Ode to Elevation Chromatics! (post your favorite elevation chromatics coin)

WingedLiberty1957 · October 13, 2016 12:56PM

1882-O Morgan Dollar (PCGS MS63 OGH)

"Pink lava flowing through and between green mountains"

WingedLiberty1957 · October 13, 2016 1:00PM

1886 Indian Cent (PGGS AU58)

Another nice example of Elevation Chromatics, but this time on an Indian Cent

PCGSPhoto · October 13, 2016 1:00PM

Cool

CascadeChris · October 13, 2016 1:19PM

Nice idea for a thread!

lkeigwin · October 13, 2016 1:38PM

WingedLiberty1957 · October 13, 2016 1:38PM

Another nice example! Not my coin though. This sold on Heritage a few years back I think for around $1900 or so. I was so tempted to bid on it, but it ran over my budget at the time.

Elevation Chromatics is most typically found on Morgan Silver Dollars due to that slow natural bag toning process. But it can be found (albeit somewhat rarely) on any series and denomination -- you just have to scan carefully and know what to look for.

dadams · October 13, 2016 2:08PM

I've always enjoyed the post below and have studied the "Monster Rainbow Toned Morgan Dollars" page on the Jhon E. Cash website numerous times and so thought I'd quote Sunnywood here:

@Sunnywood said:
"Elevation chromatics" is a term coined by Brandon Kelley on his excellent Jhon E. Cash Toned Morgans website.
If you follow this link, and go down to the section where he discusses AT coins, you will find it there.

Brandon Kelley's "Jhon E. Cash" website

Basically, he coins the term to describe two phenomena that are hallmarks of naturally toned coins.

One is the tendency of the toning in the recesses of the design (at lower elevation) to be at a lower toning level (i.e. less toned, which often means a different color in the progression) than the surrounding high points. On Morgans, this is often seen in the recesses of Miss Liberty's hair, inside her ear, inside the incuse letters on her coronet, etc.

The other is what we have more often called "the pull-away effect" in which an untoned "shadow" or halo is seen on the outer (rim) side of some stars and/or digits of the date.

Both of these effects are hallmarks of naturally toned coins, where the slow and subtle toning process emphasizes fine distinctions in surface condition. For artificially toned coins, the chemical and. or thermal processes used to create the color generally overwhelm these subtleties, and create more (locally) uniform color.

For anyone looking to buy toned Morgans, it's a great idea to read and study Brandon's website, and to be familiar with these ideas of lower toning in the recesses, and the pullaway effect, collectively called "elevation chromatics" by Brandon.

Best,
Sunnywood