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 Replies: 9 / Views: 2,588 |
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New Member
United States
48 Posts |
I've always heard reference to the "bullseye" effect for contemporary/modern high grade MS coins that are fresh and newly minted. This effect would gradually diminish with use/wear --correct? I saw a very old 1940's Jefferson nickel with the bullseye and questioned (to myself) the authenticity of the coin --can that bullseye be "restored" .? --keeping in mind the coin still looked like original color and was not toned. |
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Rest in Peace
United States
17900 Posts |
Bullseye is toning. Usually achieved by coins that resided in old folders where the periphery was in contact with cardboard containing sulfur.
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New Member
 United States
48 Posts |
Moxking --thanks for the note....--yes, I know what your referring to, but that is not what I'm referring to--maybe a better term is Cartwheels?
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Rest in Peace
United States
17900 Posts |
Cartwheels is the continuous luster seen on mint state coins, most commonly seen on Morgan dollars. The cartwheel is the effect of the rolling circular brightness from that undisturbed luster as the coin is tipped from one direction to another. Once gone it cannot be replaced. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5825 Posts |
More correctly it should be known as hourglass reflectivity.
THIS is what you should be looking for.
Put the coin under a light source and the reflection should take the shape of an hourglass.
Then as you slightly tip it in various directions the hourglass will rotate around the surface of the coin.
This is caused by the very fine (and fragile) metal flow lines created when a coin is struck and the metal is forced out to the collar and into the design features.
And when I say fragile I mean FRAGILE.
Abrasive cleaning immediately removes them.
Dipping will too except in the case of a VERY quick dip and equally quick rinse.
If a coin doesn't exhibit hourglass reflectivity then it's HIGHLY unlikely that it's MS.
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New Member
United States
48 Posts |
Thanks all, so then I would "ass-ume" then, that the nickel I saw from the 1940's with that cartwheel/hourglass effect is original ?
Thanks again
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Rest in Peace
United States
2668 Posts |
Oh ehe, oh ah ah, purty coins! he, he, he, he, he, he  |
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New Member
United States
48 Posts |
Parklane --and your point ?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
6394 Posts |
I still refer to cartwheel luster; I understand the hourglass-shape reference but to me it looks more like a band of light across the coin from edge to edge. It will be perpendicular to the incident light. As the coin is tipped the band will appear to rotate around the coin, producing an effect resembling a spinning wheel. Cartwheel luster can be crudely simulated by whizzing (cleaning the coin with a rotating wire brush) but it will never be as good as the original effect generated by the flow lines. Most likely the nickel you describe was an original brilliant uncirculated coin. BU Jefferson nickels are not expensive and it would not make much sense to try to fake original luster on one. |
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New Member
United States
48 Posts |
Jabber--thanks for the insight -
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Replies: 9 / Views: 2,588 |
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Posted 02/11/2016 9:08 pm
