'Luster' verses 'Frost' in grading procedure

I've been reading advertisements
in coin magazines for five years and
it seems like an advertised coin is described
as having 'luster' or 'frost' but no coin
ever having both qualities.

Pesonally I admire a coin that has frost in
such a way that the coin in question looks
more 3D.

When some coin company rants about 'luster'
I am clueless about what kind of quality
the coin truly has. I've seen some kennedy
halves that have gobs of luster but the coin
is the product of a die that has been reground
twice. So who cares about a glowing coin born
of a tired die?

Sometimes I think I can make
any coin glow with 'luster' if I rub it long
enough with a Scotch Brite* pad.

Is there something I'm missing in the difference
between luster verses frost?

*Scotch Brite is a registered trade mark of
the 3M company. All rights both foreign and
domestic are protected by copyright

frank wight wrote:

I've been reading advertisements
in coin magazines for five years and
it seems like an advertised coin is described
as having 'luster' or 'frost' but no coin
ever having both qualities.

Pesonally I admire a coin that has frost in
such a way that the coin in question looks
more 3D.

When some coin company rants about 'luster'
I am clueless about what kind of quality
the coin truly has. I've seen some kennedy
halves that have gobs of luster but the coin
is the product of a die that has been reground
twice. So who cares about a glowing coin born
of a tired die?

Sometimes I think I can make
any coin glow with 'luster' if I rub it long
enough with a Scotch Brite* pad.

Is there something I'm missing in the difference
between luster verses frost?

*Scotch Brite is a registered trade mark of
the 3M company. All rights both foreign and
domestic are protected by copyright

Well to start with there are at least two kinds of luster, frosty and satiny. If you look at a coin with frosty luster you can see the flow lines in the surfaces of the coin. These flow lines are what
cause the cartwheel effect, as luster moves across the surface of a coin, when it is rotated under an incandescent light. Satiny luster is just what it says, it has a satiny appearance, you see it on
modern NCLT uncirculated coins produced by the US mint. It's a more uniform surface with very little or no flow lines visible.

Luster is the key when it comes to grading uncirculated coins. The slightest disturbance to the surfaces of a coin will show up in the quality of the luster.

JAM

On Mon, 27 Sep 2004 01:01:53 GMT, "J. A. M." wrote:

frank wight wrote:

I've been reading advertisements
in coin magazines for five years and
it seems like an advertised coin is described
as having 'luster' or 'frost' but no coin
ever having both qualities.

Pesonally I admire a coin that has frost in
such a way that the coin in question looks
more 3D.

When some coin company rants about 'luster'
I am clueless about what kind of quality
the coin truly has. I've seen some kennedy
halves that have gobs of luster but the coin
is the product of a die that has been reground
twice. So who cares about a glowing coin born
of a tired die?

Sometimes I think I can make
any coin glow with 'luster' if I rub it long
enough with a Scotch Brite* pad.

Is there something I'm missing in the difference
between luster verses frost?

*Scotch Brite is a registered trade mark of
the 3M company. All rights both foreign and
domestic are protected by copyright

Well to start with there are at least two kinds of luster, frosty and satiny. If you look at a coin with frosty luster you can see the flow lines in the surfaces of the coin. These flow lines are what
cause the cartwheel effect, as luster moves across the surface of a coin, when it is rotated under an incandescent light. Satiny luster is just what it says, it has a satiny appearance, you see it on
modern NCLT uncirculated coins produced by the US mint. It's a more uniform surface with very little or no flow lines visible.

Luster is the key when it comes to grading uncirculated coins. The slightest disturbance to the surfaces of a coin will show up in the quality of the luster.

JAM


Which is exactly what happens when you rub a coin.
Aram.

Aram H. Haroutunian wrote in message . ..
On Mon, 27 Sep 2004 01:01:53 GMT, "J. A. M." wrote:

frank wight wrote:

I've been reading advertisements
in coin magazines for five years and
it seems like an advertised coin is described
as having 'luster' or 'frost' but no coin
ever having both qualities.

Pesonally I admire a coin that has frost in
such a way that the coin in question looks
more 3D.

When some coin company rants about 'luster'
I am clueless about what kind of quality
the coin truly has. I've seen some kennedy
halves that have gobs of luster but the coin
is the product of a die that has been reground
twice. So who cares about a glowing coin born
of a tired die?

Sometimes I think I can make
any coin glow with 'luster' if I rub it long
enough with a Scotch Brite* pad.

Is there something I'm missing in the difference
between luster verses frost?

*Scotch Brite is a registered trade mark of
the 3M company. All rights both foreign and
domestic are protected by copyright

Well to start with there are at least two kinds of luster, frosty and satiny. If you look at a coin with frosty luster you can see the flow lines in the surfaces of the coin. These flow lines are what
cause the cartwheel effect, as luster moves across the surface of a coin, when it is rotated under an incandescent light. Satiny luster is just what it says, it has a satiny appearance, you see it on
modern NCLT uncirculated coins produced by the US mint. It's a more uniform surface with very little or no flow lines visible.

Luster is the key when it comes to grading uncirculated coins. The slightest disturbance to the surfaces of a coin will show up in the quality of the luster.

JAM


Which is exactly what happens when you rub a coin.
Aram.

You're referring to the practice called "thumbing."

It's a pity more people didn't contribute more
to this subject.