Toning A Couple Early Date Bust Halves

I'm not a fan of intentionally altering a coin for any reason or by any method, unless it's to preserve it for the future. What is the intent here?

What do you do with terminal case coins coinfrog? Jewelry pieces, holed, polished, ground dug and dateless coins?

I dipped a dateless Seated Liberty dollar in silver test solution and now I know that it is an 1844. Other people use Nik A Date on terminal Buffalo nickels for the same reason. Right now I have a number of these terminal cases on keychains, rings and in my pocket. They'll never improve, and as such I'm not interested in preserving them in pristine condition. For me cleaned coins fall into a grey area - some are worth preserving untouched, and others are way beyond that. The polished 1843 Eagle in my pocket will always be shiny beyond any hope of collectability, but it will always be an 1843 Eagle. Same with the heavily chopped Trade dollar in my belt buckle.

They're the only coins I can carry around without worrying about spoiling them. They are what they are. Old money. Like the old Buffalos and Lincoln cents I used to fill Whitman albums with. Finding them was the challenge, without regard to their condition.

The intent is to hide the cleaning marks or other marks to obtain a higher grade and profit on resale. Most collectors do some type of surface alteration on coins for example, spot cleaning, conservation, dipping, storage toning, etc. The coin doctor line is crossed when heat or chemicals are used to accelerate toning to hide surface imperfection or create artificial color to obtain a higher grade or profit. On the 1807 the coin went from a F15 Details cleaned to a possible straight grade VF because the cleaning lines disappeared with the accelerated heat toning. The OP has demonstrated a simple process to accelerate toning to hid cleaning marks that may fool the TPG's or collector's buying raw toned coins.

Every year or so I polish a couple of English sterling display spoons, just as previous owners have done for the last 300 years. I don't want the rainbows and tarnish.

It's peculiar that what makes the spoons unattractive is exactly what coin collectors desire. In circulation the coins didn't look this way. It's the effect of being stored for a hundred years, away from light and pocket wear. Out of daily use a coin develops an unnatural appearance. I avoid blotchy looking high grade slabs because the coins look awful, like the unpolished spoons. An MS66 grade doesn't fool my lying eyes.

The appreciate the opinion @Slider23. It is good to draw the line when one becomes a "coin doctor." Here is my response to some of your statements, and hopefully we can collectively come to a consensus through civil discourse.



My intent was clearly stated in my last message, no strings attached. Certainly not to deceive and certainly not to make profit. These coins will be staying raw and not sent to a TPG and resold.



I suppose I do not fall under your definition because I am not trying to make a higher grade or profit.

By your definition, actions done by a coin doctor:
-Dipping a hazy modern silver commemorative (chemicals used).
-Using ANY type of paper containers (wrappers) to store coins (chemicals: sulfur found in paper).
-Utilizing NGC or PCGS conservation services, which nearly everyone here recommends (chemicals).

You cannot define artificial color.

There is a reason why the term "coin doctor" has no formal or agreed definition with the numismatic community. I am sure the vast majority of everyone here has fallen under your definition of coin doctor.



This is where I would disagree with you, because you are assuming the coin was graded correctly the first time. I aim to purchase many bust halves in ANACS holders because they are undergraded and often do not deserve the details designation they were offered. I recently picked up an 1836 bust half in AU-50 Details Env Damage that has a simple drift mark (minute planchet flaw) and think it would grade a straight AU-58. ANACS tends to misgrade bust halves more than other TPGs. I do not think this coin was cleaned, just basic circulation chatter that is only natural on any coin AU-58 and below. Additionally, no lines disappeared. They are still visible.

Above was your comment after toning on the 1807 that was disturbing. I can only judge the coin on the photos and most of the hairlines were not visible on the after photo. There is a scratch on the 1812 above the eagle's head on the after photo it looked more like a mark than a scratch. I have no problem with you doing toning experiments to gain knowledge, and I will take you at your word that you have no intentions of selling deceptive toned coins for profit.

If you were to ask me last year before I toned the coin, I would say it may straight XF-40. This coin has good luster which was slightly dimmed down in the toning process. Looking past strike weakness as wear, the coin now matches many VF-35 examples. A grade is a grade...

If I picked up the coin on the left and said, I think this could be a 58... would you be disturbed?

If I picked up the coin on the left and said, I think this could be a 58... would you be disturbed?

Yes, it is disturbing that PCGS could grade the same coin at VF35 and AU58, but that is another topic.