Whizzed Coin Picture

MICHAELDIXON

I was looking through ebay and found this. Appropriately enough, the seller's name is Whizmart!

davewesen

around the stars it looks buffed or polished to me

BillJones

Although it’s a minor distinction, I would call this coin “polished.” The mirrored appearance is more like polishing than whizzing which is usually employed to give a piece the more frosty, Mint State look.

DNADave

It's hard to tell, but this coin has been whizzed.

ricko

That first coin has been polished to a high sheen... looks like it may have been done with jewelers paste.... Cheers, RickO

Timbuk3

Wow !!!

Catbert

@DNADave said:
It's hard to tell, but this coin has been whizzed.

I blew up the image and see the many scratch lines. What’s with the “pull tab” under the ear?

ECHOES

Ok newb question here, I have heard the term 'wizzed', what exactly is this and how is it done?

Edit to add, Morgan in OP looks heavily polished to me.

DNADave

@ECHOES said:
Ok newb question here, I have heard the term 'wizzed', what exactly is this and how is it done?

Edit to add, Morgan in OP looks heavily polished to me.

It's done with a soft wire brush or wheel and imparts a false "luster" look to the coin. I'm not sure if all of the brushing is done in one direction, or if it's random, or circular.

bsshog40

Here is a nicely Whizzed coin. Lol

MICHAELDIXON

The message of the post is missed here. I know the coin is polished. Look at the name of the seller: Whizmart.

ECHOES

@DNADave said:

@ECHOES said:
Ok newb question here, I have heard the term 'wizzed', what exactly is this and how is it done?

Edit to add, Morgan in OP looks heavily polished to me.

It's done with a soft wire brush or wheel and imparts a false "luster" look to the coin. I'm not sure if all of the brushing is done in one direction, or if it's random, or circular.

Thank you...

coinkid855

Here's an article on whizzing:

https://ngccoin.com/news/article/6735/counterfeit-1880-indian-cent/

bsshog40

@MICHAELDIXON said:
The message of the post is missed here. I know the coin is polished. Look at the name of the seller: Whizmart.

I don't think the point of the post was missed. It's just that people here can get specific at times as the coin looks polished and not whizzed. Yea, the name is funny considering the condition of the coin.

DoubleEagle59

Whizzed coins...................(see all the similarities?)

BuffaloIronTail

Some whizzing is very blatantly done. There are similarities to the damage that results, though. When done with a high speed brush, there will be a build up of metal near the devices, as stated in the NGC article.

I got fooled by a whizzed 1915 Lincoln. I sent it to ANACS sometime back in the 1990's.

The coin came back WHIZZED, AU details, Net VF-20.

Needless to say that this is probably part of the learning experience as we all sharpen our skills.

Live and learn. Study.

The only good thing is that I got a slabbed Whizzed coin that I will keep for future reference.

Pete

johnny9434

gee whiz, what a pisser.

LanceNewmanOCC

@DoubleEagle59 said:
Whizzed coins...................(see all the similarities?)

i have, as well as others here, have seen some ebay sellers get some hefty prices for pieces like that and it just staggers me thinking of the people if they go to sell those items themselves. youch.
.

Unknown

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Elmhurst

Shows clearly on the Vicky quarter.

Gluggo

Nice and shinny

LanceNewmanOCC

@DoubleEagle59 said:
Whizzed coins...................(see all the similarities?)

tyvm. these are the types of examples i've been looking for when the archives spoke to me....

pursuitofliberty

And those are excellent examples to use Lance! I'm sure you went back and found this to help someone.

Here's a little of what I know.

Whizzed coins are usually done on AU or better examples, so the detail is there. Brushing, usually in a random and somewhat circular or hatching direction will impart a sheen that might at first appear to be luster to the untrained eye.

Looking down through the "luster" will show the defects of the coin used, and the "luster" will give away it's tell-tale uniformity. Highly uniform luster is almost impossible for minted coins as the metal flow of a planchet struck under pressure, even on a perfect die, will not be entirely uniform.

Also looking around devices, especially those with steeper edges like stars and lettering will either show areas that can not be gotten into well, so the "luster" will shift in unnatural ways, our where the whizzing rides up and over the edge.

In my opinion, of the three shown, the Standing Lib' will be the most deceptive to the newcomer, mostly because the design doesn't have hard edges, and real, unmolested coins are noted for different striking issues. The first tell is uniform luster. A little further looking should show the rest quickly.

