1982 Proof Nickel

Yes, but there are many more on the rev in between MONTICELLO and FIVE CENTS. The white spots in the pic are dust particles. You can get those off the coin if you took the coin out of the case. But do you see all the other little spots that are not white ? Those are what I am calling speckles, they're where dust particles used to be.

Most dust particles are organic material and organic material decays over time. And as they decay they cause a reaction on the metal. That reaction leaves behind tiny little spots (speckles) that are extremely visible on the mirrors of a Proof coin.

 

Those are the black spots I mentioned, not what I am calling speckles. And speckles is just a word that I personally use. I can't recall ever seeing anybody else use it to describe what I am describing. But then I've never seen anybody else try and describe what I am describing either.

I'm not sure what cause the black spots. I know that sometimes they can be caused by something rubbing against an area, like the arc of the smile line in the cheek. Or on the hair or the collar. But that can only happen on a high point. You often can see black marks like this on Morgans, on the frosted areas.

But as you point out, there are also some in the most recessed areas like the in the windows of Monticello, and nothing could rub against the coin there.

So I rather think the black marks can have two causes. One of them have something to do with the frost itself. A weak point in the frost on the die if you will caused by the wear of striking. But that is just a theory.