Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure include colored metallic articles, which may include cold anodized, niobium-coated metallic substrates. Also disclosed herein are exemplary embodiments of methods relating to and/or for providing colored metallic articles, which may include cold anodized, niobium-coated metallic substrates. In an example embodiment, an article generally includes an anodized, niobium-coated metallic substrate having a hardness equal to or greater than about 350 HV (the Vickers Diamond Pyramid Hardness Number). An exemplary embodiment of a method generally includes anodizing a niobium-coated metallic substrate, such as to a hardness equal to or greater than about 350 HV (Vickers Diamond Pyramid Hardness Number) and/or at a temperature within a temperature range from about 0 degrees Celsius to about 5 degrees Celsius and with an electrical current within an electrical current range not exceeding about 1.5 Amps.