the best way to see luster is by looking at a coin that (silver works best) that has never been circulated, hold the coin on the edges and tilt it slowly back and forth and watch the light go around the coin, then do the same with a coin that has been polished with silver polish and note the difference in how the light works on the coins surface.
The difference is original luster once you see it you will never miss it again when you see it, or when you don't.
Yeah, it will have a cartwheel or pinwheel look to it, like the light is making a pinwheel effect on the surface of the coin.Like Metalman said, find a nice BU coin and move it around and see how the light plays with the coin.
Quote: the best way to see luster is by looking at a coin
Morgans work well since they are so common in uncirculated. Head over to a local coin shop or show and look a a couple certified MS examples. Rock the coin back and forth and take note of how the light reflects off the coin.
When I read this I thought of the Ed Sullivan program and plate spinning. You need only watch a minute to get and to understand the basic idea. Turn a coin, any coin, the same was as a the plates spin, and you will see the cartwheel, or lack thereof. One video is worth a thousand words.
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