Gold Coin Question

[Eric Hazen]

So I purchased my first MS gold coin at a recent online Stacks auction. The coin arrived today and it is nice but I'm curious about the characteristic of MS gold. The coin has an orange peel surface on most of the coin but its not uniform over the entire coin. The most noticeable is an almost perfect circle that stands out when you view the coin in hand. Anyways, I was just curious what causes this kind of effect since I have no previous experience in MS gold.

 

[jom]

This is probably a situation where you need to see the coin in hand to know what you are talking about.

 

jom

[MarkFeld]

I don't see that circular area as being anything other than coincidental, due to color differences on different portions of the surface.

[GoldFinger1969]

Eric, RWB and Bill Jones and the other vets can probably offer a more definitive answer but older gold coins look different because the blend of gold and copper differs from mint to mint as well as within the mint. Depends on the reactivness of the underlying copper and the source of the gold, as I understand it. Conditions kept in could matter, too.

[RWB]

The gold source is immaterial: it all had to be refined to be used. Trace elements were commonly platinum-group metals and silver. In the period of your coin, pure copper was the only alloy.

 

The spot could have been caused by a bit of debris, or slight discoloration, etc... can't tell without examining the coin and even then might not be able to provide an answer. Whatever it is does not damage or degrade your coin in any way.

 

[RWB]

PS: One small problem I noticed - your coin has a large white arrow with a red outline on the obverse. Some might not like that. Maybe it can be "conserved?"

[CaptHenway]

I suspect it is simple die erosion, which can be more severe in one area than another and affect the luster in that area. I see nothing wrong with this coin.

TD

 

[Eric Hazen]

I'd agree with you on that CaptHenway. Looking at the coin I thought it was probably something to do with the die. I dont have any issues with the coin and I'm happy with it, I just dont have much experience with gold coins.

[PerryHall]

I suspect it is simple die erosion, which can be more severe in one area than another and affect the luster in that area. I see nothing wrong with this coin.

TD

 

This is correct. Even with new dies the luster varies with the metal flow into the various recesses in the die and one side of the coin will have subtle variation in luster based on the location of the recesses in the die that strikes the other side of the coin.

[jpcienkus]

Congrats on your DE Eric? I really like it!

[Eric Hazen]

Thanks, I like it too.

[cpm9ball]

PS: One small problem I noticed - your coin has a large white arrow with a red outline on the obverse.

 

Roger, you must have never hitch-hiked as a youngster.

 

Chris

[Crohnos01]

PS: One small problem I noticed - your coin has a large white arrow with a red outline on the obverse. Some might not like that. Maybe it can be "conserved?"

 

I think he lucked out and got that extremely rare die variety of " with arrow"