There are various patterns of toned coins ranging from rainbow to terminal. Here are the major ones. You can use these terms when selling or sharing your coins with others.
Rainbow
Rainbow colors in nature are Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo and Violet. These can be found on coins, as in this example from one of my former coins sold on GreatCollections:
Monster
This term is often misused. Coins that are true “monsters” have exceptionally vibrant, intense, and often, high-value colorful toning, frequently associated with Morgan dollars. Again, from one of my former coins:
Target (Bull’s Eye)
Concentric rings of color, often developing from the outside rim inward. This was one of my favorites and difficult to sell:
Pastel
These coins exhibit soft, light and delicate colors, as in this former coin I owned, also sold on GreatCollections:
Natural/Skin
This refers to natural, undisturbed patina that has developed over a long period. Again, a former coin:
Cabinet
Deep, attractive, often golden or brown toning that develops slowly over many years of storage in a felt-lined cabinet. This coin actually toned over decades in such a cabinet, with the coin saved after JFK’s passing.
Crescent
Toning that appears as a crescent moon shape on a portion of the coin, often caused by how it sat in a holder or album. It was difficult for me to sell this one:
Textile
A rare sought-after pattern that mimics the texture of the canvas mint bag in which the coin was stored. Again, one of my former coins:
Mottled/Splotchy
Uneven and spotty toning as in this former coin of mine:
Taped
Coins originally taped to an album that may develop unique toning where the tape once was, as in this formerly owned coin:
Corrugated Cardboard
These are extremely rare and coveted coins because they often take on the colors of the American flag. I mourned selling this one:
Black/Terminal
Advanced oxidation that can hide coin details, often reducing desirability. You can find plenty of these once beautifully toned American Silver Eagles that crossed over from old green PCI holders to PCGS, with the Gold Shield interacting again with the toning until it goes terminal. You can see that with crossed over coins that had TrueView:
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