New to collecting: what's your take on patina /toned coins?

[jjrpilot]

Hey all!

I've always hung out in the sports card section and just recently started to read about coins especially the patina or toned silver coins.

Do any of you collect those? I know the ones that are toned naturally are much better than the ones that are artificially toned etc.

Do any of you collect toned stuff?

[ychui1]

I do not really collect them but I do know a have a few somewhere. They are definitely different and they usually look really nice.

[rnocards]

Originally Posted by jjrpilot

Hey all!



I've always hung out in the sports card section and just recently started to read about coins especially the patina or toned silver coins.



Do any of you collect those? I know the ones that are toned naturally are much better than the ones that are artificially toned etc.



Do any of you collect toned stuff?

I'm just getting into them, trying to learn more about these toned coins. The ones in the graded slabs, like NGC and PCGS, look really nice, and they are true natural tones. I believe the professional graders do not assign a number grade to artificially toned coins.

It's harder to figure out on the raw coins though, which makes it a harder decision whether to buy these coins, not knowing for sure if the color tones are natural or artificial.

[Rictor]

So natural (unintended) toning happens when silver coins are stored for a long time in old bank bags or cardboard albums and the chemicals from those items interact with the silver.

Artificial toning happens when you give coins a chemical bath or otherwise treat them to create toning.

Then there natural (intended) toning where you improperly store coins on purpose in a way that you know will cause toning, such as wrapping them in an old manilla envelope for a year or two.

It can be attractive (to some), but then others prefer their silver pure white. I'd never pay extra for it personally.

[jkk503]

I mostly steer away from them. While a part of me likes the look, the rest of me assumes that for every decently naturally toned coin there are probably ten artificially toned, and that someone's jacking the price because that would be the reason to tone them artificially to begin with.

I'm actually more likely to go for somewhat blah natural toning, because at least I doubt anyone did that in their kitchen.

[rnocards]

Originally Posted by jkk503

I mostly steer away from them. While a part of me likes the look, the rest of me assumes that for every decently naturally toned coin there are probably ten artificially toned, and that someone's jacking the price because that would be the reason to tone them artificially to begin with.

I'm actually more likely to go for somewhat blah natural toning, because at least I doubt anyone did that in their kitchen.

Do you buy them graded?

[jkk503]

Originally Posted by rnocards

Do you buy them graded?

I don't generally buy them at all. The one time I did, it was a proof LHN (rather a nice one, 1891, PF-65) and it just happened to have rose toning. I'd have bought it without the toning. I did not pay a premium for the toning, at least as I estimated the value.

[blackbears86]

I'm a fan of toned coins. The grading companies DO make a distinction if a coin has been artificially toned.

Sent from my motorola edge 5G UW (2021) using Tapatalk

[smackvay]

I love toned morgan dollars, buy cheap ones and learn real from fake toning as you dont want to learn an expensive lesson

Mike

[blackbears86]

Originally Posted by smackvay

I love toned morgan dollars, buy cheap ones and learn real from fake toning as you dont want to learn an expensive lesson

Mike

Agree Mike: For some reason, I just like the bigger coins to show off toning, like Morgans/Peace dollars. The smaller toned coins don't do it for me.