Strike vs Luster

[MikeKing]

Does luster decline with the strength of the strike?

In other words, will a coin that has an exceptional strike, have it at the expense of luster?

 

 

[cladking]

Not really. However a very fresh die will not leave the same brilliant luster as a die that's been used a few times. It will vary with the coin and dies, but this is typically only a real factor on the first ten or twenty strikes. As the die wears out it will often get orange peel or other effects which will hurt the luster. The biggest detriments to luster are wear and time. Dipping of course can damage it.

[EVillageProwler]

Luster can be defined as the particular radiance (or, reflection of light) from the metal due to the flow lines created when the planchet was struck by the dies.

 

A coin that is well struck is simply one whose metal flowed well and into all the crannies of the dies.

 

Technically, the two issues are minimally related. And, for the minimal relationship, I'd have to say that a better struck coin has better luster (because of more metal flow).

 

EVP

 

[TomB]

Good question and I'd have to agree with EVP on this one. If you view it in the extreme, you might think of a very poorly struck coin as being little more than a glob of metal, and we would think that a glob of metal would have very little luster.

[bigd5]

You can find this type of thing with certain Buffalo nickel dates. The lustrous, well struck issues can be really tough for certain dates. You usually get one or another. Well struck and a bit flat, or Brilliant, but more softly struck. It's a series where this can be seen rather easily, and a choice MUST be made!!!!!

I won't commit either way. I'd have to compare a couple of coins before making a decision.

[dragon]

In the Morgan dollar series you will find both. Some of the various 'O' mints that were very weakly struck sometimes also have exceptional satiny lustre. On the other hand, the 1881-CC which is typically one of the best struck coins in the entire Morgan series, usually is also found with superb frosty white lustre.

 

dragon

[TomB]

Howdy, dragon!

[Hoot]

I'm glad that Darin relied about buffalo nickels. That series can show dramatic differences from coin to coin in terms of strike vs. lustre. I believe that cladking is correct in the assessment that the first few strikes can be quite good but have poor lustre, although I'd extend the number out quite a bit. My reason is simply that most MS67 1913 T1 buffalo nickels show muted lustre but fantastic strikes (although I've seen some that were graded such due to flawless surfaces and great lustre, even with a compromised strike). The population of MS67 coins totals nearly 300 coins at that level. However, some very lustrous, well struck examples exist. I'd agree that these came after the dies were "seasoned" a bit. Most MS66 coins of this issue are quite lustrous.

 

Attached is a pic of my MS67 1913 T1. A technically fantastic coin, but muted in lustre.

 

Hoot

[Hoot]

Reverse of the 1913 T1 MS67 buff.

 

Hoot