PCGS offering $50,000 reward...

In 2007 PCGS offered this reward to stop milk spotting on ASE's. Has anyone ever claimed this reward and did PCGS or anyone else come up with a prevention method yet?

 

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Nope. Still an issue today

 

If you could figure out a way to stop milk spots you could probably patent it and make much more than $50,000.

 

You would just keep it to yourself and make the most money. Patent makes it public and it would be unenforceable

 

Shouldn't encapsulating it prevent it?

 

You're thinking of toning/haze. Milk spots are a result of the minting process. It's more of an issue with some countries than others

 

Gotcha

 

Also different than spots on zincolns I imagine?

 

And for some reason slabbing seems to make milk spots show up.

 

lol, seriously?

 

No. They happen in all storage methods

 

From what I recall on this subject. According to Rick Tomaska Proof Franklins were notorious for milk spots. He said the detergent used when washing planchets wasn't completely rinsed off and they weren't dried properly. Then when struck these spots became a permanent part of the coin. This is not a quote, I'm just paraphrasing.

 

It appears to be a problem for those Mints that have millions of coins minted. Those with production runs much smaller do not seem to have the milk spots.

Die or planchet issues ?

 

@BadThad or this guy @ptHoneyBadger should be looking into it.

@ptHoneyBadger is a newbie and a chemist. We should give him his first assignment!

https://www.cointalk.com/threads/a-...w-a-coin-collector-oh-no.354483/#post-4061162

 

Believed to be something to do with the washing process.

 

Yes I've read the same. Contaminated rinse, probably due to water conservation.

 

From PCGS, another theory...
"During her less then 18 months as the U.S. Mint's quality division chief, Stacy Kelley-Scherer has focused her attention on a problem that has plagued the American Silver Eagle silver bullion coin almost since its 1986 inception – spots. So far, a solution that prevents spotting from occurring has eluded Mint officials... Each year of the program, collectors and dealers of the American Eagle silver dollars have reported spots or blotches on the obverse and reverse, on all finishes – bullion, Proof and Uncirculated – and on coins from all Mints. The spotting is random and can appear as a single spot, multiple spots crossing the field and devices, or in large blotches or patches consuming significant portions of a coin's design."

The article illustrated spotted Silver Eagles that had been graded by Numismatic Guaranty Corp. (NGC). But the problem is not limited to NGC or any other grading service. At PCGS, we have received Silver Eagles in sealed Mint boxes (the 500 ounce green "monster boxes") and opened them to find coins that have already spotted. We have also graded spot-free coins, sent them to customers, and then had them returned to us months later after they had developed spots. There seems to be no rhyme or reason as to why some coins spot and some don't. But it is clearly something that is happening at the U.S. Mint.

The problem is also not limited to Silver Eagles or coins from the U.S. Mint. We have seen the same spotting problem on modern U.S. silver commemoratives and modern coins from other Mints such as Canada, China, and Australia. Our feeling is that it has something to do with the .999 silver composition, as the earlier pre-1965 90% silver coins seldom spot. However, it could also have something to do with the way the planchets are prepared or washed. We are not sure of the cause of the spotting, and apparently neither are the Mints of the world.

 

Imagine if it is the silver itself that is contaminated.

 

It shouldn't be that hard to find what is causing the problem and the solution. No other global mints are having this problem.

It also appears that savvy posters here on CT and on other forums have ID'd the problem or at least what is a very likely source of the problem. The Mint needs to get edited, implement a fix, and then tell us if it worked or not.

 

I think they solved it by no longer guaranteeing the coins...

https://www.pcgs.com/guarantee