Whizzed, cleaned, or just mint luster?

Discussion in 'World Coins' started by The Meat man, Aug 24, 2025 at 6:50 PM.

  1. The Meat man

    The Meat man Supporter! Supporter

    I recently obtained an 1862 silver rupee. In hand, the coin appears to exhibit nice bands of mint luster. On close examination, however, I noticed a pattern of marks across the surfaces. They seem to be more in the fields than anywhere else.

    DSC_0126 - Copy.JPG

    DSC_0126 - Copy (2).JPG

    I own a couple "whizzed" coins and this coin doesn't look like them, but...being new to modern coins I'm wondering if the marks on this rupee are normal mint luster, or if they are cleaning marks, or whizzing marks.

    Thanks!
     
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  3. longnine009

    longnine009 Darwin has to eat too. Supporter

    They appear (to me) to be under not across the letters. If so, that would be something with the die, such as polishing.
     
  4. Mr. Numismatist

    Mr. Numismatist Strawberry Token Enthusiast

    They might be radial flow lines (caused by die deterioration), but I'm not quite sure. Are the areas with the "lines" more lustrous/shiny?
     
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  5. Spark1951

    Spark1951 Accomplishment, not Activity

    That’s what I think, too, die polishing reaching the surface and shallow devices but not the deeper areas of the die.
     
  6. The Meat man

    The Meat man Supporter! Supporter

    That makes sense. It is pretty much restricted to the fields and doesn't appear to hit the edges of the lettering or go over it, like you'd expect with whizzing.

    Hard to tell, but I think so. Would this be from microscopic fractures in the die surface?
     
  7. Lehigh96

    Lehigh96 Toning Enthusiast

    +1
     
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  8. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan Collecting for 49 years Moderator

    +2
     
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  9. Heavymetal

    Heavymetal Supporter! Supporter

    Nice. Do we get to see the whole coin?
     
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  10. The Meat man

    The Meat man Supporter! Supporter

    Soon! I want to take some better photos and then I'll have it ready to post. :)
     
  11. Mr. Numismatist

    Mr. Numismatist Strawberry Token Enthusiast

    It's similar to dirt erosion during a heavy rain. As the metal flows to fill the design, it slowly "erodes" the dies.
     
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  12. longnine009

    longnine009 Darwin has to eat too. Supporter

    The erosion causes the dies to be etched with microscopic lines. Light reflects off those lines causing a "cart wheel" effect on BU coins.

    But they are microscopic. I'm not sure they wil show at all on an image.
     
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  13. Collecting Nut

    Collecting Nut Borderline Hoarder

    I agree
     
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