#1 The EF coin should have some wear on the high points. Sometimes a weak strike can be confused with wear. If you have a weak strike and no wear, then it would not be surprising to find luster on the fields #2 if you truly have an EF coin then it should have luster on the fields only where the fields are protected by devices. The field areas that are out in the open & not protected by the devices should normally not have luster. Those open areas of the fields should have EF wear just like the high points have EF wear. #3 An EF coin which looks to have much luster & shine may have been polished. Very best regards, collect89
"Luster" and "shine" should not be confused. If the coin truly has luster, great. If it is just shinier than it should be, probably cleaned.
Yes, XF coins should have luster. "A lot" is difficult to quantify, but typically XF coins have between 50% and 10% luster left, depending on the type.
Here's an XF morgan dollar (or at least what PCGS graded XF 45): The obverse has about 15% luster, and the reverse about 25% luster, as is typical on Morgan's in XFish holders.
So much depends on where the coin was, how it was handled, who did what to it. By that I mean if someone carried a coin for a long time in a pocket made of soft material, the coin could show wear and still have luster. If dipped in someting, it too could have luster. If held in a hand while waxing a car, it could have a real shine or luster. If a UNC coin was put into one of those rock tumblers, it could come out XF and shine like new. Way to many variables.
Ya know Carl, it's even getting hard for me to tell if you are talking tongue in cheek or not anymore Use a smiley once in a while. And Rushmore, to make sure that you understand - luster is caused by the flow lines on a coin that has seen little if any wear. Rarely does a coin that grades VF or any lower have much if any luster left. XF coins, in many cases & depending on denomination, are required to have as much as 50% of the original luster remaining in order to be worthy of the XF grade. The higher you go, the more luster there must be. And do not confuse shine with luster. A coin can be polished or whizzed and shine like the sun - but if it is, it will not have any luster whatsoever. You have to be able to tell the difference.
A rule of thumb for (TPG) grading coins with luster: Unbroken luster in fields - MS Between 100% and 50% luster in fields - AU Between 50% and 10% luster in fields - XF Between 0% and 10% luster in fields - VF No luster - F and below. While there are exceptions to every rule, the above is a good rough guide to grading by luster (which is primarily how I grade, and how I believe the first-tier TPGs grade too*)....Mike * = before they market the grade higher or lower based on other attributes.
I took the Dollars I bought and showed them to a dealer today and they were cleaned. At the show they were in mylar holders and looked dull.
Gee, whiz. Not to knock the coin or anything, but who would send in a circulated 1921 Morgan to be certified at PCGS?
FWIW, it wasn't me who sent it to PCGS -- I traded for the coin already in the slab. That said, to answer your question, take a look at the word TRUST on the reverse, do a little research into 1921-D VAMs, and report back what you find.
