Toned Buffalo Nickels

[newprepper]

I came across a couple Nickels the other day with what looked like blues and greens on them. I hadn't seen any like that before. Is this very common?

[physics-fan3.14]

No, it is not common. It happens occasionally, and can sometimes be very attractive. Some members here have a number of examples. Buffs tend to tone in more pastel colors.

 

Post pictures here, and we can give you opinions. I've seen plenty of AT buffs, including some certified by top TPGs.

[newprepper]

They were in a shop. I don't have 1 was 2.50 the other 4 bucks, maybe i'll get them just to have, they were in flips and it was real hard to see them real well

[ldhair]

This one is probably AT.

[copper toning]

Here are the pics of a few toned buffs. Color is rare on these and the toning on the 14-s and 15 is not the normal pastels you will see.

 

There are several folks here with the pastel buffs I think jom is one of them. Perhaps you should start a post your toned buff thread.

 

 

 

 

 

[newprepper]

Next time I'm there I'm just going to get them, they were cheap

[jom]

Copper toning's coins are as real as it gets. I love the 15P!

 

I've owned a few over the years but I've sold off many of them (one exception is my avatar). Personally, I stay away from pastels (like the green and pink) I've seen...most of those I've seen are Jefferson's but still....I had a tendency to avoid those. The best way to look for "real" toning is find the tight-rainbow look...often circular.

 

Here are a couple:

 

 

 

jom

[newprepper]

Thanks all, where they were had horrible lighting, they were in flips that had a lot of reflection, looked like cool color, for 6 bucks, I won't be out anything, I'll get them probably after the new year and post some photos unless they are just pure junk.

[rmpsrpms]

Here's my blue and green 34P

 

[newprepper]

now I'm really interested to get them in some good light and see how they stack up. Nice buffs all

[delta]

Thanks and congrats to "copper toning" for posting photos of those remarkable buffalos he discovered. I wonder if anyone can suggest an explanation for how those brown-toned buffalos acquired their coloration?

[e1cnr]

Thanks and congrats to "copper toning" for posting photos of those remarkable buffalos he discovered. I wonder if anyone can suggest an explanation for how those brown-toned buffalos acquired their coloration?

 

the toning that comes in lines and strips comes from 2 things

 

1- rollers of metal strip getting the strip to correct thickness before punching planchets

 

2- copper/nickel rato differences in certain areas of metal during the planchet preparation

[robec1347]

I sold this T-2 proof about 3 years ago.

 

[AstroTrain]

I'm always on the search for nice toned buffalos---seems like I never find good ones. There are some great ones listed here!

[delta]

Thanks, but what about the solid brownish coloration as in the 1914 and 1936 shown above by "copper toning"?

 

Thanks and congrats to "copper toning" for posting photos of those remarkable buffalos he discovered. I wonder if anyone can suggest an explanation for how those brown-toned buffalos acquired their coloration?

 

the toning that comes in lines and strips comes from 2 things

 

1- rollers of metal strip getting the strip to correct thickness before punching planchets

 

2- copper/nickel rato differences in certain areas of metal during the planchet preparation

[delta]

This thread might've gotten more comments were it instead in the nearby US coin forum rather than numismatic general ----- several toning-related topics recently appeared there with lively discussion.

 

The question still remains unanswered: why do we so relatively often find buffalo nickels having turned a more-or-less solid brownish in color?

 

What caused it to happen, what conditions of storage, what kinds of treatment, acting on what underlying properties of the coins? I'm not referring to the so-called wood-grain pattern of toning, which although probably related in terms of the general acquisition of surface color, can be attributed to the action of heavy rollers on the metal sheets from which planchets are derived.

 

Here are four observations relative to the solid brown coloration of buffalo nickels:

 

1. They don't seem to have been deliberately cooked up because you can find them even in piles of cheap ordinary low-grade buffalo nickels for no extra premium.

 

2. I don't recall seeing quite the same coloration on Liberty or Jefferson nickels, and even then it is very much less common.

 

3. The published books about buffalo nickels are silent on the topic.

 

4. I often find this coin coloration extremely attractive, and it may even be considered appropriate to the subjects involved. The natural skin color of certain native American indians can be similar. The American bison has a brownish coat which typically varies from light brown in summer to dark brown in winter

 

 

[MarkFeld]

This thread might've gotten more comments were it instead in the nearby US coin forum rather than numismatic general ----- several toning-related topics recently appeared there with lively discussion.

 

The question still remains unanswered: why do we so relatively often find buffalo nickels having turned a more-or-less solid brownish in color?

 

What caused it to happen, what conditions of storage, what kinds of treatment, acting on what underlying properties of the coins? I'm not referring to the so-called wood-grain pattern of toning, which although probably related in terms of the general acquisition of surface color, can be attributed to the action of heavy rollers on the metal sheets from which planchets are derived.

 

Here are four observations relative to the solid brown coloration of buffalo nickels:

 

1. They don't seem to have been deliberately cooked up because you can find them even in piles of cheap ordinary low-grade buffalo nickels for no extra premium.

 

2. I don't recall seeing quite the same coloration on Liberty or Jefferson nickels, and even then it is very much less common.

 

3. The published books about buffalo nickels are silent on the topic.

 

4. I often find this coin coloration extremely attractive, and it may even be considered appropriate to the subjects involved. The natural skin color of certain native American indians can be similar. The American bison has a brownish coat which typically varies from light brown in summer to dark brown in winter

 

 

Regarding "why do we so relatively often find buffalo nickels having turned a more-or-less solid brownish in color?" I'm not certain, though the ones displayed in this thread certainly look natural/original to me. It also seems to me as if the brownish color is more likely to be seen on examples with somewhat subdued luster than on those with blazing luster. Curiously, how does that jive with the observations of everyone here?

