Rookie appeal to all.

Leftcoast · January 30, 2003 10:55AM

I am new to the PCGS family and I need a little help. I have a mint roll of 1996 Silver Eagles that I am looking through. Several are in real good shape, no bagmarks, etc., but they have mirror-like shiny spots that appear like dark spots from certain angles. Does anyone know what the heck I'm talking about? And if so, what causes it? What effect does it have on grading? So many questions! So little patience!
Thanks All,
I hope in the future I will have valuable info for you!

cladking · January 30, 2003 11:00AM

Welcome. Jump right in anytime. Opinions can be as interesting as facts.

Shiny spots in the fields are generally caused by die polish.

CLASSICS · January 30, 2003 11:01AM

welcome to the forum

lots of fun here

LucyBop · January 30, 2003 11:01AM

Be Bop A Lula!

Hadleydog · January 30, 2003 11:04AM

Welcome aboard leftcoast!

nwcs · January 30, 2003 11:07AM

Welcome to the forum! The silver eagle roll won't have bag marks because they are produced differently than circulating storage. They don't get dumped into bins and in the autocounters so they don't get the same type of damage that circulating coins get.

As for the surface quality, it can depend. Light scrapes can create some of the same effects, but I bet this is more likely a die issue. I am not familiar with the SAE process, but if it is similar to regular issues, then the die is polished before striking leaving coins with some form of mirror surface. As the die erodes from striking, the luster turns into a frosty luster and the in-between stages are part frosty, part reflective. If this is the issue, then there is no effect on grading. If it is something else, then it is something else.

Note, that post-mint damage (like polishing) can also cause this. And I can see where a polished planchet not struck well can cause this. I'm sure others will chime in here and correct me if I'm wrong. They're good that way.

Neil

Russ · January 30, 2003 11:09AM

Welcome aboard! Got proof JFKs?

Russ, NCNE

airplanenut · January 30, 2003 11:15AM

Welcome! Enjoy your flight!

TomB · January 30, 2003 11:26AM

What you are describing sounds like localized areas of die polish. These should not necessarily effect the grade but will likely effect the price. Look at many Mercury dimes from the '40s and look at the obverse directly in front of Ms. Liberty and you will see what I am talking about.

Leftcoast · January 30, 2003 12:10PM

Thank you all. It sounds like eye appeal would be the big hit.
Might they be worth slabbing because of their mintage?

indianabyron · January 30, 2003 12:59PM

welcome to the jungle ohh sorry thats a song i was singing ... lol welcome on board have fun

byron

FatMan · January 30, 2003 1:03PM

A Big Fat Welcome to ya.

richbeat · January 30, 2003 6:46PM

Welcome aboard!

cladking · January 31, 2003 6:01AM

Demand for silver eagles has exceeded most people's expectations. There are a few
dates that bring substantial premiums even in low grade. These specimens do not need
to be graded to get this premium.

While die polish destroys eye appeal to me and apparently to you, there are many collectors
who are very tolerant of it. It's possible it may still warrant slabbing as a high grade example.

Leftcoast · January 31, 2003 6:42AM

Is it the kind of thing that would cause a professional grader to lower their appraisal?

cdmead · January 31, 2003 6:56AM

My understanding is that in 1996, the Mint was experimenting with different planchet rinses on the SAEs consequently, unspotted coins are more the exception than the rule.

Most people consider spots like this to be detrimental to a coin.

Charlie

anoldgoat · January 31, 2003 7:10AM

Welcome aboard. Your will get a lot of good answers to your questions here, just not from me.

cladking · January 31, 2003 7:13AM

<< <i>Is it the kind of thing that would cause a professional grader to lower their appraisal? >>

My understanding is that they do not have a dramatic affect on final grade
in most series if they are indeed die polish. You'll need to get an opinion from
one of the experts around here to answer your question in more detail. Some-
times the nicest examples of a specific coin will usually or always appear with
the same die polish.

Leftcoast · January 31, 2003 9:04AM

These spots are not the "whte spots" that are the subject of other strngs.

Leftcoast · January 31, 2003 9:07AM

<< <i>

<< <i>Is it the kind of thing that would cause a professional grader to lower their appraisal? >>

Some-
times the nicest examples of a specific coin will usually or always appear with
the same die polish. >>

Thanks. That gives me something to look for.

ms71 · January 31, 2003 10:03AM

Welcome aboard. Hang around, there's plenty to learn here!

fivecents · January 31, 2003 10:17AM

Leftcoast,
1996 unc. silver eagles graded PCGS ms69 are worth big bucks and are worth certifying. They are very hard to find that nice. I would think localized die polish marks could keep them out of the ms69 grade. It depends on how many and how large.

Paul

Leftcoast · January 31, 2003 11:25AM

I found matching spots on the reverse. Two spot, same location and shape/appearance, on several coins in the roll, other marks on the reverse matched on a couple coins. The spots on the obverse seem to be more random but have similar appearance.

cladking · January 31, 2003 11:42AM

Coins from the same die tend not to get mixed in evenly with other coins. They leave the mint
together in the same rolls or bags or consecutive mint sets. This is why the spots on the re-
verse look the same. I can't explain why those on the obverse would wander, but if you sep-
arate the coins by die combination, you should see the obverse spots don't change much. If
they do then it's probably not die polish.

Leftcoast · February 1, 2003 11:41AM

Thanks again everyone.
Good advice cladking, that helps.

Bulldog · February 1, 2003 11:47AM

Welcome aboard Lefty!

Bulldog

Rookie appeal to all.

Comments

Leave a Comment