Toning on steel cents

[seal006]

It just kinda caught my eye. LOL I just took my own thread off track. I thought I was only supposed to do that to your threads Bob.

[Maineman750]

Afraid I'll have to step in...Sean, please apologize to Sean for hijacking his thread

[seal006]

Sorry. No really.

[Vickilynn]

I actually have one that is toned on the reverse like that .i do not believe it to be re plated , Vickilynn

[ray_parkhurst]

That Cohen book is a classic and a decent buy at $60. I have Cohen's smaller pamphlet on D/D cents but don't own the larger edition. I've seen them for sale on eBay for >$100 in worse condition than you described so have never bid.

I have a few replated 43's that look like that. The original plating never seems to do anything but oxidize white, but replated's don't seem to have as pure zinc in the plating bath and often develop interesting colors. Keep in mind that originally the planchets were plated and when coined there were often areas of steel exposed as the design was formed, especially on the edges, creating an opportunity for anode sacrifice. Replated cents are completely covered by the plating so no galvanic reaction is present and they tone very differently vs originals.

edited to add that none of the originals I've seen toned like that but that doesn't mean they can't as evidenced by Vickilynn's response...Ray

[jallengomez]

I'm with Ray; I've never seen a naturally toned 1943 look like this. Natural toning on steel cents is very, very subtle, and usually on the warmer side of the color spectrum. I'm not saying that this means this coin was replated, but I would bet that the toning is not natural.

[seal006]

I'm with Ray; I've never seen a naturally toned 1943 look like this. Natural toning on steel cents is very, very subtle, and usually on the warmer side of the color spectrum. I'm not saying that this means this coin was replated, but I would bet that the toning is not natural.

Oh, I totally agree that it is in no way natural toning. It might be replated. I think it is cool. Would it be fair to list on eBay as being a possibly artificially toned, possibly replated steel cent?

[jallengomez]

Sean,

That's an honest description, so I don't see any problem with that. You might have one examined for replating so you can rule that out, then you can simply list it as toned or questionable toning.

[seal006]

I am sending one to Bob next week. I think regardless, these will sell like crazy on eBay. It is this kind of thing that makes eBay fun. I have maybe 100 of these. Most are P mint, but have at least 15 D and 15 S mint ones as well. Here are some individual photos of one from each mint that I took this evening.

[ray_parkhurst]

Those all look like XF-AU pieces which were the prime candidates for reprocessing. What do the edges look like?

[seal006]

Here is a look at the edges. Forgive the photos. I am no Ray Parkhurst.

[ray_parkhurst]

Yeah, those are reprocessed.

And thanks for the compliment! I just wish I could get back into taking pics again. Still not quite settled-in enough after our move to jump in head first.

[seal006]

I still think they are cool looking. I know I could sell even more coins on my website IF I had the photo skills and equipment you have, Ray. I cannot convince the CFO, aka my wife, that it would be money well spent and increase sales many times over.

[Vickilynn]

I may be all wrong as you all know I have very little knowledge about coins, so this is just a guess. Have you considered that they may have been cleaned with a chemical? Sometimes when I get coins from a kiosk that has just been cleaned the solution they use on the machines to clean them ( I think windex) leaves a toning effect if it gets on the coins. Sorry if it is stupid guess . Vickilynn

[ray_parkhurst]

Not stupid at all, and in fact that may be "spot on" (sorry, couldn't resist). They could have been cleaned fairly recently and not rinsed properly, or it could be remnants of chemicals from the plating bath.