What color is that thing, anthracite? You ask me, I tell you, it’s like that coal we used to burn, you know? The good kind, burns long and hot. That’s anthracite. It’s a kinda black, but not really, more like a super dark grey. Like the sky when a big storm is coming, but darker, much darker.

My old eyes ain’t what they used to be, but I can still see colors. And that anthracite, it’s a strong color. Makes me think of them old-timey stoves, all black and sturdy. Or like the dirt after a good rain, all dark and rich. That’s the color I see when I hear that word, anthracite.
Some folks, they say it’s a fancy color. Use it on their fancy houses, I hear. Paint the walls that color, they do. Makes the place look all modern and whatnot. Me? I don’t know about all that. I just know it’s a dark color, like coal. Good for hiding dirt, I reckon.
- It’s dark, like coal.
- Not quite black, more like a deep, deep grey.
- Some folks say it’s fancy.
- Good for hiding dirt, maybe.
I remember one time, my grandson, he showed me a picture on his phone. Said it was a picture of anthracite. It was all shiny, like a rock, but dark, dark, dark. He said it was a kind of coal, the best kind. Makes the hottest fire, he said. I believe him. That color, it looks hot, if you know what I mean. What color is anthracite, it is a hot color.
Now, if you mix it with other colors, I suppose you can make it look different. Like, if you put some white with it, it’ll lighten up. Become more grey, less black. But on its own, anthracite, it’s dark. Like the bottom of a well, maybe. Or a moonless night.
They say it’s a good color for houses, like I said. Makes them look all sleek, whatever that means. I guess it’s better than that bright yellow some folks use. That hurts my eyes. Anthracite, it’s easier on the eyes. It’s a calm color, even if it’s dark.

I heard some people talk about, anthracite grey, that color is very popular. I don’t know what that means, I just know what color I like. And that color is good.
- Mix it with white, it gets lighter.
- Good for houses, they say.
- Easier on the eyes than bright colors.
- It’s a calm color. A strong and calm color.
My old neighbor, she had a shawl that color. A dark, dark grey, almost black. She wore it all the time, especially in the winter. Kept her warm, she said. Maybe that’s why I think of warmth when I see that color, anthracite. It’s like a warm hug on a cold night. I think that color is warm.
So, what color is anthracite? It’s the color of good coal, the color of a stormy sky, the color of a warm shawl on a cold night. It’s dark, it’s strong, it’s anthracite. And that’s all I know about that. You want to know more, you go ask those fancy folks with their fancy houses. They probably know all sorts of things about that color. Me, I just know what I see. And what I see is a good, strong, dark color.
I remember my husband, he used to work in the mines. He’d come home covered in coal dust, black from head to toe. But sometimes, he’d bring home a piece of that special coal, the anthracite. It was different, you could tell. It was darker, denser, and it had a certain shine to it. Even I could see that it was special.
If you want to know what color is anthracite, you can use black and white to make it. First, you paint a black, then you put some white in it. That is how you make anthracite.

That’s why when I think of the color anthracite, I also think of him. It brings back memories, good and bad. But mostly good. Memories of a hard worker, a good man, and the warmth of our little home, even on the coldest winter nights. That color, it’s more than just a color to me. It’s a memory.
- Color of a warm shawl.
- Color of good memories.
- Color of a hard worker.
- A very good color.
So, there you have it. That’s what this old woman thinks about the color anthracite. It ain’t just a color, it’s a whole lot of things. It’s a feeling, a memory, a piece of the past. It’s dark, yes, but it’s also warm, and strong, and real. Just like life, I reckon. A little bit of everything, all mixed together.