Will sunlight tone a coin?

hyperion

Full Member
Jun 26, 2008
141
0
Illinois
Detector(s) used
Whites DFX E Series
Heat is the key. Sunlight by itself won't affect the coin. I place coins I want to tone in a standard manilla coin envelope and then on top of the water heater. That heat source is out of sight so I don't worry about them disappearing. Give the coin a good acetone bath and complete rinse first to remove any oils/debris that may be on the surface. You'll note results in about a month. A good toning takes anywhere from 6 months to a year. Good luck!
 

AMorgan

Full Member
Feb 22, 2008
184
15
Houston Texas
You are partly right about the heat... The key you mentioned however is the manila envelope. Sulphur is the key to toning silver and copper coins. Without heat they will tone more slowly, but without the sulphur (in the paper) they wont tone. Sulphur dioxide gas may also tone coins. If the hot water heater is ran by natural gas, some sulphur dioxide may be present that will also tone the coin.

Alan
 

nw1886

Greenie
Apr 5, 2010
12
0
I've been dealing with cleaned coins for years and you guys advise is good. As long as the coin wasn't polished to the point of the metal being moved much (and the coins finer details getting mushed out). I have always been able to save silver coins by doing what you've done and a little more. The most important thing is to let nature take it's course and all your doing is optimizing the conditions for the oxidation and coloring to happen. Not trying to be a know it all but have been conserving coins for years and hope this helps.

There is a lot more to a "natural" coin than color. When our collector coins were pulled from their last pocket, they actually had a "polished" or slightly shiny look to them from just getting freshly used. If you were to have sent them off to a grading service then (But they didn't come into existence until beginning in 1986.) ...most would have been sent back as "improperly cleaned" and residing in what is called a "body bag". Collectors needlessly shun many of these coins and I do this to them if the coin is worth the effort.

1. Soak in acetone to remove any wax residue if present.
2. If polishing scratches are present, I determine if a slightly lower grade on the coin effects value significantly. If the value at that grade still is significant, I use it as a pocket piece for a while. I hate doing this and only do it with a coin that would be uniformly regarded as a problem coin. If borderline or problem free, I skip this step (and gladly).
3. Apply forehead or hand oil to surface of coin and slightly blot to blend any obvious finger printing.(This film creates a place that future oxidation can mix with and gives a blended natural coloration.) If a coin is unciculated or almost uncirculated, skip this procedure.
4. Put in one of the older "high sulfur" envelopes (darker yellow colored one) and place in a warm spot. Sunlit is the best but any warm spot will do. I have a skylight in my kitchen that is the bomb!
5. Watch coin closely as it turns color. Pull from envelope just before it turns to desired level of coloration. (Sulfur remains active for a while and it will darken a bit more.)
6. At this point, the coin can be considered done. However, it can still be missing the dull oxidized "natural" level of sheen. Here...I have this tin that has been my "coup 'd gras" for years. It takes a bit to get it conditioned right but once done...magic. Take an English peppermint tin and remove any interior clear coating by a rinse with acetone or lacquer thinner soak. Use gravel to shake and "open up" the interior surfaces. Remove gravel Add a variety of coins composed of dis-similar metals. (Foreign,silver,brass, aluminum,copper etc...) Shake well and frequently. Place coin in tin. Making up this tin creates a place where a natural electrolysis takes place and develops a white powder. This "powder" is from all the dis-similar metals actually transferring surface molecules from coin to coin, tin to coin etc.. This"Magic Powder" is very aggressive to minutely resurface any "polish" away. Making up this tin takes a while to get it active but once done, you'll have it forever.

These are just the basic concepts. I only use the minimum amount of these procedures (Some times all of them.) Would I go through all of this with every coin? No...but I do have an AU 1827 Half that is just about done and it is absolutely flawless! These procedures are just an approximation of what happens to a coin once stored so long ago. (Mixed with other coins,having a slight hand oil coating on them, kept warm in a protected place,environmental gases, etc...)

The only caveats (that I can think of) is with the toning. (In the past, I tried smoke, a match etc...) This type of sulfur introduction seems to stay way too active and have seen coins eventually turn almost black in contained micro-environments and books. The best way to do it is "The Slow Boat".
This can be between 2 weeks to 6 months but worth the wait. The second caveat is...If a coin looks good and is in Unc/Au, stop at the envelope toning. (Maybe put it in a window "exposed" for a few days after.)

Not saying that this is the end all....copper is still a long haul especially. Hope this helps someone.
 

Jul 15, 2014
1
0
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I have had several coins listed ungradable from apparently improperly cleaned also.

Great information. I belong to PCGS and I love investing in coins when things go well.
1. Soak in acetone to remove any wax residue if present.
8-)
I am amazed at the percentage of coins that PCGS sends back as rejects.It has almost made me purchase only PCGS pre graded coins. Is acetone going to be detected and make my coins rejected? PCGS told me if they see a fiber from a cloth they will consider it cleaned. This was just the phone guy but it really made me hesitate cleaning my coins even mildly. I get charged for the rejects. I want to be able to wash off any obvious dirt. Has it been your experience that acetone is acceptable? Thanks for your response.
 

enamel7

Gold Member
Apr 16, 2005
6,384
2,546
North Carolina
Detector(s) used
Garrett AT Gold
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
You dip or soak it in acetone and then rinse with distilled water. Don't ever rub a quality coin with cloth.
 

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