Rookie question about toning

[scroll]

I just got a whirlwind mini education on the damage wood can do even inside a slab thanks to a thread I read on the PCGS board about their wooden boxes. This enlightenment has got me to thinking about the general question of toning. At what point might a collector want to send a perfectly good graded slab to conservation?

 

I have an example. This 1946 Roosevelt FT looks ok to me today, though I'm still pretty much a blast white collector at the moment. So is bad toning when you start seeing black spots? What are bad toning signs??

 

After reading the wood discussion I ordered PCGS plastic boxes to store my better coins in. The article mentioned something about putting shinny pennies in the vault with the coins to reduce the odds of toning. Should these be copper or will any penny do?

 

Thanks!

[kryptonitecomics]

I don't really believe in conservation of coins so I can't imagine a scenario where I would send in a slabed coins to be dipped etc by NCS.

 

With that being said, if a coin exhibits unattractive toning (typically black and splotch) that would make it difficult to sell then a dip may be the only option.

 

Remember there are a lot of collectors they prefer original or toned coins, so leaving the coin as is is not necessarily a bad thing. The picture of the coin you attached looks to be a nice coin that I would not touch. Why take a chance on losing some luster or having the coin downgraded

[michael]

if you want to put cents into a safe deposit box in a bank vault so that any gases first react with the cents and are neutralized as such before they get to your slabbed coins

 

you need to use pre 1982 copper lincoln cents that are basically blast fully red lusterous brilliant uncirculated and replace them as need be when they start to turn brown

 

werner white stated the same in a numismatist article he wrote i would say a few years ago

 

michael

[michael]

here are a few simple ideas to get you off to a running start and will maybe help you think and make better decisions for yourself in playing the coin game

 

for me bad toning is when the coin has negative eye appeal because of the toning.... it is ugly.... and/or just ok eye appeal and/or when you look at the coin the toning has actually damaged the coin

 

i really do not know about sending coins in for conservation as i do not do this and this conservation thing is outside of my area of expertise

 

BUT

 

in my opinion i would only buy coins that have great eye appeal and if toned when looking at the coin the toning enhances the coin and has not damaged the coin

 

if the toning is ugly and/or damaged then pass on the coin

 

 

 

then you do not have to worry too much about conservation of coins

 

unless you are seeking some sort of monetary reward by buying coins that are in need of conservation and after taking a shot on conserving them you get an upgrade shot in terms of grade and/or designation

 

 

michael

[TomB]

"Bad toning" can be thought of simply as any toning that you don't like. Toning is so subjective that there are relatively few toned coins that would unanimously be loved or hated. Generally speaking, black spots on a coin are a negative to most people.

 

The reason that bright copper will work to inhibit toning is because copper reacts more rapidly than silver to produce oxidized compounds. So, the idea is that the copper cents, if bright red, will oxidize (turn darker) and thus remove the contaminant from the air while saving the silver coins. In reality, I think this strategy to be heavily flawed. If you are concerned about stopping toning, just go out and buy Intercept Shield holders, they use a similar theory to stop toning as using copper cents, but they will encase the entire slab and make a pretty good seal from the environment.

[scroll]

"Bad toning" can be thought of simply as any toning that you don't like. Toning is so subjective that there are relatively few toned coins that would unanimously be loved or hated. Generally speaking, black spots on a coin are a negative to most people.

 

The reason that bright copper will work to inhibit toning is because copper reacts more rapidly than silver to produce oxidized compounds. So, the idea is that the copper cents, if bright red, will oxidize (turn darker) and thus remove the contaminant from the air while saving the silver coins. In reality, I think this strategy to be heavily flawed. If you are concerned about stopping toning, just go out and buy Intercept Shield holders, they use a similar theory to stop toning as using copper cents, but they will encase the entire slab and make a pretty good seal from the environment.

 

I have thought about the shields, but aren't they be too large to fit in the slots of a plastic PCGS box?

 

What would you store the shield protected slabs in?

[TomB]

Intercept sells a box to fit the individual boxes into. The Intercept box will hold ten individual Intercept Shield holders, with the slabbed coins inside of them, and the outer box also is lined with Intercept Shield material. This coin in a slab in a box in a box method is how I store all my slabbed coins in my safe deposit box. I also put heavy duty plastic bags around the Intercept ten pack boxes just in case there is a fire in the bank and the water system goes off.

 

I know, I'm nuts.

[scroll]

Thanks! That sounds like good advice but not too much fun since you have to go through a lot to ever see them.

 

I think I'll go with the intercept system and just buy a safe, since my Merc collection is only worth a few hundred at present. But if I ever get some of the more scarce examples in high grade I might just have to copy your method. Odd thing is, I'm on higher ground than most banks in the area so they might actually be safer with me at least with respect to flood damage in a hurricane.

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[Morgannut]

Scroll, You might try some Eagle Coin albums which have nine or more spaces per plastic page that will fit just about any holder made (so you can mix Anacs with Pcgs or even non PVC flips.) I like to look at my coins so I bought a safe. My sisters boyfriend the cop suggested sticking a few dollar bills and shiney Ike dollars in the open safe . I put the coin albums under photobooks, telephone book,and newspapers on the floor in a different room.(Eagle 1-800-869-1672). Coins rarely tone in holders significantly unless they've been dipped and the residue was left. (Except red copper). Breathing on your raw coins while looking with a glass causes small tiny black /brown spots if not rinced in acetone.

[scroll]

Wow! One of my first purchases was a roll of BU Mercs. When I got it I was disappointed to see the black spots you mentioned and just put them into a plastic tube. I didn't pay too much, so I figured at least it was old silver. I guess that's one explaination for how the black got on them from the previous owner!

 

I'll have to try that acetone treatment. Not much to lose in their current condition except the cost of the acetone.

[Here]

Wow, great thread. I use Interceptshields and store those also in a safety deposit box. That's the first reason I wasn't going to buy a wooden box. The PCGS boxes are nice looking, but why pay for the cosmetic look when you are going to stick it in the safety deposit box?

 

 

Jerry