Lessons In Problem Coins: Smoothed Surfaces

Thunderstorms.......

 

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Okay, late IHC's have flat planar fields, unlike early Lincolns which are bowl shaped. What would you do if someone held a gun to your head and said "smooth this Indian Head cent"? A soft wooden popsicle stick? A wooden stylus? An Apple Pencil?

 

I think we're talking about whizzing THEN smoothing (by polishing/buffing perhaps).

 

Heck, if I thought a Popsicle stick would do it. I'd have bought stock in the company. We an't talking gold here........

 

And the boomers roll along the north shore.........dipping down from Connecticut they make their way.......Kurt and Jason are much experienced with these storms, but I'm a novice with these. Don't get many 'round these parts.

 

This same line of boomers came through here about 5:30. It's a long line.

 

I was planning on making these into a series. Good work @Kentucky !

 

PCGS has been calling coins, "Surfaces Smoothed," for a few years now. I don't know how it is done, but the purpose is to erase field and major device marks, scratches, hits, etc. so as to give the impression of a higher grade coin... Much like how people look for a "clean cheek Morgan" as an indicator of a higher grade Morgan.

 

Is it also showing up on Morgans? Is "thumbing" just so "last decade"? Or is it mostly a copper thing?

 

It's on all coins. I saw it on a capped bust half the other day.

 

Without trying to start a grammar flame war, "conflation", please.

 

Sounds to me like someone ought to give a Money Talk on the practice and teach the diagnostics of it. Anybody ever seen the word on an NGC slab?

 

Not here, Jeff. Here, it's a conflagration.

 

A quick eBay search turns up none for NGC.

 

God help us. Now we got smoothed. I don't think I'm alone thinking I'll give this one a smoothe grading. Who wouldn't give this wonderful coin a smoothed grading. Thinking I'm going to throw that out in the near future and watch heads spin.

 

Now I'm no PCGS fan, as many of you know, but I'm not above (ab?)using my pre-show opening access to ask somebody from PCGS about this word.

I got my ANA orders. I'm on case replacement, bulb and lamp replacement, and shlepping stuff from point A to point B with carts as needed duty, all five days, except when judging exhibits.

 

I agree with the ribbon. How do you sell a coin when first of all you have to explain the label in detail and your not sure what the heck your talking about

 

Nope. IMO

 

Yeah physics seems to be the only one with smooth skills. Good job physics. Now define smoothed for us if you can