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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Insider, post: 2436283, member: 24314&quot;]<span style="color: #b30000">IMO</span>, if you had the coin in hand, you might change your opinion on many of the surfaces that are circled.&nbsp; </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><br /></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Thank your dad for his insight.&nbsp; I&#039;ll add this and hope he agrees:</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>When light hits a coin&#039;s surface it is reflected.&nbsp; The condition of the surface as well as the type and intensity of the light determines what we &quot;see.&quot; <span style="color: #0000b3">(Rule out the vision and color perception of each of us</span><span style="color: #000000">).&nbsp; Therefore, an original surface has one type of luster and appearance.&nbsp; Tone that surface, and depending on the toning it will look differently.&nbsp; As a matter of fact, <span style="color: #b30000">even a circulated surface</span> that develops that &quot;special&quot; attractive blue toning WILL OFTEN REFLECT light as if it were a PL!&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><span style="color: #000000">Now, once our original BU coin receives friction wear on its high points, that surface will reflect light in a different way.&nbsp; When this surface is toned it will still appear dull.&nbsp; If additional friction removes the color from that surface it will still be dull.&nbsp; Lightly struck areas behave the same ONLY their original surface tends to have a &quot;matte&quot; luster.</span></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><span style="color: #000000">There are plenty of observable instances where coins in low grades that have album toning reflect amazing luster FROM THE TONING even though (if dipped) their surface would return to dull gray!&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><span style="color: #000000">Professional TPGS can look at a coin (without magnification in most cases) and determine if a coin has wear just by the color of the surface.&nbsp; Unfortunately, then they must judge how much wear to allow before they downgrade the piece to AU.&nbsp; They also must factor in the attractiveness and market value when assigning a final grade.&nbsp; Even the coin type and its age factor into this equation.&nbsp; Bust Half dollars are truly rare as full &quot;Technical&quot; Uncs with no trace of wear.&nbsp; </span>[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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