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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;GDJMSP, post: 585042, member: 112&quot;]Not exactly true Hobo, Proof coins definitely have luster. But it is a different kind of luster than that found on business strikes.</p><p><br /></p><p>Any coin, Proof or business strike, is absolutely going to have flow lines as a result of being struck. It is physically impossible for it to be otherwise because the metal always flows to fill the recesses of the die.</p><p><br /></p><p>And luster is not created on business strikes because the dies wear out. Luster is created because the metal flows and that&#039;s it.</p><p><br /></p><p>Think of this situation - you have a brand new pair of business strike dies, and you strike a coin with a them. Now does that coin not have any luster ? Based on your explantion it couldn&#039;t have any because there was never any metal flowing across those new dies to wear them out and thus create wear lines.</p><p><br /></p><p>But the truth of the matter is that the coin struck with those brand new business strike dies absolutely has luster, and lots of it. And yet there is not even 1 flow line cut into the dies by wear. Yes, there are fine lines in the surface of the die, but those lines are there as a result of die preparation (polishing).</p><p><br /></p><p>Regardless of how smooth the surface of the die and the planchet - the metal flows as the coin is struck. This is an absolute and has no exception. And if the metal flows there is luster - this is also an absolute. However, there are many different types of luster, each separate and distinct from the other. As mentioned, there is business strike luster, Proof (aka brilliant) luster, Prooflike luster, satin luster and matte luster. And all of them are created by the variations of die preparation.</p><p><br /></p><p>The easist way to think of luster so that you can understand it is to imagine that luster is a series of ridges like this - /\/\/\/\/\/. Now it is the height of those ridges that determines what type of luster a coin will have. But even on Proofs, if viewed at the microscopic level, those ridges are there. For no matter how smooth something is polished, the lines are still there. You just can&#039;t see them with the naked eye any longer. Of course you can&#039;t see actual lines on a business strike with the naked eye either. Not until you have lines caused by wear can you see them. But those lines are not what creates luster.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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