Effect Of "dark Spots" On Grading

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Author	Replies: 7 / Views: 2,475
navycapt1635 Valued Member United States 220 Posts	Posted 07/29/2020 5:48 pm While I'v come to understand the fundamentals of grading, I haven't seen anything that addresses "dark spots" on coins and their effect on grading. I am posting a photo of a FDR dime reverse that I would estimate is in the low-to-mid MS grade without the spots. Can anyone please help? Thanks. Bill Report this Post to the Staff

Nieuw Pillar of the Community United States 663 Posts	Posted 07/29/2020 5:58 pm Looks like a fingerprint of some sort Report this Post to the Staff
panzaldi Bedrock of the Community United States 18684 Posts	Posted 07/29/2020 6:34 pm since eye appeal is a key component in grading it all depends on the size of the spots, how prominent they are and where they are located. thats not an easy question to answer as it can be bad enough to receive a details designation or not affect grade at all. in the case of your coin. I dont think it would details the coin but may affect value a little Report this Post to the Staff
Coinfrog Bedrock of the Community United States 94367 Posts	Posted 07/29/2020 7:24 pm In the specific case of fingerprints, they always reduce the value - the larger the print, the more the hit. to the CCF! Report this Post to the Staff
sel_69l Bedrock of the Community Australia 21788 Posts	Posted 07/29/2020 8:55 pm Dark spots are just a small areas of very thin corrosion, composed of mainly silver (less so copper) silver / copper oxide sulfide complexes. Cannot be removed with acetone, because they are inoraganic. Fingerprint stains are of the same chemical composition, also cannot be removed. Although they are not characteristic of wear, they do affect the eye appeal, and thus lower the value, critically so on MS graded coins. Report this Post to the Staff
fenton Pillar of the Community United States 4989 Posts	Posted 07/30/2020 07:57 am Usually the impact on technical grade is fairly minimal but some people will avoid slabbed coins that have unattractive toning hence the old adage "buy the coin not the holder". Note that on MS coins most toning will come off with an acid dip so investors tend to prefer original surfaces since they know the original "ugly" coin is a dip away from "blast white". Blast white is becoming less popular since most of those are assumed dipped. Edited by fenton 07/30/2020 07:59 am Report this Post to the Staff
navycapt1635 Valued Member United States 220 Posts	Posted 07/30/2020 08:23 am Great answers! Thanks a lot! Report this Post to the Staff
FullStepper New Member Brazil 25 Posts	Posted 08/01/2020 10:29 am This is why they say an AU 58 can be worth more than a MS 63. All the details can be there but really. Report this Post to the Staff
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