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Is It Possible That This Toning Is Natural

Started by Chippewa,

22 posts in this topic

Chippewa

Chippewa

Posted
Posted

In the upcoming Superior Auction there is a 1926 Oregon in a PCGS MS67 holder. The scan (at least to me) screams AT. Has anyone seen this coin before and are there any opinions on whether this can be natural??

 

1926 Oregon

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TomB

TomB

Posted
Posted

I think the colors are off on the image. It looks like a coin with real toning that has had the gamma value changed on the image prior to loading onto their site. I would think this might be done in an effort to maximize the effect of the toning, however, the pink-purple hue that I see on my screen makes it look AT. If this color is a little more brown in-hand then I think the coin is genuine.

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LucyBop

LucyBop

Posted
Posted

Holy Smokes!!!!

 

I sometimes can spot AT rather easily and other times I wouldn't know it if it hit me on the head.....

 

For whatever reason PCGs slabb'd this one......

 

I think its gorgeous!

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Wihlborg

Wihlborg

Posted
Posted

From the image, the coin does look AT to me. However I have seen a large number of images of toned coins in both NGC and PCGS holders from Superior Auctions, and in every case they have looked AT to me. I believe as TomB has said that the reason for this is because the colors are exaggerated in their images.

 

John

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jom

jom

Posted
Posted

Here's an example of what can be done with photos.

 

test2.jpg

 

OK, I'm not the greatest artist but still....if you are good at these things you can really "cook" up a good picture. laugh.gif

 

jom

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sanmary

sanmary

Posted
Posted
I always take my photos in natural sunlight.... I come very very close to capturing the true colors...

 

44-3.jpg

 

The photo looks AT, but until the coin is seen...who knows. Sunlight? I never thought of that. Thanks for the tip Lucy..we have plenty of that here in Denver. I've had a hard time getting the right lighting and all I have to do is go out on the deck!

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reid1836

reid1836

Posted
Posted

What exactly would you consider to be natural toning ? Some say natural toning is that which has occured over a period of many years . To some natural toning is that which occurs without the aid of an accelerant. In my opinion all toning occurs due to one catalyst or another . Albeit old album toning due to the sulfer in the cardboard, or setting in a cabinet drawer exposed to the chemicals of the varnish and glues, or perhaps just the hodge-podge of sulfers and acids in the air. Natural toning I suppose would be any of the above mentioned that would occur over a period of years and not days, weeks, or months. It has been my experience that what I consider to be natural toning does not produce a neon like color spectrum. But rather a darker more blended color scheme. So after my long winded dissertation, my opinion is that the coin has been artificially toned with the use of an accelerant. wink.gif

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Hoot

Hoot

Posted
Posted

I've got to agree that it looks AT, and I'd be worried about further changes in the holder. Pretty though shocked.gif.

 

I simply love toned coins, classic commems being high on my list, but I'm beginning to be so wary of the AT issues that I'm turning more and more to look at coins with less, not more toning, unless they simply SCREAM! NT. frown.gif My concern is that the AT processes will continue to change the coin negatively as time passes. How can a time-accelerated process not have such effects?

 

1373.JPG

1373R.JPG

 

Hoot

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truthteller

truthteller

Posted
Posted

I talked to a dealer who confirms this oregon is from the Speier collection that DeFalco assembled years ago. The color has not changed since 1985. Without seeing the coin firsthand, I'm a bit torn between AT and NT. However, now that I know the pedigree, I will say NT for now.

 

 

TRUTH

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Hoot

Hoot

Posted
Posted

Well heckfar truth, there you go again, casting doubt in the minds of the feeble wink.gif. Thanks for the input. Your numerous posts, however, on AT'd commems has made me more wary than a polecat!

 

popcorn.gif Hoot

 

Edited to correct the spelling of "heckfar" grin.gif Sorry truth...

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jom

jom

Posted
Posted
Arrrggghhh. 893frustrated.gif Another word which I couldn't find in the dictionary.

 

What's a dictionary? 893scratchchin-thumb.gif

 

jom

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braddick

braddick

Posted
Posted
I talked to a dealer who confirms this oregon is from the Speier collection that DeFalco assembled years ago. The color has not changed since 1985. Without seeing the coin firsthand, I'm a bit torn between AT and NT. However, now that I know the pedigree, I will say NT for now.

 

 

TRUTH

Let's dispell the notion that all AT turns in the holder over time. This is simply not true. Amount of time spent in a Service holder is not a valid conclusion toning is real or not so.
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shylock

shylock

Posted
Posted

Mike posted about this coin a couple of years ago in one of the many great threads started by Braddick (in the other forum). The subject was 'your best coin purchase ever':

 

"The neatest coin I ever bought was a superb 1926 Oregon Trail half-dollar with mesmerizing, mind boggling, wild vibrant rainbow iridescence that I purchased in 1985. It later appeared as one of the cover coins for the Mid-America 1987 FUN Auction catalog. I paid $1,000 for it at the time (bid was $250) and immediately resold it to collector Eugene Spier. Gene consigned it to the FUN sale where it realized $5,000 plus! If you want to see one of the most beautiful toned coins in existence, visit my website and click on "Current Offerings" where you can view this beauty at the top of the page. By the way, I've had numerous recent inquiries wondering if I have access to it (sadly I don't). One collector offered me $10,000 for the coin if I could get my hands on it. Anyway, that's the coolest coin I ever bought regardless of price or rarity.

 

Best Regards,

 

Mike De Falco"

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