Just got a MS66FB in with some odd stuff on the field

Hey guys. I just got in a PCGS 5th gen. slab, MS66FB Mercury dime. It's an extremely nice coin. The obverse field in front of the face is perfect, nice grainy luster. The right side field though, behind the head has some really weird stuff going on. In the pic, I thought it was on the holder. But it's actually on the coin.

From the T, there's a small area that arches out, goes past the Y and through the middle of the W (designers initial) and the area goes to the rim. This patch is more mirror like than the rest of the field. But it also has some sort of fine stains like various fine, gray lines and specs. I don't think it's from a fingerprint because the lines are not equal like a finger print. It just looks like stains in the metal. You can see them better at a 45 degree angle than straight on. It looks like some are in the narrow field right behind the wing as well.

What would cause this? Grease on the die maybe?

 

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Post pics or there is no way to know.

 

Could you post a pic please?

 

Jc

 

Images might help. In the mean time, the mirror-like patch you described is not especially uncommon on Mercury Dimes - I'll take a sight unseen guess that it is a D-mint coin, though it certainly doesn't have to be. The stains you mentioned could be the result of toning that was dipped off, but which had already etched into the surface of the coin.

 

Ok. Here's some pics. The best I could do to capture it.

This first one kind of shows the mirror like portion of the field. The stains are in this area but you can't see them in the pic straight on.




This shot was taken at an angle so they would show up.




Here's what it looks like overall FWIW. The scratch by the W is on the slab. What an awesome design.

 

Looks like metal that is raised but I honestly don't know. Nice looking coin either way though.

 

It looks like a combination of die wear (as Mark suggested) causing the mirrored area, and a print (which Vess suggested) causing the discoloration. All IMO...Mike

 

I think that what Vess1 is talking about, is actually a fingerprint extending from behind Miss Liberty's head to the rim.


Frank

 

I agree and must say, was stunned (NOT) to see a D mint-mark on the reverse.

 

I'm still not sure that it's a print. The pattern just does not resemble a finger print. If it is a print, it was surely put there by the guy who put it in the slab. It's a shame they aren't required to wear gloves.

 

Why do you assume that? Couldn't it have been put there by any number of persons before it was submitted for grading? Prints don't necessarily show up immediately.

 

I assumed because somehow it got to PCGS in MS66 condition. Someone had to have saved it, taken care of it this long and decided to submit it. If somebody would have been careless, the print should be across the whole thing. Instead it's right on the edge, (if it is a print) where someone would have carefully pushed it into the rubber ring. It was a guess.

 

It' a very good possiblity that the coin was dipped, and they over looked it. the coin to me just doesn't have that natually lust to it, and when coins are dipped they can eventually discolor in the fields with a black look to them or brown.I .It sure doesn't have the characteristics of a finger print at all. notice the figerprint on this coin
Jazzcoins Joe

 

Vess1,

I understand your thinking but like Mark said, the print may not have been visible at the time the coin was submitted and graded! You can find thousands of examples of high grade coins in slabs that have nasty...highly visible fingerprints on them and the fingerprints were more than likely not visible when the coins were submitted and graded. To insure that a specific coin of your's does not have a fingerprint on it, then you have to know for sure that it was never touched by human fingers and take every precaution to insure that none get on the coin if you happen to show the coin to anyone. I have taken full rolls (in a plastic tube) of high grade...Gem BU (MS-65 to MS-68) untouched coins to Coin Shows to get either an opinion on the value or to sell them and came back with a roll of high grade...questionable Gem BU coins with many of them with fingerprints on them. Yes, some Coin Dealers and I mean some that deal only in high grade...Gem BU coins...use little to no care and take little to no extra precautions when they remove other folk's coins from a plastic tube to look at them! If they aren't buying them, then why should they care but they sometimes have an ulterior motive! I have jumped all over some of these same Coin Dealers for picking my' coins up bare handed and with their' thumb on the Obverse and several fingers on the Reverse, then reverse of this when they flip the coin over to inspect the Reverse. What gets me the worst about it, is the fact that after they have placed fingerprints on 60% or more of the coins in the roll, they have the gall to say they really aren't interested in purchasing them or give you a low value on the coins for some stupid reason, then go even futher to make some absurd offer on them.


Frank

 

The luster looks the same as any other high grade merc to me. I don't know what it could have been dipped in that would leave it looking as good as it does. I know acetone has never made the slightest improvement on anything I've experimented with.

 

Now I said it;s a very good possiblity I don't really see any signs of a finger print I think your coin could have discol oration from I don;t Know what,but when a coin is dipped the fields could have a black look to them later on,

I have serveral dipped coins walking liberty ,and the luster is not natural, looks very simular to yours unless the pics are throwing me off.Just an opinion

JC

 

I have cropped the area and provided the picture below to make a point! I believe that the streaking that you see is definitely from someone's finger and is due to the coin slipping from their grip due to having greasy or oily fingers. I have seen the exact same thing on many coins and have had to clean some of my' coins after some kid picked up the coin while eating french fries at the Flea Market.


Frank

 

If it was a 50's era coin, I would say the spot looks like it could be a water spot. But the mint didn't really have a problem with that in '39.