I was told that some coins have unusual toning - particular copper - as a result of being stored in locations where there was a great deal of tobacco smoke. Picture the old chain-smoking guy running the coin store in the 1970s....
Two of my grandparents were smokers. That tar and nicotine from tobacco smoke form a sticky film on metal surfaces. I believe that both are slightly acidic. So it wouldn't surprise me at all if tobacco smoke interacts with coins.
Also, I can attest to something similar happening to books. I purchased a somewhat rare coin book whose previous owner was a chain smoker. The stench of cigarettes pervaded every page! I ended up leaving it outside in the sun open to a new page each day, but even now some fifteen years later, there is still a slight smoke smell to it.
"If you climb a good tree, you get a push." -----Ghanaian proverb
"The danger we all now face is distinguishing between what is authentic and what is performed." -----King Adz
During the late 80's & early 90's I used to frequent a shop run by a couple of smokers. The younger guy smoked cigarettes and the older guy that specialized in ancient coins smoked cigars. I guess I'm lucky as I haven't noticed any ugly toning on anything I purchased from them. (On a side note, if he had been able to talk me into buying a copy of the book he wrote on Franklin halves.....it probably would have had an odor)...LOL.
Many years ago, as part of my job, I went to a car dealership to talk to the owner. His secretary was sitting at her desk with about a half dozen Morgan dollars in front of her, and she was smoking and deliberately blowing the smoke onto the coins. I thought to myself, "I know what you're doing." I remember reading that the cigarette smoke will tone the silver, but as alluded to above it will be toned a brownish color which I don't think is going to add value, probably the opposite. I myself tried leaving a Morgan dollar (of low value) on a piece of construction per on a window sill that was exposed to direct sunlight for several hours a day. It was there for about a year to no effect.
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Posted 08/30/2024 12:23 pm
