Luster on Modern Clad Coins

[Bennett]

OK, I'm beginning to learn about and recognize the importance of luster. I can spot it fine on silver coins and copper. My problem is that when I search a roll of BU clad coins, say a state quarter roll, all the luster on the coins looks the same to me. Is that because it is, or am I missing something. Thanks!

[Conder101]

Part of the problem is that Copperickel is not a particularly reflective metal. Silver coins can have a very flashy luster because one the meta is softer and forms the flowlines that reate luster more easily, and two silver is the most reflective of all metals. It reflect 95% or more of all th light that hits it. Coppernickel on the other hand only reflects somewhere around 60% of the light that hits it. This means that the luster on a clad coin is "duller"that what you would see on a silver coin inthe same condition.

[cladking]

Luster tends to be deep, rich, and satiny on clads and has a surprising tendency to affect each coin of a date and mint about the same. But some have very poor luster because of surface characteristics, strike, or some other vatiable. The luster on '69 quarters tend to be very flat and dull even in the fields. '81-P quarters are very flat with little shine. A few dates like the '84-P tend to show a lot more variability.

 

The luster on most of the states coins is fairly similar. Most of the WY I've seen have a fairly high luster and the TX seem to be a little more subdued but there's not as much variability as has been common in the past.

 

Generally with clad you want coins with good strikes from new dies since dies are used so long and good strikes are so scarce that these are rare. Such coins don't have quite as much luster as later strikes though it tends to be very even and you can come to appreciate it much more than flash.

 

Collectors do tend to develop their own tastes as they look at more and more coins.

[Bennett]

Thanks, these are extremely helpful replies. I was knocking myself out trying to figure out which quarter in the roll had the most luster!

[silvermonger-migration]

real coins with an unmolested surface have a light that shines from deep within

modern coins have a reflective shine from the surface, much like a polished real coin

 

I liken it to the difference between the original lacquer finish on classic cars vs the modern basecoat under clearcoat on newer cars. The old lacquer looks like its a mile deep while the new modern method paint looks like mop & glow poured over primer.

[cladking]

real coins with an unmolested surface have a light that shines from deep within

modern coins have a reflective shine from the surface, much like a polished real coin

 

I liken it to the difference between the original lacquer finish on classic cars vs the modern basecoat under clearcoat on newer cars. The old lacquer looks like its a mile deep while the new modern method paint looks like mop & glow poured over primer.

 

You don't see many shield nickels with nice luster.

 

And there are plenty of silver coins that never had nice luster as well. Luster is a characteristic determined primarily by striking considerations. While silver tends to shine brightly after strike nickel can have a very rich and very satiny luster.

 

It seems all the "real" coins made almost everywhere any more are cu/ nickel, aluminum, and copper. It's a shame real coins aren't made of silver any longer and the silver coins won't even work in vending machines.

[Oldtrader3]

The only high nickel content coins that I know of which have a high luster finish are war nickels, because they are 35% silver.

[RWB]

"...deep, rich and satiny....a light from within..." You guys using those new radium coins?

 

I'm probably too old fashioned, but I've never seen a clad coin that looks anything but dull, lifeless, gray and uninteresting.- not even the best proofs or satin or sandblasted. It's just the nature of the CuNi alloy.

[WoodenJefferson]

I have a roll of 1996-D Kennedy half dollars stashed away that have lustorous cartwheels. Most are MS-67+ and a few are PL. I have never seen a continous roll of Kennedy halves (other than the 64's) display so much luster, they dazzle!

 

The guy I bought them from said they had luster and I figured, yeah sure, OK, sell them to me for $15 and he agreed. When I got home, I opened the end it didn't look like the modern clad crud I was used to seeing...these "were" special.

 

So, there are clads out there that have luster and cartwheeels, you just have to find them out of the billions and billions.

[cladking]

Lots of clads have a very high luster. '68 quarters usually do but many are toned now so you'll have to look at four or five mint sets to see one.

 

Most of the clads in '90-'98 mint sets are struck on burnished planchets and are very lustrous.

[Conder101]

The only high nickel content coins that I know of which have a high luster finish are war nickels, because they are 35% silver.

War nickels? High nickel content? The only nickel they contain is the word nickel in their name. What do you call low nickel content?

[coinman1794]

Lots of clads have a very high luster. '68 quarters usually do but many are toned now so you'll have to look at four or five mint sets to see one.

 

Most of the clads in '90-'98 mint sets are struck on burnished planchets and are very lustrous.

 

Yes, a lot of Clad Washington's come with exceptional luster. In fact, virtually all clad issues can be found with glowing luster, and can range from fully prooflike to heavily frosted. The primary factor that determines whether these aging coins are highly lustrous is the level of oxidization, i.e., the degree to which the large amounts of die grease deposited on these coins at the mint has begun to react. In general, opinions about the luster on most clad issues would be more favorable had they been viewed at the time of striking, when the coins were fresh and new.