Jump to content
British Coin Forum - Predecimal.com

50 Years of RotographicCoinpublications.com A Rotographic Imprint. Price guide reference book publishers since 1959. Lots of books on coins, banknotes and medals. Please visit and like Coin Publications on Facebook for offers and updates.

Coin Publications on Facebook

   Rotographic    

The current range of books. Click the image above to see them on Amazon (printed and Kindle format). More info on coinpublications.com

predecimal.comPredecimal.com. One of the most popular websites on British pre-decimal coins, with hundreds of coins for sale, advice for beginners and interesting information.

Sign in to follow this  
Coinery

How long to tone? Tips?

Recommended Posts

I’ve always placed my favourite coins into coin flips and stored them in wallets, but this clearly stops any further toning.

In the past I’ve tried every little trick in the book, eggs, liver of sulphur, etc., but I’ve found that nothing really works that well. At best a uniform and ‘transparent’ grey!

SO how long to tone a cabinet coin, anything that speeds the process along? What’s your experience/examples? I’m guessing a good clean with acetone to remove any grease that may be protecting the surfaces from the atmosphere would help?

The below coin is my example of something I know would look so much better with a nice  tone! It’s a really large, solid flan, with good surfaces, it should take a tone well…but will I live to see it?

79A1438E-AC8B-42A2-9A73-44B83C7561E7.jpeg

CCE62E3A-B40E-4ABE-BCA9-9B29BA4F5275.jpeg

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I only have experience of toning bronze, but an important factor must be common to silver,

namely that of temperature. I have a lamp that's on a lot, with a compact fluorescent lamp in it, mounted base down.

If you slide a penny that someone has 'cleaned' in between the glass coils, it's supported by its edges,

and sits at a nice temperature, and re-toning is surprisingly fast, and even on both sides of the coin.

Acetone first is a good idea.

  • Like 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
35 minutes ago, blakeyboy said:

I only have experience of toning bronze, but an important factor must be common to silver,

namely that of temperature. I have a lamp that's on a lot, with a compact fluorescent lamp in it, mounted base down.

If you slide a penny that someone has 'cleaned' in between the glass coils, it's supported by its edges,

and sits at a nice temperature, and re-toning is surprisingly fast, and even on both sides of the coin.

Acetone first is a good idea.

Wow, temperature, that’s interesting. I always had it in my mind a damper atmosphere would work better…I guess that’s from thinking of other metals oxidising more in those conditions?

Really appreciate your comments, very interesting! 👍

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Get an ice cream container, place a couple of tablespoons of flowers of sulphur in the bottom, place tissue over and the coin to be toned on top; replace the lid and place in a warm place. The coin tones very gently, more rapidly the higher the temperature. Check every day or two. Natural toning largely relates to atmospheric sulphur compounds, this just accelerates the process.

Jerry

  • Like 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
19 minutes ago, jelida said:

Get an ice cream container, place a couple of tablespoons of flowers of sulphur in the bottom, place tissue over and the coin to be toned on top; replace the lid and place in a warm place. The coin tones very gently, more rapidly the higher the temperature. Check every day or two. Natural toning largely relates to atmospheric sulphur compounds, this just accelerates the process.

Jerry

Fantastic! Many thanks for this…a definite correlation with heat, then! Perfect!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Just ordered 100g of sulphur flowers, so we’ll see?

In the meantime does anyone have any ‘before and after’ examples of silver treated in this way?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
2 hours ago, jelida said:

Get an ice cream container, place a couple of tablespoons of flowers of sulphur in the bottom, place tissue over and the coin to be toned on top; replace the lid and place in a warm place. The coin tones very gently, more rapidly the higher the temperature. Check every day or two. Natural toning largely relates to atmospheric sulphur compounds, this just accelerates the process.

Jerry

Transfer to small dipping bowls.

Garnish with chopped parsley and dill.

Serves 4-6 people.

  • Haha 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

If you are in a city, you may find that traffic pollution, particularly nitrogen compounds,

are in fact having the biggest effect on silver....

 

 

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Heres a nice sulphur flower

index.jpg

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
11 hours ago, Coinery said:

Wow, temperature, that’s interesting. I always had it in my mind a damper atmosphere would work better…I guess that’s from thinking of other metals oxidising more in those conditions?

Really appreciate your comments, very interesting! 👍

As a general rule of thumb, rate of reaction doubles for about every 10°C temperature.

  • Like 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Well, eight weeks so far has given me this! I’m really pleased with them and will carry on a little while, yet! Much better than my phone pictures show…I SO wish I had my old camera set-up!

IMG_7733.jpeg

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
On 3/2/2023 at 8:27 AM, Coinery said:

I’ve always placed my favourite coins into coin flips and stored them in wallets, but this clearly stops any further toning.

In the past I’ve tried every little trick in the book, eggs, liver of sulphur, etc., but I’ve found that nothing really works that well. At best a uniform and ‘transparent’ grey!

SO how long to tone a cabinet coin, anything that speeds the process along? What’s your experience/examples? I’m guessing a good clean with acetone to remove any grease that may be protecting the surfaces from the atmosphere would help?

The below coin is my example of something I know would look so much better with a nice  tone! It’s a really large, solid flan, with good surfaces, it should take a tone well…but will I live to see it?

79A1438E-AC8B-42A2-9A73-44B83C7561E7.jpeg

CCE62E3A-B40E-4ABE-BCA9-9B29BA4F5275.jpeg

 

IMG_7736.jpeg

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
Sign in to follow this  

×