The Vicky looks to good to be true until you see the "luster" patterns. It's got a "matte cross-hatch" pattern ... not anything lime what you'd expect to see from a minted coin. However, a nice, relatively mark free coin was used, so it is somewhat deceptive to the untrained eye.

The Barber had enough hits and ticks that are masked (chin, neck, nose and brow), but not gone, with the same "luster" over top of them all. This can never happen. Look at luster breaks on a real Choice AU to Unc coin and it should become obvious quickly.

I probably missed some tells that have become second nature over the years.

Finally, a word to the wise.

Don't expect all whizzed coins to be whizzed over the whole area of the coin. There are deceptive coins out there that have light whizzing over specific marks and areas, and they are way harder to see and spot, because the rest of the coin is typically not doctored (except maybe for some enhanced toning to throw the eye off the crime).

braddick

Although "whizzed" used to be used as a nomenclature on slab inserts the go-to now is "altered surfaces".

thefinn

@pursuitofliberty said:
And those are excellent examples to use Lance! I'm sure you went back and found this to help someone.

Here's a little of what I know.

Whizzed coins are usually done on AU or better examples, so the detail is there. Brushing, usually in a random and somewhat circular or hatching direction will impart a sheen that might at first appear to be luster to the untrained eye.

Looking down through the "luster" will show the defects of the coin used, and the "luster" will give away it's tell-tale uniformity. Highly uniform luster is almost impossible for minted coins as the metal flow of a planchet struck under pressure, even on a perfect die, will not be entirely uniform.

Also looking around devices, especially those with steeper edges like stars and lettering will either show areas that can not be gotten into well, so the "luster" will shift in unnatural ways, our where the whizzing rides up and over the edge.

In my opinion, of the three shown, the Standing Lib' will be the most deceptive to the newcomer, mostly because the design doesn't have hard edges, and real, unmolested coins are noted for different striking issues. The first tell is uniform luster. A little further looking should show the rest quickly.

The Vicky looks to good to be true until you see the "luster" patterns. It's got a "matte cross-hatch" pattern ... not anything lime what you'd expect to see from a minted coin. However, a nice, relatively mark free coin was used, so it is somewhat deceptive to the untrained eye.

The Barber had enough hits and ticks that are masked (chin, neck, nose and brow), but not gone, with the same "luster" over top of them all. This can never happen. Look at luster breaks on a real Choice AU to Unc coin and it should become obvious quickly.

I probably missed some tells that have become second nature over the years.

Finally, a word to the wise.

Don't expect all whizzed coins to be whizzed over the whole area of the coin. There are deceptive coins out there that have light whizzing over specific marks and areas, and they are way harder to see and spot, because the rest of the coin is typically not doctored (except maybe for some enhanced toning to throw the eye off the crime).

I have a beautiful 1923-S Monroe Doctrine half I bought in a PCGS holder that was only whizzed in a couple of spots the size of a match head. I have covered the label and asked experienced dealers what grade they think it is. They all think it is a 66. I paid $25 shipped for it. Someone lost a lot of money when they got it graded and sold it.

pursuitofliberty

@thefinn said:

I have a beautiful 1923-S Monroe Doctrine half I bought in a PCGS holder that was only whizzed in a couple of spots the size of a match head. I have covered the label and asked experienced dealers what grade they think it is. They all think it is a 66. I paid $25 shipped for it. Someone lost a lot of money when they got it graded and sold it.

This.

I culled at least 100 of these types of coins helping a dealer back in 90 thru 92. He taught me a lot.

They're still out there. They don't go away, as, unlike some AT stuff, you can't undo mechanical work on a coin.

Namvet69

Important to know and share the info with others here. This is why I am on CU. Kinda like pornography, I know it when I sees it. Peace Roy

WinLoseWin

It can be done on any grade.

Here is a whizzed Flying Eagle cent I used to own that has wear in the Fine range. Possibly a practice coin for their craft.

It has a pinwheel type luster that rolls across everything including marks and other imperfections.

Though I have also seen coins carefully whizzed in particular locations. One style seen a few times was a better date Morgan dollar that had been whizzed on Liberty's face leaving the original untouched luster still in the field.

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Smudge

Whizzing is deception.
Polishing is ignorance.

Mostly.

LanceNewmanOCC

@WinLoseWin said:

nice vf-65 you have there.

Hydrant

@DoubleEagle59 said:
Whizzed coins...................(see all the similarities?)

Those are obvious.......even to me!

Jimnight

Looks polished to me.

LanceNewmanOCC

what do ya think. whizzing?

Raybo

I have an example.