What causes this type of toning on a Lincoln?

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Manorcourtman
Manorcourtman Posts: 8,472 ✭✭✭✭✭

Any ideas?

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  • Dave99B
    Dave99B Posts: 8,947 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    @291fifth said:
    Improperly mixed alloy?

    Agreed. I love the woodgrain look on Lincolns.

    Dave

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  • davewesen
    davewesen Posts: 6,985 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    My idea is the rollers during the production of the sheets (before planchets punched out) start to wear resulting in slight roughness and imperfections pre-strike.

  • BLUEJAYWAY
    BLUEJAYWAY Posts: 11,798 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Reminds me of "Deep Purple".

    Successful transactions:Tookybandit. "Everyone is equal, some are more equal than others".
  • emeraldATV
    emeraldATV Posts: 5,249 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    I have 2 coins with the toning similar in color to your 1926 cent.
    I have photo's of the entire coin, although an in hand photo was faster showing a sectional image.
    A copper and yellowish look are seen in hand with the copper as the week color.
    I'll look for the full images if needed .

    .

  • PeakRarities
    PeakRarities Posts: 4,858 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Has it been proven with any scientific evidence that what we refer to as "woodgrain toning" is the result of an improper alloy mixture? That just sounds like a broad explanation considering the range of coins exhibiting that type of toning. What exactly is meant by improper alloy mixture, and how does that happen? Are we saying that when the different metals are alloyed and cast into ingots, it's just not mixed enough? And then when it's rolled out, the inconsistency results in elongated areas where the alloy is different?

    It's just someone fascinating because of the dramatic differences, how are some rolls so poorly mixed and why couldn't they remedy the problem sooner? Would an XRF show a notable difference from one shade of color to the next on the same coin? Is it something to do with different melting points of copper, nickel, tin, or zinc? Ou could it be the annealing process or post strike environmental factors that have a larger effect? Hmmm...🤔

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  • asheland
    asheland Posts: 24,545 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    It’s a pretty cool look that I like.
    My 1909-S has it, although very slightly…

  • WaterSport
    WaterSport Posts: 7,065 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    And because the level of copper vs brass mixture is varied it is subject to different levels of reactions to the exposed chemicals that tone them.

    WS

    Proud recipient of the coveted PCGS Forum "You Suck" Award Thursday July 19, 2007 11:33 PM and December 30th, 2011 at 8:50 PM.
  • PerryHall
    PerryHall Posts: 47,760 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    How does the copper coin marketplace treat woodgrain toning? Do copper coin collectors generally treat it as a positive, negative, or as a neutral attribute?

    Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
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  • Mr_Spud
    Mr_Spud Posts: 7,272 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    https://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v12n11a07.html Here’s an article about woodgrain toning

    Mr_Spud

  • lilolme
    lilolme Posts: 2,993 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Here are the error ref .com listings for improper alloy mix and for a similar type of thing, inclusions and slag.

    https://www.error-ref.com/improper-alloy-mix/

    https://www.error-ref.com/alloy-errors-intrinsic-metallic-inclusions/

    https://www.error-ref.com/alloy-errors-slag-inclusions-3/

    Note that these 'stretchings' or streaks are said to be caused by the rolling of the ingot into the sheet form.

    The CONECA definition.


    .
    .
    A coin world article on slag inclusion that did an analysis of the peace dollar.

    https://www.coinworld.com/news/us-coins/peace-dollar-coin-world-numismatics-coin-collecting-lamination-contamination-solder.html

    A previous (2018) thread from RWB that went into a similar request for analysis of a coin(s). I have used the link to a comment from Insider2 that stated ANACS was told by the mint technology (Dr Hunter) that this was due to improper alloy mix.

    https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/comment/12029185/#Comment_12029185

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  • davewesen
    davewesen Posts: 6,985 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Why would improper mixing cause streaks and not splotches?

  • GaCoinGuy
    GaCoinGuy Posts: 2,869 ✭✭✭✭
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    Nothing to add that hasn't already been stated about what caused the toning, but I will say that that is one very purty Lincoln.

    imageimage

  • PerryHall
    PerryHall Posts: 47,760 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    @PerryHall said:
    How does the copper coin marketplace treat woodgrain toning? Do copper coin collectors generally treat it as a positive, negative, or as a neutral attribute?

    Anyone?

    Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
    "Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
    "Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire

  • 2windy2fish
    2windy2fish Posts: 1,143 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    @PerryHall
    In my experience certainly not negatively, as a matter of fact i have run across a few collectors that specifically build sets out of them or just buy them for their eye appeal. Uncirculated coins can be especially attractive.
    As a side note the 1864L Indian cent seems to come up fairly often as a Woody.

  • coinbuf
    coinbuf Posts: 12,577 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    @PerryHall said:

    @PerryHall said:
    How does the copper coin marketplace treat woodgrain toning? Do copper coin collectors generally treat it as a positive, negative, or as a neutral attribute?

    Anyone?

    It is really a personal preference, I personally tend to avoid wood grain toning for the most part but do have a few in my collection. It can be difficult to find many of the 1909 coins without what I call a speckled or wood grain look. I find the speckled look to be particularly difficult to photograph, Mark Goodman took this photo of my 09 S over horizontal S.

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  • Cougar1978
    Cougar1978 Posts: 10,067 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited June 23, 2025 7:08PM
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    Saran Wrap toning

    Investor
  • Barberian
    Barberian Posts: 4,643 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited June 23, 2025 7:25PM
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    Poor purity and mixing of alloys have been problems with other coins in the past. Here's a coin with iron inclusions above the foot, beneath the left wing, and perhaps elsewhere where there is very dark toning.

    1840-O WB-11, 146 reeds (R6)

  • BLUEJAYWAY
    BLUEJAYWAY Posts: 11,798 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Some of the streaking reminds me of a meteor shower.

    Successful transactions:Tookybandit. "Everyone is equal, some are more equal than others".
  • PerryHall
    PerryHall Posts: 47,760 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    I must admit that I didn't like woodgrain toning when I first encountered it but over the years it has grown on me and I now like it since I now understand what caused it. Woodgrain toning gives a copper coin character and makes an otherwise boring copper coin interesting and unique.

    Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
    "Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
    "Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire

  • Cougar1978
    Cougar1978 Posts: 10,067 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited June 25, 2025 12:44PM
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    OP coin - It appears to be tarnish from an old 2x2. Could heat have been a culprit?

    Do you think it would straight grade?

    Investor
  • Manorcourtman
    Manorcourtman Posts: 8,472 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    @Cougar1978 said:
    OP coin - It appears to be tarnish from an old 2x2. Could heat have been a culprit?

    Do you think it would straight grade?

    I don't have plans to have it graded but I'd assume it would straight grade. I was just curious what the Lincoln experts thought about it the streaky tone. I have seen woodgrain tone on many occasions but never like this! For $15 I could not resist buying it!!

  • GaCoinGuy
    GaCoinGuy Posts: 2,869 ✭✭✭✭
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    For $15 I could not resist buying it!!

    Don't blame you!

    imageimage

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