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 Replies: 16 / Views: 5,882 |
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Valued Member
United States
275 Posts |
It is such a hot topic on ebay and in forums that I thought that I would try to tone a nickle. I took one out of my pocket and got out my propane torch and guess what happened? The coin on the left has a beautiful deep blue color and it only took less than a minute.   Edited by Mechman
04/12/2012 4:22 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1302 Posts |
ok. well, not that a circulated modern nickel is really a collectible- but whatever collectible value it might have had you've now wiped out.
There is a science behind toning because toning is a chemical process- but I don't think the point of collecting toned coins is to mutilate them yourself.
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Valued Member
 United States
275 Posts |
cc I agree with you. I just think that too many people are toning coins and representing them as natural. Obviously there are naturally toned coins but they are rare and most are not very appealing. As far and the nickel is concerned, it is still worth 5c at the store and $3.99 on ebay. I still love a natural Morgan. By the way it is getting more beautiful with age;-) Edited by Mechman
04/12/2012 6:13 pm
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
2448 Posts |
Ouch! You've moved to the dark side Skywalker!
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4897 Posts |
 to CCF! Quote:
it is still worth 5c at the store and $3.99 on ebay I'm sure you are joking about the ebay thing... Quote:
Ouch! You've moved to the dark side Skywalker! I collect darkside..nobody here likes AT either!  |
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21786 Posts |
I have turned an absolutely uncirculated copper nickel coin black by heating it to red hot. You put then put it back into circulation for someone else to scratch their head about it!
Actually, with very careful heating, a nice rainbow effect can be attained.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
9792 Posts |
I've spent a few hours as a young collector many years ago trying to understand artificial toning after attending an ANA Summer Seminar where Randy Campbell gave a great talk on AT and how to tell it from origianl toning. The best I've been able to do myself (only for research mind you, I never sold the coins I messed about with) was to bake a Morgan dollar in a potatoe, something about the starch I think combined with heat made a lovely looking coin from an average white overdipped morgan. "Buy the Book Before You Buy the Coin" - Aaron R. Feldman - "And read it" - Me 2013! ANA Life Member #3288 in good standing since 1981, ANS, Early American Coppers Member (EAC), Colonial Coin Collectors Club member (C4), Conder Token Collector Club member (CTCC), Civil War Token Society (CWTS) member, Liberty Seated Collectors Club (LSCC) & Numismatic Bibliomania Society member (NBS), USMex, Member in good standing, 2¢ variety collector. See my want page: http://goccf.com/t/140440 |
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Valued Member
United States
227 Posts |
I think its completely OK to tone coins that will remain your own. It's not natural, but if you like it and its your coin, whats the problem? Personally if I did do this to my coins I would make sure that anyone who inherited my coins knew what I had done to the altered coins (as well as which ones were original). I hate seeing the artificially toned coins on ebay even though they state it in the description. You could say they are being up front about it but seriously its like fine print compared to what sellers on ebay normally do for product descriptions (huge font, bright colors, repetition, etc). I personally think coins that are altered on ebay MUST state it in the description. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
8516 Posts |
Stuffed a coin in a baked potato....now I've heard everything, lol.  Oregon coin geek.....*** GO BEAVS ! ! ! ***
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
I've done numerous systems of toning coins. One is to use an Arc Welder with a bracing tip. The final blob, once a coin, has some really fantastic colors.  |
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Valued Member
United States
275 Posts |
Sour cream and chive on your potato...oh and watch out for the pit. It looks like a Morgan dollar  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
8516 Posts |
My dentist...."you chipped your tooth on a what" ? Oregon coin geek.....*** GO BEAVS ! ! ! ***
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
If your like a lot of people I meet, all you have to do is breath on a coin. Not sure if there would be a coin left but some of the people I meet at coin shows could really do a number on a coin with their breath.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
17884 Posts |
Quote:
I think its completely OK to tone coins that will remain your own. It's not natural, but if you like it and its your coin, whats the problem? The problem is it's not going to be yours forever. Quote:Personally if I did do this to my coins I would make sure that anyone who inherited my coins knew what I had done to the altered coins Well there are the first people who are now going to have to deal with the problem. And what about the people they get sold to? How are you going to tell them? And so on down the line? Quote:I hate seeing the artificially toned coins on ebay even though they state it in the description. You know some of those could have come from someone who inherited a bunch of artificially toned coins from someone that thought "its completely OK to tone coins that will remain your own". |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
Quote:
I have turned an absolutely uncirculated copper nickel coin black by heating it to red hot. You put then put it back into circulation for someone else to scratch their head about it! Do you let them cool off first? |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
19935 Posts |
Quote:
The problem is it's not going to be yours forever.
Sage advice from an experienced collector. What many young collectors fail to realize is that ALL of us are just holding coins for future generations. Eventually we are going to die, whoever gets the coins next is going to die.....we all die. Eventually, coins that have been damaged or altered by earlier collectors will fall into somebody's hands. WE SEE THAT TODAY! At one point, I believe the 50s/60s cleaning and polishing coins was all the rage. Everyone recommended it....arrrrggggg. |
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Replies: 16 / Views: 5,882 |
Posted 04/12/2012 6:11 pm
