American Buffalo gold proof looks terrible.

[Golden Oldie]

Just received 2007 American Buffalo one ounce gold proof coin from the US Mint. Very disappointed. Is the background on the obv and rev supposed to be "bumpy"?

[pendragon1998]

Yes - the 1913 type 1 buffalo nickel (i.e., the original version of the nickel coin) also had rough fields.

 

Here's my 1913 T1:

[conqueror]

Can you post some pictures. Thanks

 

 

[Golden Oldie]

Thanks, that clears up our confusion. Haven't got Buffalo 5c in as good condition yours.

[Golden Oldie]

Just got it today. Will post picts once I unbury my camera from somewhere in my office.

[bsshog40]

I have seen some bumps on Lincoln cents. I have heard that may be some possible air that may have not gotten completly out before the gold plating. This would be also for the lincolns as to getting plated with copper over zinc.

[Golden Oldie]

Moving it back and forth in the light it looks bumpy but then mirror at other angles. Can't think I can capture with camera but will try.

[zrlevin]

I have seen some bumps on Lincoln cents. I have heard that may be some possible air that may have not gotten completly out before the gold plating. This would be also for the lincolns as to getting plated with copper over zinc.

 

What gold plating?

[bsshog40]

Sorry Zach. That was the wrong statement to use. The golds have a slight content of another metal right. I'm thinking the mixture of these 2 metals may have caused some slight air. I'm not much on gold and don't know if this could happen

[stev32k]

Here's the wrinkled or crinkled appearance he is talking about. I had a problem with it also - it just does not look like a proof coin with all the bumps.

 

[bsshog40]

That's not quite what I was picturing!

[harvey8542]

Wow that is really weird. Never seen that before.

[MunkyMan95]

Sorry Zach. That was the wrong statement to use. The golds have a slight content of another metal right. I'm thinking the mixture of these 2 metals may have caused some slight air. I'm not much on gold and don't know if this could happen

 

Gold coins have copper and silver in them, silver to add to it's brilliance, and copper for strength. These are mixed in at thousands of degrees, and would not cause bumps in the planchet.

 

Indeed, this is how the coin is supposed to look. They copied the Original design, rather than the later modifications.

[hoard]

For me that is one nice looking coin, mostly due to the rough looking field.

[TomB]

That is the way the US Mint intended for this coin to appear.

[conqueror]

Maybe it's just me but I don't like the rough field.

[bsshog40]

I like the mirrored fields myself, but I will bet it would be hard to see hazing with this type field.

[astrostu]

We had a speaker two months ago at our local coin club. He said that the fields were meant to be rough in the original design in order to portray the roughness of the American Frontier. When Charles Barber* was given permission to change the way the "FIVE CENTS" was put on the reverse, he also - without permission - altered many of the other design elements, including flattening the fields.

 

*Personally, I think Charles Barber should've been fired LOOOONG before that due to his horrid designs, but he also should've been fired for this, which he unfortunately wasn't.

[MorganMan]

I personally love the "bumpy" fields. Breaks the monotony....

 

And also, PROOF is not a design, but a method of manufacturing. Proof does NOT mean smooth mirrored fields......

 

MM

[zrlevin]

Sorry Zach. That was the wrong statement to use. The golds have a slight content of another metal right. I'm thinking the mixture of these 2 metals may have caused some slight air. I'm not much on gold and don't know if this could happen

 

Gold coins have copper and silver in them, silver to add to it's brilliance, and copper for strength. These are mixed in at thousands of degrees, and would not cause bumps in the planchet.

 

Indeed, this is how the coin is supposed to look. They copied the Original design, rather than the later modifications.

 

These coins are .9999 fine...

[Lem]

I also like the lumpy look, it's different!

[rbrown4]

Actually I like the looks of the fields on this coin.

 

Rey

[MunkyMan95]

Sorry Zach. That was the wrong statement to use. The golds have a slight content of another metal right. I'm thinking the mixture of these 2 metals may have caused some slight air. I'm not much on gold and don't know if this could happen

 

Gold coins have copper and silver in them, silver to add to it's brilliance, and copper for strength. These are mixed in at thousands of degrees, and would not cause bumps in the planchet.

 

Indeed, this is how the coin is supposed to look. They copied the Original design, rather than the later modifications.

 

These coins are .9999 fine...

 

That leaves .00001 other stuff. It's copper and silver.

[James_OldeTowne]

It would make for an interesting poll. I happen to like the rough field very much. One of the very few recent coins that the mint got just about right.

[rrantique]

This or This?

[Lem]

The 2006 Buffalo is the coin that captured my interest and brought me into this wonderful hobby so my vote is the gold Buffalo!

[rbrown4]

Go for the Gold.......

 

Rey

[bsshog40]

The more I look at it, the more I tend to like this rough field.

[Golden Oldie]

Thanks for the great close-up shot and the comparison shot of smooth and rough fields. I prefer the rough field now that I have all the interesting info you all have furnished.