 

That said, sometimes when a nickel coin is dipped (and not rinsed properly), the result will be brownish and/or orange-ish areas of color.

[copper toning]

You are correct the luster is subdued by the toning. Not sure why or what if anything this means.

 

I do know I have wanted to submit the 14-s for grading, but the subdued luster and dark appearance without a light source has held me back.

[newprepper]

I went back today and got a better look at them, it was some wierd lighting or reflection causing the colors, some of them were a golden color but had some grey/silver spotting on them,however, there was a 36D and 37D that had a beautiful golden toning that looked to be unc, he had quite a few with the golden toning

[coinman_23885]

I went back today and got a better look at them, it was some wierd lighting or reflection causing the colors, some of them were a golden color but had some grey/silver spotting on them,however, there was a 36D and 37D that had a beautiful golden toning that looked to be unc, he had quite a few with the golden toning

 

Golden toning and silver/gray are very common on these. Other colors also exist, but are less common. Buffalo Nickels can also come in more diverse colors too. Here are a few of mine that I have put together over the last 2 years.

 

1913 PCGS MS67 5c Type I

 

1937-D NGC MS66* 5c - The color looks even better in hand.

 

 

1934-D NGC MS64* - The color in this picture also looks better in hand, and the toning is not brown at the periphery as the photo suggests but it contains several other colors. The color is also much stronger on the reverse in person.

 

 

 

1917 Raw

[newprepper]

Why is the 1917 still raw?

[jom]

Coinman: Great ones there!

 

I went back today and got a better look at them, it was some wierd lighting or reflection causing the colors, some of them were a golden color but had some grey/silver spotting on them,however, there was a 36D and 37D that had a beautiful golden toning that looked to be unc, he had quite a few with the golden toning

 

To check whether the coin is unc make sure you inspect the Buffalo's hip...

 

Why is the 1917 still raw?

 

The color looks real from the photo so if it got "bagged" it was for something else....I think. Then again, maybe Coinman didn't want to send the coin in...

 

jom

 

 

[newprepper]

I'll be reading up on my ANA manual before I go back

[MarkFeld]

Coinman: Great ones there!

 

I went back today and got a better look at them, it was some wierd lighting or reflection causing the colors, some of them were a golden color but had some grey/silver spotting on them,however, there was a 36D and 37D that had a beautiful golden toning that looked to be unc, he had quite a few with the golden toning

 

To check whether the coin is unc make sure you inspect the Buffalo's hip...

 

Why is the 1917 still raw?

 

The color looks real from the photo so if it got "bagged" it was for something else....I think. Then again, maybe Coinman didn't want to send the coin in...

 

jom

 

 

The color looks questionable to me.

[coinman_23885]

Coinman: Great ones there!

 

I went back today and got a better look at them, it was some wierd lighting or reflection causing the colors, some of them were a golden color but had some grey/silver spotting on them,however, there was a 36D and 37D that had a beautiful golden toning that looked to be unc, he had quite a few with the golden toning

 

To check whether the coin is unc make sure you inspect the Buffalo's hip...

 

Why is the 1917 still raw?

 

The color looks real from the photo so if it got "bagged" it was for something else....I think. Then again, maybe Coinman didn't want to send the coin in...

 

jom

 

 

The color looks questionable to me.

 

I think it might be the photograph, but if you don't mind, would you explain what makes you question the color? I would appreciate the opportunity to learn, especially since most of my experience with toners has been with silver. And as always, any help is appreciated.

 

With regards to the questioned posed to me, to my knowledge it has never been to a third party grading service. I was preparing to send it end under an economy submission in a couple of weeks (I am still waiting on a few other raw coins that I purchased).

[newprepper]

Thanks CM, good luck with the submission, looks like a good one to me

[MarkFeld]

Coinman: Great ones there!

 

I went back today and got a better look at them, it was some wierd lighting or reflection causing the colors, some of them were a golden color but had some grey/silver spotting on them,however, there was a 36D and 37D that had a beautiful golden toning that looked to be unc, he had quite a few with the golden toning

 

To check whether the coin is unc make sure you inspect the Buffalo's hip...

 

Why is the 1917 still raw?

 

The color looks real from the photo so if it got "bagged" it was for something else....I think. Then again, maybe Coinman didn't want to send the coin in...

 

jom

 

 

 

The color looks questionable to me.

 

I think it might be the photograph, but if you don't mind, would you explain what makes you question the color? I would appreciate the opportunity to learn, especially since most of my experience with toners has been with silver. And as always, any help is appreciated.

 

With regards to the questioned posed to me, to my knowledge it has never been to a third party grading service. I was preparing to send it end under an economy submission in a couple of weeks (I am still waiting on a few other raw coins that I purchased).

 

It could be the way the coin imaged, and it might be my eye or mind playing tricks on me. But the color just hits me the wrong way, And, while perhaps it shouldn't matter, the toning looks unusual for a 1917.

 

I'm not convinced it's unnatural, I'm just not convinced that it is. Sometimes that's the way it is and I'm not ashamed to admit it.

[jom]

I think it might be the photograph, but if you don't mind, would you explain what makes you question the color? I would appreciate the opportunity to learn, especially since most of my experience with toners has been with silver. And as always, any help is appreciated.

 

Now that I look at it a bit more Mark might have a point. The color does seem to spread out from the usual "tight" rainbow. Then again, I can't tell you how many splotchy (not rainbow-like) toned Buffs I've seen in TPG holders. I suppose you can give it a shot and see what they say.

 

jom

[newprepper]

I remember something in another thread about color progression, these both appear to have the same to me. Am I understanding it right?

[physics-fan3.14]

The color looks questionable to me.

 

No more questionable than any other rainbow toned buff posted in this thread. For the record, I consider all rainbow toned nickel as questionable.