Lustrous 88D

How do you feel about plating blisters?
Can they be attractive?
What about on a Gem+ cent?
I just pulled this out of a customer wrapped roll.
It doesn't have a circulation mark on it.
Premium luster and strike, does it have the eye appeal?

 

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Not with those blisters its basically a ticking time bomb I would put it back,they really ruin the coin overall.

 

That's interesting simply due to having so many plating blisters. I don't recall seeing one this extreme before. I wouldn't call the eye appeal "attractive" but it is interesting enough to keep and share with us. Cool find!

 

Maybe in your neck of the woods, around here not so much
I pulled some split plating Zilcolns that are still mint luster and the zinc is as brilliant as the day it was minted.
The thought that a plating blister or split plate doubling is a time bomb is a fallacy.

 

Yes,over here they just look like your average 10 yo zilincon.Sorry not a fan of em compared to copper.I mean copper cents survive for hundreds of years,zinc cents are lucky enough to survive even a year.Unless untouched and hidden which looks like your situation and a nice example compared to most.

 

So would the OP's coin grade if sent in? I have never seen this, what causes it?

 

Technically the coin "is as struck" zero contact or circulation, why wouldn't this coin qualify for a MS65 or better grade. The luster is impeccable in hand.
Here is another look.
I am a fan of these local cents, being in the metro, I find quite a few oddities in daily commerce.

 

https://www.error-ref.com/part-v-planchet-errors/

 

These are plating blisters. It happens only on copper plated zinc cents.

 

I do keep some.

 

Lets show good references.
Search Results for “Plating blisters” (error-ref.com)
@potty dollar 1878
Again, when coins are properly taken care of zinc coins like these are still brilliant red after 44 years like the one posted. You may want to play on the zincs are crappy brigade, But that is just not the case.

 

Agreed.

 

How do you see these coins @Insider

 

I have one, though not quite as pronounced as yours. Still hardly a mark on it and no sign of the blisters rupturing after 33 years and still a beautiful color

 

I consider them to be interesting characteristics that detract from a coin's eye appeal. In the "old days," the difference between a technical grade kept for internal records might be MS-70 Red, Plating Blisters vs MS-65 Red.

 

Technically I believe they only affect the "eye appeal" portion of the grade which is typically one of the most important grading features. While the bubbles are "as struck", when they are bad enough they should hold the coin back from the highest grades, i.e. 67 and up.

Personally, I'd call this coin 66RD and I don't think it could go any higher due to poor eye appeal.

 

As long as the Zincolns are kept well protected, they will last very, very long. That said, I don't think they'll last as long as a solid copper coin under identical conditions.

 

Not to me - times 1000. Zincoln's are an abomination for me.

 

I agree and have no issue with a 65 grade.

 

So, the highest grade that these coins were able to get was MS65?
Have you seen the poster child for PCGS 68RD.

https://www.pcgs.com/coinfacts/coin/1988-d-1c-rd/3105