How can i tone (naturally) my Silver Tet??

[mihali84]

Hello, below is a link to the coin i want to accumulate some toning on but i'm not sure what the best way to do it is.  The coin had some very unattractive spotty toning on it when i purchased it so i had it cleaned, which i reluctantly had to do.  Iv'e heard just leaving it on a window sill will do the job, but what do i put the coin in? a safe-t-flip? brown paper bag? or just open to the air?  I don't want to get that spotty toning back, is there any good way of avoiding that?  And also, what kind of toning should i expect from a cleaned coin like this? rainbow colors? or grayish toning??

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=lastup&cat=23798&pos=7

[CzarMike]

If you leave it in the sun on the window sill it will usually get a yellowish tone, this is because the sulfur or something of that sort in the air.(Dirtier air=quicker tone)

[James Anderson]

Don't do anything to it, just put it away in an old cabinet, and eventually it will have that "lovely old cabinet toning."

[mihali84]

I recently had a Box made to hold my collection, that's where i keep everything in Safe-T-Flips.  There is a section where i can leave the coins out of the flips and on the faux suede lining of the inside.  If i leave the coins laying on the lining inside of the box (brazilian cherry), will that have the same cabinet toning effect?

[commodus]

I'd leave it alone myself BUT keeping it on or in velvet can impart a nice toning to silver, though this can take a couple of years. Bear in mind that only the side communicating directly with the cloth will tone, therefore better to use a little velvet jewelry bag (unlined) or wrap it in a piece of velvet cloth than to leave it on a velvet lined tray where only the down-facing side will tone.

[Noah]

You could always burry it for a few centuries!    In all seriousness though, I wouldn't worry about toning such a beautiful coin anyway.

Best, Noah

[Enodia]

i've been trying the windowsil method for the past couple of months, and up until about a week ago i'd have sworn it was having no effect whatsoever. but then i checked it and sure enough, there were very subtle golden highlights starting to appear in the crevices. i turned it right over so as not to affect the coin too much, but i guess it actually does work.

i've thought about experimenting with little pieces of various hardwoods to see if it's possible to reproduce some of that lovely old 'cabinet toning' that you see on occasion. i'll probably try it with some low-grade silver Washingtons first though.

~ Peter

[Robert_Brenchley]

I've had 'cabinet toning' develop in a couple of years. Living a few hundred yards from a major road may help, but I just flip them and leave them. If they want to tone, they will.