VOCABULARY TERM: COLORIZE

Colorize. Coating by colored pigments. There are three ways to add color to metal as a medallic (or numismatic) item. The oldest method, and with the most successful application of color, is with enamel. A second method is with a patina finish (where metal surfaces are chemically altered). The third method is coating with a pigment on the metal's surface. The first two are not colorizing, the third method is called colorized.

Colorizing is, in effect, painting an object. organic coating, as most paints, have been tried in the past and rejected. Painting numismatic objects is unsatisfactory because of the tendency of any coating to chip on the high points and near the edges of a coin or medal. More recently acrylic coatings have been employed, as they meet the requirements of adhering to the metal surface with a fairly thin coating.

Since metals in which numismatic items are made are one color, monochrome, the preferred method, of course, is a patina finish on the metal surface, which is not only permanent but also impervious to chipping. Or color may be added by enamel, enamelling, as evidenced by orders and decorations. Metal objects can also be plated but this is replacing one metal color for another.

Colorized Coins. A fad created in the 1990s was to colorize coins and medals. This appealed to the public more so than collectors or numismatists and met with some acceptance.

Colorized medallic items. An example of painted medallic items are the Iron Cross of Germany in the lower grades. These were painted black and after some use it is easy to observe that the black paint chips away exposing the under metal. (Higher grades of the Iron Cross use black enamel, which of course, does not damage so easily.)

The Fairmont Park Act Association Medal of Honor, 1937, was issued with a black paint finish; since it is not intended to be worn it is less susceptible to wear but has been observed with a chipped coating. Other examples are painted plaques and plates made by medallic companies, one example of each are the Theodore Roosevelt Plaque painted brown and a Panda Plate made by Medallic Art Company painted black and white.

Looking for the meaning of a numismatic word, or the description of a term?  Try the Newman Numismatic Portal's Numismatic Dictionary at: https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/dictionary

Or if you would like a printed copy of the complete Encyclopedia, it is available. There are 1,854 terms, on 678 pages, in The Encyclopedia of Coin and Medal Technology. Even running two a week would require more than 19 years to publish them all. If you would like an advance draft of this vital reference work it may be obtained from the author for your check of $50 sent postpaid. Dick Johnson, 139 Thompson Drive, Torrington, CT 06790.

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