Proof set toning

Billet7

I bought this set a while ago, mostly because the Nickel was soooo beautifully toned that I just couldn't handle it. It doesn't show up in the pics, but it has a halo of blue and purple, very attractive...just take my word for it. Additionally the other coins are also toned, the silver coins have some brownish toning, and the cent has some orange and yellow toning.

Now the question, did these coins tone in their current holder or were they in a different holder that caused them to tone, then transferred to this plastic holder (Capitol Plastics?)

I don't have much experience with this type of holder, do they cause toning due to degassing or something?

Billet7

TennesseeDave

Those look like proof coins,as stated on the holder.

Billet7

Sorry, I meant Proof Set...thanks for the heads-up.

Coins911

FYI it didn't come from the mint in that holder

ModCrewman

Looks to be pretty typical Capital Plastics toning, they make some pretty coins.

coinsarefun

Yes, very typical when proof coins are put in the Capital holders.
Some tone really nice

I have a bunch of them

golfer72

They may have toned in both places. Many Jeff nickels ( esp early 60's) tone in the Mint soft plastic wrappers.

BillJones

The silver and the cent almost certainly toned in the Capital Plastics holder. The nickel may have toned in the mint package.

Many years ago, during my first incantation as a coin dealer, I had a large number of flat pack Proof sets from the 1950s and '60s. One set had a blue toned nickel in it. At the time such sets were viewed as "culls" so I decided to cut it up and sell the coins as singles. When I cut into the nickel packet, a strong smelling gas emerged. My conclusion was that that some how the stuff the mint used to seal the flat packs had been trapped in that spot and toned the nickel.

In case you have never seen one, this is the flat pack style of Proof set packaging the mint used from mid 1955 until 1964. The 1965 Special Mint Sets can in something similar.

keets

absent holes in the Mint cello or breaks in the seals between coins the Cent and Nickel are usually the only coins which tone. the Nickels will tone blue, pink or other shades, mainly monotone but not always. the Cents tend to appear lighter than what we'd expect to see a copper coin look like, but over the entire surface. past that i'd say whatever color is present is from time spent in the Capital Holder.

keep in mind that this is based solely on my observations and i certainly haven't seen all that's possible.

Billet7

Thanks everyone, answered my questions perfectly.

Billet7

How does PCGS view these coins? Are they hard on grading the nickels and pennies? I would imagine the silver certifies without many problems, but what about the blue nickels? Can you submit these coins for certification in the Capital holder? Would that make any difference?

BillJones

With all due respect to your abilities as a photographer, it’s really impossible to say what PCGS will say about those Proof coins. To be honest the half looks like it may have dipped and is now a little dull, but that observation could be totally wrong because the angle of the picture. The coin could be totally original and perfectly okay with just a little toning.

At any rate I would not bother to get these coins graded by PCGS because it’s just not worth it. The only Proof coins that are worth the certification fee from the mid ‘50s to ’64 are the really high end cameo pieces that have super frosted – mirror contrast on both sides.

Billet7

The pics are terrible...totally agree. I'm not planning on certifying them, if I thought the cent would go a high grade then I would think about it. I was just trying to understand what is acceptable to PCGS and what isn't. Honestly I don't really collect anything even remotely close to this stuff, so this was a learning experience. I bought it for less than the silver value, and I thought the nickel was very nice. I mostly do early copper, bust and seated quarters. Most of what I send PCGS is circulated, so this is something new for me.

GrumpyEd

The cent looks like it's the small date variety.

coinsarefun

This is a 1956 proof set that is in a black Capital holder. I think it has been in for a long time and toned
while being in the holder.









I also picked up a 1953 proof set in a pink and white swirl color plastic holder
and the Franklin toned

AuroraBorealis

Cool 56 set coinsarefun... Great year... Nice 53 too...

AB

etexmike

I had several coins tone while in the old capital plastic holders. I liked the way they looked.


Mike