How Many Times Can a Coin be Resubmitted Before the Rims Become AU?

dragon

I saw one 1880-O dollar in MS64 that was resubmitted so many times the coin was MS64 but the rims were AU 53 from so much handling, LOL.

roadrunner

I see a lot of seated dimes, quarters, and halves in MS63-65 holders with the same problem. In some cases I'm sure the coins actually circulated for months if not years to develop that wear. On a pristine gem coin a flat rimmed coin (like a seated 25c) should show unbroken "crusty" luster on the rim. That's one of the true high points of the coins. While the grading services don't always look there, I feel better when the gem coin I'm buying has full luster on the rim. The pre-1853 coins seem to have more problems with this area too. If your coin is truly UNC, shouldn't the rim be UNC also?

Dragon brings up an excellent point. But I think it would take hundreds if not thousands of submissions to wear down the rim to that point. Any coin with that attribute has probably seen lots of circulation (and not on a coin tray). If the rim is choppy and dog-eared to boot, you know it's spent a lot of time circulating.

roadrunner

sliderider

I don't think a coin with a weak rim should qualify for an MS grade, unless it's a flaw that is common to the type.

cladking

Normal wear affects coins from the high points down. There are numerous ways in
which coins can wear in atypical ways but this can not occur in circulation, because
by definition "circulation" is the random movement of a coin through commerce.

Probably any wear that is concentrated on the rims is being done by collectors and
sliding in and out of flips could be cause. There can also be wear from vibrations which
move coins relative to the flip in transit. Even slight vibrations over a long period can
cause visable damage to coins in rolls or in flips.