Toned Coins are Popular – Just Look at the Prices!

Did you know that toned coins have become very popular over the past several years? The numbers speak for themselves. Take a look at the examples below.

-This 1880-S Morgan dollar was graded by PCGS as MS-68. While the grade is quite impressive, MS-68 Morgan’s have price guide values of $5,000. That is a far cry from the $23,000 achieved by this monster toner.

-In August 2021, Stack’s Bowers Galleries sold a set of two 1883-O Morgan dollars that were graded MS-64 by NGC. These purple and green toned coins sold for $3,600, while typical MS-64 1883-O Morgan dollars bring around $100-$150 when they are auctioned. Stack’s Bowers Galleries achieved 24x the price guide value.

-Another great example is this 1884-O Morgan dollar that was sold through Stack’s Bowers Galleries. Graded by PCGS as MS-65, the price guide value for this coin is $240. However, strong bidding on this multicolored coin brought the price to $5,922.50, an impressive 25x price increase.

-Toned with purples and yellows, this 1885 PCGS MS-65 Morgan dollar was sold at Stack’s Bowers Galleries for $6,168.75, while the price guide value was $250. Once again, this was a 24x return on the toned coin versus a brilliant coin.

It is important to note that just because a coin is toned does not mean it will bring a premium. However, keep in mind that toning can affect the price of a coin. Next time you see a coin selling for multiples of its estimate, take a look at the piece to figure out why. Is it toned? Is it housed in an old holder or does it have a Gold CAC sticker? Are there market conditions that are driving the price higher? Paying attention to the above factors could lead you to see higher prices.​