Are Satin Finish Coins Addictive?

Is it possible that a coin can be addictive? As many of you know, I’ve been looking at a lot of Satin Finish coins – smooth soft satin (matte proof like) almost flawless surfaces, perfectly formed devices due to extract striking pressure, and raised rims, reminiscent of proof wire rims. But, the other night I decided to search some business strike bu rolls and had to stop - looking at their marred surfaces and lack of detail, my eyes began to hurt and I got a queasy feeling in my stomach. :desk: I had to stop and lay down for awhile. As soon as I returned to looking at the satin finish coins, a feeling of peace and contentment came over me. I don’t know, has anyone else experienced this?

 

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Not me.

 

I have a MS 1927 Peace dollar I acquired recently. At first I dismissed at as having been overly dipped. The luster didn't cartwheel and seemed pretty flat but the fields have a nice smooth, rich surface to them. I compared them to a MS 1921 I have certified by NGC as a 62. That coin has a decent strike for the year and also the flat luster. I thought perhaps it was penalized for the luster but now I'm not so sure. Otherwise I would call it a solid 63 or even 64. I was just wondering is this what one refers to as a satin finish. (Still working on posting pics sorry).

 

Actually, the satin finish I am referring to is the finish the mint applied to 2005 to date uncirculated mint set coins.

As for what you're noticing on your Peace Dollar, I'll let an expert on Peace Dollars answer your question.

 

Nor me.

I usually get that queasy feeling when I look at the Satin Finish Mint Sets the US Mint sends me and they are all scratched, marred and beat to death!

 

Ah! You picked the worst of the bunch, most are not like that - most are like my avatar. If I received that mint set, I would have returned it! I don't know, is it too late?

 

19Lyds: Looks like those presidents should have had some better Secret Service protection!!!


Statequarterguy: If you like pristine surfaces so much, perhaps collecting proof-only issues would interest you. Satin finish surfaces are made especially for collectors, just like the proofs.

 

I like them, but I still feel that the proof is better than the satin finish coins. I don't have a problem with collectors enjoying satin finish coins and being addicted to them, heck, that's what coin collecting is all about in the end, collecting what you like!

However, I believe the US Mint is disserving collectors by not offering a regular uncirculated set of coinage, and I mean non-satin finish or unmodified coins. I don't have a problem with the satin finish coins, I feel that they are generally more collector versions of business strike coins. However, it's just another layer of collecting in the end. Now we (or for some collectors) feel that proofs, satin finish, and regular business strike coins all must be collected to complete sets.

 

I hear what you're saying and I collect the proofs too, but prefer the satins because I don't like the high contrast mirrored/frosted proof finish as much. Even before the satin mint sets, I collected mainly the bu (satin) modern commems as opposed to the proofs, which paid off due to their lower mintages.

 

It was just a suggestion. Maybe you will like the earlier proofs that come without cameo contrast ("brilliant proofs"). They're actually much less expensive than their cameo and deep cameo counterparts.

 

I know exactly how you feel. I feel the same way when I search untoned coins. A good rainbow toner always makes me feel better.

 

Not really. Most of what I receive is not even grade worthy and the photo's presented are typical.

Here's a random 2009 Set, Philly coins:

 

Wow, you're getting bad batches. Most of my satin cents & quarters are 68's and a few 69's, rarely a 67. Although, I have noticed the Kennedy Halves and Dollar coins seem to have a higher rate of lower grade obverses, while the reverses are almost perfect. But, based on the availability of certified MS68 satin dollars and Kennedy's on eBay, I figured I just got bad batches in my mint sets.

 

I have all the satin finish coins in my collection of moderns. I do like the way they look. I did not intend to collect them, I had just wanted to fill the holes of my Dansco's with uncirculated coins, packaged by the mint. It took some reading here on CT to finally understand that the so called uncirculated coins after 2005 were not the business strikes and that they were something more special.

My Modern Dansco's do not have holes for the business and the satin, only the 4 coins per year (PDS&S), I also have the proof and silver proof's. So I will keep the satin finish coins until they stop making them. I would like to also include the regular finish into the collection.

I have great luck with my satins as none of them have gotten damage like some Ive seen in this post and others. Im lucky, I guess I have gotten good batches. I hope they continue this finish, I enjoy it. I have read somewhere that they will not continue the satin finish.

 

Never will these coins be worth an investment of any kind.....except 2009 lincoln 95% copper.

I just spent 35 minutes typing my response, and then I submitted, but it timed out.....argggghhh.

I will type later..

 

Ah, but the mintage of the 2008's will probably be lower than the 2009's. And yes, the surface strike of the coin is a bigger deal than the composition. The satin finish coins are easily recognized by their finish, which sets them apart as a variety, even sans the 95% copper, with a bullion value of a little over a penny. Even so, the 2009 bronze composition will create added demand.

Additionally, the 2008 satins are the lowest mintage (aside from Mint errors) of the Lincoln Memorial Series, which closed with the 2008 issues. The 2008's are already selling for more than the 2009's. I understand the theory behind the 2009's, 95% copper and bicentennials and I'm buying those too, but covering my bases with the probable winner of the satin mintage and the already winner of the Lincoln Memorial Series, the 2008's, with a mintage of approximately 745,000.

I'm not promoting the 2009's because I'd hate to say anything that may increase sales, not that anyone's listening. lol So, if you're buying 2009's, get them off eBay or wherever, just not from the mint - then, maybe, but unlikely, the 2009's have a chance at being the mintage winner for the satins. Of course this all hinges on whether or not The Mint continues the satins - if it does, the mintage winner could be somewhere in the future, either way the satins are all low mintage for a mint product that's part of the circulating series and the 2008 is the lowest mintage Lincoln Memorial. For that matter, most if not all of the satins represent the lowest mintage coins for all of the circulating series.

 

I was collecting the State Quarters and I had 27 out of 30 in MS69 (2005-2007). When I decided to give up collecting the state quarters so they were sold...but I have a few left. Having a Business strike in MS69 is so much better!! :goofer:

Here is one that I can't part with!! When I sent it to get graded and I found out that it got the 70, I planned to sell it and that was over 4 years ago.



Here is my registry set with a lot of high grade SMS coins.

 

WOW! Thanks, that's the first MS70 satin I've seen. Plenty of 68's and a few 69's on eBay, but looks like the 70's are being held onto.

 

:headbang:

 

I do like the look of the satin finished coins and am happy to own the recent mint sets. HSN is really pushing these coins which makes me wonder if they will ever get the respect they deserve. TC