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Message:: [QUOTE="physics-fan3.14, post: 4051363, member: 19165"]Lets see if this helps. This is an 1826 graded EF-45 by PCGS. This is one of my favorite coins, partly because the luster is so bold. In the still picture, look especially at the glow around the date, the stars on the left, and the area behind her head. That "glow" is luster. If you were to hold that in hand and rotate it under the light, you'd see it move just like on an UNC coin. However, I can't make the coin move..... Unless I use a gif or video. Maybe this will help illustrate? Now, with the moving light the behavior of the luster should be a little clearer. Notice as I move the light, the luster is changing. It has a trace of the cartwheel effect. However, you should also see that the open fields don't have any luster remaining. The luster is only in the more protected areas around the devices. The easiest place to see the is in the left obverse fields, in front of her face. The luster absolutely must be present for a coin to grade AU. This coin, honestly, has the luster of a strong AU - but there is too much wear for it to be AU. Even as low as EF-40, it is expected that there should be traces of luster remaining in the protected areas. I hope this helps you understand luster on a circulated coin a bit better. [ATTACH=full]1061868[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]1061871[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]