I have a trade dollar I've had for about a year and now I'm haveing suspicians about it. I bought the trade dollar from a highly reputable dealer that I've known for years. i know have a suspician the coin is cleaned. up close using a 10x loupe it looks like it has a flow of small lines going frome top to bottom and in some of the cracks in the disign has blackish discloaring in it.at a quick look the coin looks great, gradig mabey XF-48-AU-50 but i'm suspicious. Sorry i have no pics but i'll try to get some. any comments?
The lines sound like die polish lines. Usually cleaning is all over the place, in all directions. Can you post a picure, please? Die polishing lines are very interesting. And circulated coins almost always have a little dirt on them.
I will try to get a picture, puty up close the lines look like there in the coin like really small scatches also the coin is shiny but doesn't have a cartwheel affect, from what i can tell atleast.
Die polish lines will look like scratches and in fact they are, but they are scratches on the die and will be raised and on top of the metal instead of into the metal of the coin.
Try a scanning electron microscope. At that level, it will look more like another planet than a coin. :smile My point is that coins are meant to be seen -- and graded -- with the naked eye. Experts -- that might be you -- also use lenses and microscopes and other tools as appropriate. Looking for a die variety, is one example of an appropriate use if a loupe. If you goto a larger coin show or convention and take a coin to Heritage or ANACS for a grading opinion, they are not going to take out a loupe: they are going to eyeball it. That is how coins are meant to be understood. Examining a coin with a 10x loupe is like answering "How old are you?" with years, months, and days.
Mike, I'm very happy to hear that sort of opinion come from such a knowledgeable collector. I stopped using a loupe about a year ago because I found it was damaging my enjoyment of some of my favorite coins.
