Anti Rust Coating for Nails

here is an idea or two

http://www.ehow.com/how_4549808_make-antirust-coating-metal-objects.html

http://www.ehow.com/how_5057645_electroplate-steel.html

http://www.ehow.com/how_2246806_electroplate-household-metals.html

Have you researched any of the common adhesive/cement coatings which improve grip strength and could also inhibit corrosion ?

Why not make the nails out of aluminum? Harden it if there is any concern about deflection, but I suspect that plain old aluminum (or a simple alloy) will work just fine.

This doesn't meet your colour requirement, but, have you considered packaging with VCI paper.

The ones I used 35 years ago were coated with some sort of hard glue.

This softened and glued the nail to the wood when it was fired in due to the heat of the friction (devil of a job to remove, it was as strong as screwing) and the glue (plastic maybe?) protected the nail before and after usage from rusting....

I understood at the time that this was the normal way to stop such nails rusting!!

Have you considered that a nail is actually SUPPOSED to corrode (oxidize) a little on its' contact-surface with the surrounding material? Only this provides the actual bonding, much the same as with rebar in concrete: rust is required for bonding on a micro-level, but the oxidizing process should stop after the available oxygen is used up.