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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;johnmilton, post: 25402298, member: 101855&quot;]Let me try to help you with some photos. I have been collecting Proof type coins of late, but I do have some Mint State nickels. </p><p><br /></p><p>First, here is a high-end Proof 1909 nickel. This is NGC graded PR-66 Cam.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1626826[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>Here is an MS-65, 1912-D. Thing to look for is the shiny post. On a Mint State coin if you swirl it under a strong light, that are will rotate around the <i>unbroken</i>. If there is a break in that luster, it&#039;s an indication that the coin is not full Mint State. </p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1626827[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]1626828[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>On some coins, the luster is a bit more subdued, and it&#039;s harder to see. NGC graded this 1866 With Rays Nickel MS-64. The other key to look for is hairlines, especially if there is a pattern to them. That is an indicator that the coin was cleaned. </p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1626829[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>Here&#039;s an even more subtle point. If the line are <b>into the coin</b>, that&#039;s bad because it&#039;s an indicator that they were put there before the coin was struck. If the lines <b>are above the surface of the coin</b>, that is an indicator that they are from die polish which was part of the coin at the moment it was struck. Advanced numismatists look for these features using a 10X glass which also comes in handy for detecting counterfeits and altered coins. </p><p><br /></p><p>I don&#039;t have a nickel with die polishing marks, but here is a modern coin that has them. They appear in the right field of this 2009, one ounce Ultra High Relief $20 gold coin. </p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1626830[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>This feature made this coin undesirable for me. I sold it, and bought another one which didn&#039;t have the problem. Mint cause defects can raise or lower the value of the coin. Generally they raise the value of common modern coins, but lower the value of older better coins. </p><p><br /></p><p>Here is an example of the same issue without the die polishing. </p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1626832[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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