using the Taco napkin, it's what the TPG's have allowed and it's become market accepted.
Thanks again for the reminder of your experiment. Really enjoy seeing the results. >>
Good point. I recently purchased a collection of 1000 MS-BU Morgans that were put away in early 1960s. Kept for 40 years in a floor safe in an unheated basement with no dehumidifer. (I'm in NC).
Only a handful had toning and none that would be called monsters. I also think a very large percentage of the monster toned coins on the market have been juiced to some degree. Even if you look at something like the Battle Creek coins obviously there was something about the enviroment where they were stored that accellerated their toning.
Keep in mind that when you have chemicals on the surfaces of a coin, it will continue turning, regardless of how it is stored. Thanks for sharing the results of your experiment. It can inform the uninitiated that not all AT coins are bright blue PF IHCs.
"Seu cabra da peste,
"Sou Mangueira......."
every treasure on Earth
to be young at heart?
And as rich as you are,
it's much better by far,
to be young at heart!
Check out my current listings: https://ebay.com/sch/khunt/m.html?_ipg=200&_sop=12&_rdc=1
Here are a few of my favorites.
At least I know how they were toned
Unlike the IHC I bought
Natural toned IMO
I got seven different Sac's all toning different.
dpending on the holder.
.
CoinsAreFun Toned Silver Eagle Proof Album
.
Gallery Mint Museum, Ron Landis& Joe Rust, The beginnings of the Golden Dollar
.
More CoinsAreFun Pictorials NGC
Here are a couple of the SAEs that have been sitting in my closet, on top of the USMint's Mint Set cardboard box (I have the modern ones stacked up and had some SAEs that were just placed on top).
Notice that the dust/air leaves little, untoned, pockets on the surface that doesn't allow for the "smooth toning"?
I like the smooth toning but I also like this one....it is in a cardboard holder, and has been for awhile, and then was just placed in open storage in the closet. Maybe I should start wrapping them before storing them in the closet so they are smooth?
This one wasn't in a holder but I like the toning as well....
I've been told I tolerate fools poorly...that may explain things if I have a problem with you. Current ebay items - Nothing at the moment
What is now proved was once only imagined. - William Blake
<< <i>Stack another SAE or similar size coin on top of the coin you are trying to AT, but shift it a bit, and the result will be a rather nice example of crescent toning. I have a great example. I'll try to post a pic later. >>
I don't have any ASE'S like that but I do have
1985 Mexico1Onza. I found them at my local coin shop sitting on top of each other like you described and they look like gold.
Very lustrous.
.
CoinsAreFun Toned Silver Eagle Proof Album
.
Gallery Mint Museum, Ron Landis& Joe Rust, The beginnings of the Golden Dollar
.
More CoinsAreFun Pictorials NGC
<< <i>I like toned coins that are still in the original mint sets. Raw coins with toning leads me to believe its been done by the person purposely like the examples above. I will not buy raw toned coins and pay a premium because its fairly easy to do yourself. Without knowing the true source of the toning it makes me feel somewhat vulnerable. >>
BTW this was started by accident then I ran with it.
<< <i>Bruce's coin as an eerie resemblance to the imo AT'd Gobrecht $ that made it into a 1st tier holder which was auctioned by Stack's not too long ago (that one had a puke-green hue). Bruce's coin looks more interesting with its toning, but I wouldn't buy a coin like that, irrespective of who might call it "market acceptable."
Keep in mind that when you have chemicals on the surfaces of a coin, it will continue turning, regardless of how it is stored. Thanks for sharing the results of your experiment. It can inform the uninitiated that not all AT coins are bright blue PF IHCs. >>
Sooo when does a coin cross the line from AT to NT? Perhaps say an older gentleman used a Taco Bell Napkin around a morgan he had been saving for some time to keep it from getting beat up, then it toned over time. Would that be AT as well? This coin toned over a period of about 1 1/2 years. Since the airtite the toning has stopped.
Original thread
<< <i>
<< <i>the number one reason not to pay extra for toning on coins, this thread
and what coin doctors do to coins to get them colored.
hey guys, why not cut up a mint bag and put the mint bag cutting on both
sides of the coin.. then wrap in a napkin! yea, textile toning produced on demand!
how about tone it a bit then cut up a coin wrapper, so you can produce end roll
toning!
sigh.
collect what you like! :-P (cause someone will be sure to sell it to you for insane
profit) >>
I agree , How is this NOT AT? >>
How is it not NT? Some coins look like this that sat in albums for years or in contact with paper. This coin was not cooked up over night. Took over a year and a half to get the color is has.
<< <i>You are all a bunch of coin doctors! Shame on you! >>
So because I am not as diligant as others in keeping track of all my coins on my desk I am now a dr? Interesting... BTW.. This coin is not for sale, and never meant for it to be, but I might run another expierment on ebay with it.