Matte Proof Lincoln Cent "wood grain" toning pattern

What gives?

Over the years I've seen a number of Lincoln Cent pics with this odd "wood grain" toning pattern. I'm curious if there is any specific environmental, storage, minting, handling, metallurgical or other factors that results in this? I really don't find this attractive in fact it throws my OCD into a tizzy (LOL) it's very distracting, especially among a set of relatively even toned Lincolns. BUT...for a key or rarity it would serve as a nice hole-filler...for a while

 

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It's the result of the alloy not being mixed thoroughly.

 

Oddly, some folks find coins of this nature rather pleasing. Just as nuts like me enjoy laser etched 'moderns'.

 

I'm a huge fan of woodies but prefer the more evenly toned ones. I have heard from others here it is a fairly common effect of the material used for the early to mid-20th century coins, but no idea of the exact cause.

 

Yep. Poorly mixed alloy like Greenie said. I'm not one that looks for them but I do have a two cent woodie somewhere that's pretty eye catching.

 

The obverse looks nice.

 

That’s not odd toning. It’s an improper mix of the metal alloys. Nice coin.

 

I too enjoy finding these and have often thought of trying to put together a set of them. Maybe someday.

 

Another Matte proof.

 

This is still my favorite but it has not been posted for a while.


This is more traditional but appears more at some light angles than at others. It does appear that the bands of alloy have slightly different compositions, and that the resulting differences in reactivity yield different rates and intensities of toning.

 

Not me.....Mr. Numismatist.