Toned Coin Question

Here is a link that explains toning and what to look for. The text is also from that link.

http://rg.ancients.info/guide/toning.html

To be fair, collectors have legitimate cause for being concerned about some toned coins. In his video How to Tell Artificial Toning on Coins, available for loan from the American Numismatic Association, Campbell says the following are AT tip-offs:

Circular toning spots resulting from the beading of the toning liquid that was used.
Colors that blend together out of sequence. With naturally toned coins, the progression is yellow then magenta (pinkish red) then cyan (blue-green).
Toning that appears only on the tops of the lettering and devices and not in the coin's recesses.
Wild "circus" colors -- on 90 percent silver coins, for instance, army green, bright pumpkin orange, and robin-egg blue.

According to PCGS's book Coin Grading and Counterfeit Detection, the following are other indications of artificial toning:

The toning floats on the surface of the coin rather than having depth and being bonded to the metal.
The toning occurs over hairlines or other marks.
The toning exhibits bright "crayon" colors.
The toning has a yellow-brown, smoky appearance, indicating it was caused by cigarette or cigar smoke.

Unfortuantely for toned coin lovers such final statements are not always completely true. There are in reality many types of toned coins that may or may not be AT. I've known dealers that have had AT coins toned and as NT or so not mentioned as AT. The reason is the toning in some instances are almost NT. For example if you take a coin and place it somewhere, where you know it will tone over time, is it AT or NT? If you purposely place any coin in a situation where toning occurs, is that AT or NT? My favorite place is on a kitchen window sill, on the inside of course. Over a period of time, and pending how much cooking is done and the type of cooking, a coin will tone and again this is pending on the amount of cooking in that room, the amount of air circulating, Southern or other exposure, etc. I've taken some coins that were harshly polished and after a little work with Acetone, Laquer thinners, Alcohol and othe solutions, got rid of most of the polished appearances. Then laying on a kitchen window for several weeks to a few months has toned them down to almost normalicy. Again, where does AT start? Where does NY leave off?

Perhaps this is all too rare, but I seem to remember someone posting a while back about a dealer who was able to tone coins that were already in holders. Don't really remember who, but I would assume that the holders are not necessarily foolproof either.

Carl,,

I would think if a coin in a holder starts to tone or spot the chemical, or foreign substance is on the coin when it was encapsulated, I can see this happening as far as I know the coins are not cleaned before slabbing...?

Tony

Just mt Two Cents, I read up on the subject a little before and I guess there is actually a liquid you can buy to tone coins. There were a few ways to kind of tell but the one I remember most was that with the liquid it was hard to get the greens which from what I understand is what people seem to like the most. I googled it and found quite a bit of info on it.