Lessons in problem coins: Whizzed.

What do you see?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1875-S-BU-...lver-801s75STCP-/142891382236?redirect=mobile

 

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Halos around the stars jump out first, then halos around the devices. A close look at the fields shows a strange pattern of parallel lines in the luster. The coin has been whizzed.

 

Is it cleaned? outline around device stands out as odd.

 

Sometimes, on whizzed coins, you can see the spreading lines caused by the device that moved the metal. See below.

 

If I'm not mistaken, I believe long ago it was "illegal" (sort of) for ANA members/dealers to sell whizzed coins, because they fooled so many collectors. Perhaps @GDJMSP or @V. Kurt Bellman has more info on that.

 

Here you can see the only "original" surface on the coin. An area so tight that the luster or skin was untouched by the whizzing device. At least, that's what I believe, based on the pics.

 

I see a coin that comes from the land of problem coins-ebay.

 

I am not nearly as schooled as you and many others here. I purchased that near perfect blast white seated half from you several months back. Surfaces are spectacular. Near perfect to my aged eyes. Now I look at the coin in your post and it just has an unnatural appearance to me. I want to like it as I am preferential to blast white coins. But it just looks unnatural to me. Your further analysis clarifies for me why it appears unnatural to my eyes. It would be perfectly acceptable if it was a polished up part on my hot rod engine. But quite the turn off on a coin. Thanks for that.

 

There's a reason that coin is not in plastic.

 

Whizzing is not "illegal" per se, but it is unethical and results in what used to be called "body bagging".

 

I'm happy that I figured it out before reading onward in the thread.

 

Whizzing.... Would be defined as taking a coin to a buffing wheel or a similar buffing device on a Dremel too or something similar?

 

I started to say it was a fake.

 

Having never seen it being done, that IS my impression when I read about it. Dremel especially.

 

fake original surfaces...

 

Help me Mr. WHIZZard!

 

Lots of problem coins on ebay, also a lot of nice ones, if someone can tell them apart they'll do ok. Once in a while I get burned by a listing with so so pics, but most of the time they can be returned.

 

The little citrus fruit?????

 

It is definitely a problem coin. When I first saw it, I noticed the odd luster pattern and small lines on the surface, especially the right obverse field. This made me think it was whizzed.

 

Imagine the time they put into that.