IntroductionTooling is part of what I consider the "unholy trinity" of Ancient Coins. Namely this group is made up of:
- Fakes
- Repatination/Restoration
- Tooling
I've already discussed Repatination and Restoration ina previous entry. Fakes, is a topic I'll get around to at some point. Unfortuntely however a discussion of fakes requires a little more attention than is usually afforded to a blog entry.
What is tooling?
The precise definition varies depending on whom you speak with. Basically, what is held in common with all coin collectors is that tooling invovles causing intereference with the metallic part of the coin (ancient coins have a layer of patina) usually through the use of a sharpened object.
Tooling is not to be confused with mere cleaning. Where cleaning attempts to remove dirt and perhaps encrustations which have "unnaturally" attached themselves to the coin's surface, tooling attempts to reshape or redefine the actual coin itself by either:
- Sharpening the design
- Creating Detail where it doesn't exist.
- Changing the design to match a rarer coin
The end result is usually to increase the grade of the coin in the eye of an inexperienced (or sometimes professional) collector or in the 3rd case mentioned above, to increase the "rarity" of the coin.
Why are coins tooled?
Coins are tooled so that they can be offered and sold at higher prices to the general public. I have not yet come accross a collector who tools coins for his/her personal enjoyment.
Why is it bad?
Tooling is a form of cheating. Like fake coins, the tooler is simply creating value where it does not exist. This is misleading. Selling a tooled coin without describing it so can arguably contravene the laws governing consumer transactions. For example, in Australia, it is arguable that a seller who offers a tooled coin as an EF grade, will be caught by various provisions in the Trade Practices Act or Fair Trading Legislation.
Another reason why it is bad is because it ruins the coin. It is totally disrespectful to scratch away at a coin that was created over a thousand years ago and which has been preserved in its current condition for that same period of time.
How do I know if a coin has been tooled?
As tooling can be done on all levels, from touching up a small aspect of the coin to recreating the design, it may be difficult to determine whether there has been in fact any tooling.
For major tooling, the giveaway is basically the lack of skill belonging to the tooler. Usually the design does not look right, in my opinion it looks forced, and there will be dead giveaway aspects. For example, toolers rarely get the hair of an emperor right. For major jobs like the picture above, there is certainly an air of "unnaturalness" about.
The best thing you can do is to compare a coin you suspect of being tooled with several pictures of the same type coin.
Tooling vs Smoothing
As with cleaning, tooling is not to be confused with smoothing. Smoothing the fields of a coin is common practice, though some are against it. Some consider it part of the cleaning process.
What do I do if I find out a coin has been tooled?
In my personal opinion, I'd return it for a full refund. If I believed that the seller knew it was tooled prior to the sale, I would seriously think whether I would deal with him/her ever again.
Buying a tooled coin is like buying a fake. Once established as tooled, the true value is not there.
Where can I find out more information about tooling?
FORVM disussion board usually have threads about tooling.
