2004 ASE posted by cemonice

[CSJournals-migration]

AT or NT?

 

what do you guys think? AT or NT? i picked this up today. Coin shop near me, guy picked up a whole bunch of GEM ASE's different dates. This one stood out the most. I really liked the colors and i do NOT normally buy toned coins due to the fact that i cannot tell the difference between NT or AT all that well, so i could use some of your opinions. thanks

Nick

 

See more journals by cemonice

[noow]

NT

[rons]

I know nothing but think that its only been 7 years so I think AT. Just logical? thinking on my part as I truly don't understand the toning process except I believe that it takes more time. IMHO

[coinsbygary]

I think artificial, the lighter mottled toning gives it away. Artificial tone doctors use smoke to artificially tone coins and accelerate the natural process. I don't know positively if this coin is NT or AT, but something about this toning just doesn't look right and its in the speckled, mottled toning. IMHO

Gary

[Chris1976]

looks simular to someone holding a lighter to one edge of the coin, so I will guess its not natural toning.

 

-Chris

[CBC]

I would not rule out NT. I have several ASEs from the mid-90's that developed toning similar to this in less than 10 years, and I know it was natural because they were all new and white when I acquired them. My ASEs are all stored in the same box; some have toned, some have not.

[L1ncolnF4n]

AT.

 

As a rule of thumb, a naturally toned coin will have a regular color progression from light to dark. This coin goes from dark to darker, but even that pattern doesn't show the natural porgression of colors. Additionally the blotchy toning is unusual on a naturally toned ASE (not for all series, but for ASE at least) and is a sign that smoke was used (as mentioned above). Finally, a naturally toned ASE shouldn't have black spots (like carbon spots on a cent) as there's no copper in the coin (not enough to matter at least, and not exposed for that matter) so those flecks are another hint of chemical dripage or overexposure.

[S.TRZEBIATOWSKI]

Pretty clearly artificially toned and not done that well - look at water spotting where it was sooled after heating