1902 Maundy Sets

mnemtsas2

I bought a 1902 Maundy set recently and before I fly off the handle about it I just wanted to make sure of something. Do the obverses of these coins display hairlines/die polish right across the portraits in as struck condition? Some Australian proofs do so I know it does happen. The 1902 I set I have all show heavy die polish on reverses which does not extend into the design elements. The obverses show strong lines right across the obverse including across the portraits. To me it looks like a cleaning....but I need to make sure because I get really upset.

7Jaguars

Hi, Pictures are best. You may well be talking about the matte proof Maundy set that was part of the larger set of that year. It seems nearly all the silver (and gold) coins of these sets were wiped at the mint if not later and come hairlined, some more than others naturally.

JCMhouston

As 7 Jaguars said ,that appears to be normal. The story goes that these matte proofs came out not looking all shiney, so the mint employees would try to wipe them down to mke them look better. Almost all the mattes of this year appear to me to have been wiped, which may be why so many get graded PF61-63, and so few above that.

mnemtsas2

I have read about the mint staff doing this to the larger matte proofs but didn't realise it carried through the maundy sets. What I read was that the process for manufacturing the matte proofs was brought in from Belgium or Denmark (I forget where exactly). As coins came off of the presses the operators who were unhappy with the finish of the coins would give the a quick wipe on their aprons.

mnemtsas2

Images.

MacCrimmon

Given the 'black pepper' spotting on those reverses it appears to me they have been dipped and wiped (cleaned) well after they left the mint.

I've also never heard of the smaller coins (just the larger crowns and gold) being 'wiped' by the mint workers aprons. IMHO, that story is bogus anyway.

MacCrimmon

These are about the best I'd expect from an "unmessed " proof Maundy set


Another set with the usual seen 'streaky' but acceptably toned coins.


Dipped, stripped, and buffed


What the OP's coins might have looked like before 'treatment'; note the 'freckling' on the 4d. reverse


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7Jaguars

My recall is that I have seen shillings and 6ds wiped. Not looked at many of the maundy but would imagine a 1d silver a bit hard to hold.
These look to have, albeit in a magnified photo some rather deep "hairlines" and the spotting speaks as Mac says of possible clean with retone taking this form.

AZLARRY

I agree with Mac, that set looks like it has been dipped and wiped after it left the mint. My 1904 MS set shows evidence of die polish, but I don't think a post mint wipe.






(Images by airplanenut)