1/6/24 Report - About Coin Toning. Is It Good or Bad? Gold Bars Found in Tank Turned In.

 

• Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of the Treasure Beaches Report.

1927 Gold-Toned Quarter.

Above you see a quarter I found.  At this point I don't know exactly when I found it, but it was a long time ago.  Like most coins, I put it away, and as a result, didn't keep track of it, so I'm not sure how the toning progressed over time or if it didn't change since it was found.

However it got to how it looks today, different people have different opinions of it.  Some think the toning is nice, and others think it is simply a damaged coin.  I got those diverse opinions from members of the coin collecting community.

Some similarly toned coins have sold for huge prices.  One site exclaims Monster Toning: Monster Prices. and gives a variety of nice examples.  See Monster Toning, Monster Prices: It’s Still Just Bullion, Folks! | Coin Update

The coin shown above is the only one I've found that has that extent of toning, and it is most like some I've seen that sold for high prices.

Of course, not all toning is the same.  Multicolor rainbow toning seems to be popular, as does gold toning.

Auggie, of Sedwick coins, once told me that their customers prefer "toned" coins.  By that, he was talking about silver treasure coins that are somewhat cleaned and ass a result look more bright and "silvery" than the dark grey or blackened coins, as they are often found.  To me, that doesn't seem to be the same type of "toning" that I am talking about here.  I am not talking about cleaned or intentionally toned coins but toning that occurs naturally.  

I personally like my reales, and silver coins in general, more natural.  I don't like them real bright and shiny.  That is just personal preference.  Many that I've seen for sale in Treasure Coast stores are excessively cleaned or reduced by electrolysis.  I'd consider that to be something other than toning.

If you metal detect beach coins you definitely have seen damaged and corroded coins.  That is never good.

Here is an interesting article on tone coins.

Got Any Dark Toned Coins Or Discolored Coins? Your Dark Coin May Be Rare & Worth A Lot Of Money! Here's What To Look For | The U.S. Coins Guide (thefuntimesguide.com)

And below is an excerpt from that article discussing how coins get toned.

Show me 100 different dark or discolored coins, and I’ll likely have 100 different answers for you.

In a big, vast world of chemicals, fumes, water, dirt, fire, ice, and everything else, a coin has a million and one ways that it can become discolored.

Here are some of the things that can cause a coin to tone dark or look abnormally. colored:

Experimentation with acid or just normal corrosion.

Burial in the ground
Being tossed in a water fountain.
Exposure to intense heat or very cold temperatures
Storage in a paper envelope, PVC Plastic or open-air case
Contact with caustic chemicals or fumes, such as sulfur or gas
Sitting in a warm and humid environment for long periods of time

All of these things can cause a coin to turn a variety of colors — from deep grey or black to mottled or speckled.

Sometimes coins that are kept in old-fashioned coin folders and albums will also take on some unusual toning. Occasionally, such toning is quite attractive — with colors ranging from light blues and pinks even to rainbow colors.

Here is another excerpt from the same article.

Coins with desirable toning include:

• Circulated copper coins with chocolate brown surfaces
• Uncirculated copper coins with bright reddish-orange toning
• Nickels with light grey or blue toning
• Circulated silver coins with light grey devices and heavier grey fields
• Uncirculated silver coins with natural subdued rainbow toning
• Gold coins with warm, yellow toning

All of the coins listed above with the types of toning mentioned are often worth a lot of money — sometimes much more than stated values online or in books and magazines.

For me, coin toning is an interesting and somewhat controversial subject.

You might want to read the rest of that article and read this post.  The Treasure Beaches Report Direct From Florida's Treasure Coast.: 4/7/15 Report - Patination and Toning Of Coins.

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A military enthusiast bought a tank on eBay recently and discovered $2.5 million of gold bars hidden inside in one of the most unexpected and intriguing places where gold has been found.

Nick Mead discovered the five gold bars stashed inside the diesel tank of the ex-Iraqi Army Type 69, a Chinese copy of the Soviet T-55, back in 2017.

It’s believed the bullion was looted by plundering Iraqi soldiers during the 1990 invasion of Kuwait but forgotten about inside the 36.7-ton tank...

The 62-year-old, who runs Tanks-a-Lot on his farm in England, told the Daily Mail: “I regret handing it in. I should have at least got a finders’ fee for it but I got absolutely nothing.”...

Here is the link for the rest of the story.

Gold Worth $2.5 Million Found Hidden in Tank Bought on eBay - GreekReporter.com.

Thanks to DJ for that link.

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There will be a lot of storm weather hitting the U. S. soon, but there not be a huge effect on the Treasure Coast surf.

Surf Chart from Surfguru.com.

Good hunting,

Treasureguide@comcast.net