Dark and Toned or Bright and Lustrous?

[RobJ]

I was wondering what personal preference that people have when it comes to their coins.

So as the title suggests please feel free to add your own opinions and preferences.

With Copper, I prefer a nice dark even tone, traces of luster which highlight the coin , I think, can make it look most atractive.

With Silver. I find that when it has the blue tones it can look really beautiful, but I do also like a nice 'Clean' tone with lustre as well.

[scott]

i like silver that darkens around the edges but holds good shine, shows a bit of age

[davidrj]

With Copper, I prefer a nice dark even tone, traces of luster which highlight the coin , I think, can make it look most atractive.

l.

I agree!

I also buy prefer a holed coin in good nick to one with heavy wear, heavy cleaning I hate

David

[Rob]

Copper I like with lustre, though toning can also be attractive on proofs as it tends to be iridescent with the mirror fields.

Silver I like when it reflects the age of the coin. 200 year old silver should look just that, not white unless there are legitimate reasons for this such as being hermetically sealed for the past 200 years.

[Peter]

Although I like lustre a nice even tone is my preference...I can't put up with carbon spots, finger prints or the dreaded green evil.

Silver unless its black looks nice...a nice uncleaned blue tone if I was pushed.

Edited November 23, 2010 by Peter

[RobJ]

I'm not a fan of cleaned coins either personally. The chap that I have been purchasing my coins from had some cleaned Copper and Silver which he had himself purchased from a collector. They were quite high grade, but due to the cleaning they just seemed very flat and, for want of a better term, lacking life.

He also had a simply stunning Gothic Crown which he showed me that he had obtained for one of his customers. It had a almost ethereal blue tone to it. It was really quite beautiful!

[Colin G.]

Although I like lustre a nice even tone is my preference...I can't put up with carbon spots, finger prints or the dreaded green evil.

Silver unless its black looks nice...a nice uncleaned blue tone if I was pushed.

Now I don't mind crabo spots, or the odd small green spot as long as it does not detract from overall appearance, but i think that is the variety collector in me, you just can't be too choosy sometimes.

Don't get me wrong, I would choose a perfect coin every time, but it certainly does not stop me filling a gap. It is easier to study a good grade coin with imperfections than a perfect lower grade....does that even make sense

I think some toned coins can look stunning, but I am all for lustrous, that's just the collector in me striving for "the best"

[Peckris]

I think bronze/copper coins with an even dark patina are criminally neglected and under-appreciated, and I much prefer those to coins with part lustre (e.g. 50%) which is neither fish nor flesh nor fowl in my opinion. BU on the other hand ...

As for silver, I do like gorgeous old toning, but I'd prefer a bright untoned example to one with ugly toning.

[scott]

i have a couple where the black silver tone brought out the raised design.

i also like nice brown bronze.

[Old Copper Nose]

With my copper and bronze I prefer BU blazing full lustre ... Not always possible to purchase examples though, especially with some of the earlier dates! I don't mind settling for toning, as long as it is even and has eye appeal. One thing I really don't like is patchy / streaky lustre.

On the other hand I prefer my silver coins to look their age, especially with deep, dark toning.

[ski]

i love bright lustreous, having said that, some of my fav coins are my victorian sixpence proofs with their irridescent blue tones. marvellous