Discolored 2020 Quarters

Howdy All - I've been going through 3 boxes of quarter boxes (ALL 3 boxes are uncirculated Marsh-Billings D) and found these oddities. First 2 pics are comparison of the off-color Qs versus the regular shiny Q. The second pic shows another Q with striations next to a normal Q. So the questions are...
#1 - Since these are brand new uncirculated quarters, it's not really "toning" right? And the weight and thickness of the off-color quarter are identical to regular quarters. So what the heck causes the discoloration?
#2 - For the second pics - what is the striation error called? Isn't it when the coin is moved off the die?
#3 - Are these "errors" and do either of these add any value to a new quarter?
Thanks in advance for your help!

 

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1 I'm not seeing any errors/2 it appears to be toining 3 its probably been in that roll with other uncirculated quarters for a while and became the ugly duckling.

 

Looks like an annealing problem. Possibly what is called copper wash. JMHO
http://www.error-ref.com/part-v-planchet-errors/

 

That was my first thought but it doesn't look like it to me,it would be nice if we could get edge pictures.

 

How could striations like this occur if the Mint is using a horizontal press? Am I correct in assuming that the Mint now uses a horizontal press for all denominations?

 

I would say improperly annealed. I have found several of these. from a dark color to lighter color like yours. Here is one of the dark ones.

 

@potty dollar 1878 - the edges in color and thickness are indistinguishable from a normal quarter. Looks like a nice new shiny clad coin. I've found 60+ so far in these 3 boxes of varying tone.

@Mark68 I can even see the striations on your example as well. What are those lines called?

 

@cpm9ball Can you send me some interweb links that would describe difference between a horizontal press and a vertical press used in minting coins? In a horizontal press, is the planchet loaded from the top, pressed then dropped?

 

Please correct me if I’m wrong, horizontal or vertical press shouldn’t have any difference on the occurrence of striations. No matter if it a worn die or a striking issue ect....

 

https://www.coinworld.com/news/prec...tripes-on-coins-are-not-fully-understood.html

 

I really don't know that much about the differences between a horizontal and a vertical press. That is why I was asking my questions.

 

Could the striations be feeder finger damage (die scrapes)? I found this:
http://www.error-ref.com/?s=feeder+finger+damage

 

I don't think feeder finger damage. Those striations are also found on the obverse and sometimes on both sides.

 

I could be wrong, but I always thought that feeder finger damage affected the die and was then imparted to the planchet during striking.

 

Definition: Die scrapes are a form of die damage that is caused by the feeder finger scraping across the anvil die. Die scrapes appear on a coin as closely-spaced, parallel ridges. It is a form of die damage that’s usually caused by the feeder finger scraping across the anvil die face. Die scrapes also sometimes appear on the hammer die.

 

Thanks 9ball for the definition, very good lesson for today.

 

for the lines, in my opinion, these are rolling lines left behind from the machine used to roll out the metal sheet to spec thickness of the coin blanks. the rollers get grit or dirt, or simply wear over time and that leaves lines behind. I'd think that the strike in many cases should obliterate the lines, however, maybe what is left behind in some cases are more extreme cases towards the end of the rollers usefulness and replacement.

I don't really have a good answer, because it's all technically speculation without actually being involved in the processes.

Could also be lines on the die, but then you'd have to think there would be many examples from the die pair.

Could be a sort of scraping from the scoop or shovel they use to gather the coins into the ballistic bag, but I don't think they would be so parallel, or so uniform in direction so my best guess is it's the rollers used to get the sheet to spec thickness that are doing it, before punching out blanks, that the strike doesn't for whatever the reason obliterate.

 

As far as the OPs coin, I'm not sold on that being an annealing error and if it is, it's very mild, so light that it might be difficult to be attributed as such.

I think between minting, storing, transportation, rolling and distribution, there's a lot of chances for, let's say the top layer of coins in a ballistic bag of quarters to become contaminated by some sort of an oxidizer, then mixed in with everything else below it when they are rolled up and have these oddballs appear in rolls. could be enders in the boxes, stored in a less than idea environment also.

I'm not sure on these examples for this reason, usually the more extreme examples are dead giveaways, these very light ones,,,, I can't judge.

 

@John Burgess I think I agree on your theory. The lines are not always in the same orientation (angle) which would rule out a die issue. I was also thinking it could be a planchet problem, and your theory is a couple steps upstream from that. SO, I guess it will remain a mystery. Bottom line, though, for discoloration or lines, no extra value can be attributed to the coins. Do you agree?

 

roller lines or striations don't add value really, there's not a market for it, it's just an oddity in the blank making process.

As far as an annealing error, it would add value, but people like them attributed in a slab, which is likely going to cost you more to do it than it would sell for. your word you found it in a Mint State roll of the same date, and it being so mild isn't enough really for most buyers of it. I think you could get near $40 for one in a NGC or PCGS slab, but it's gonna cost you close to that to get it done also so it's sort of a break even proposition.

I mean this guy on ebay got $15 for a pair, those are clearly what he's representing them as in my opinion, if it's up for debate on if it's toning or an annealing error, the listings stagnate and sell low, if they sell,.... I mean search ebay for "annealing error", 75%+ of the results are ungraded ones and are environmental damage after the mint and only worth face value.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/3338203655...=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Still though, with some good pictures, just about most things can sell on ebay for a $5-$10-$20 bill. More towards the less side if people are going to take a risk and gamble on something though and they aren't feeling certain on it.

I think with nice pictures, clearly showing the surfaces like the listing I linked, you could make a couple bucks off them from someone wanting to take the gamble on an unattributed Annealing error. so in this respect, I'd think there's some sort of added value to an annealing error, the problem comes in convincing a buyer that it is,,,, what it is, and getting them to pay higher for it instead of coming in cheap.


my theory on the lines is they all go the same direction when the sheet is rolled out, when the blanks are punched out of the sheet, and then inserted into the press for striking, this is where the orientation changes from coin to coin, but only because they've been taken out of the sheet and inserted randomly into the press. the die is always the same direction, the planchet can enter differently.