Coin Hairlines or Surface Hairlines

[alloway65 10]

Coin Hairlines or Surface Hairlines

 

When a coin comes back from Grading with one of the above notations, are these Hairlines caused by either:

• The natural cooling of the coin after Minting as a lot of heat is generated in the Minting/Stamping process.
  
  

or

• · Man made due to cleaning.
  

[Pierre_Henri 30]

I am 100% sure that when the coin comes back from say a NGC grading with "surface hairlines" it refers to "man-made due to cleaning"

 

I only became aware of "machine-made" hairlines a relative short while ago: - for the untrained eye there is no difference, but the moment you become aware of it, it almost pokes you in the eye.

Pierre

[Jongleur 10]

Considering where a coin has been in its lifetime I am loathe to even touch it without

cleaning it. I clean mine in Dettol and then I brush them with toothpaste. I cant see the harm

but then I collect for fun and not for resale.

[alloway65 10]

I am 100% sure that when the coin comes back from say a NGC grading with "surface hairlines" it refers to "man-made due to cleaning"

 

I only became aware of "machine-made" hairlines a relative short while ago: - for the untrained eye there is no difference, but the moment you become aware of it, it almost pokes you in the eye.

Pierre

 

Thanks for your input Pierre.

 

In my mind, being an engineer, when I read hairlines my mind automatically registers hairline cracks...which occur naturally when a "body" is under load or heat stress!

 

Instead of hairlines why don't they state scratches....this is very confusing to me....the term scratches logically (to me) makes more sense!

 

Hairlines are a natural occurrence caused by external forces and scratches are made by a direct mechanical means!

[Cold Sea 3]

Thanks for your input Pierre.

 

In my mind, being an engineer, when I read hairlines my mind automatically registers hairline cracks...which occur naturally when a "body" is under load or heat stress!

 

Instead of hairlines why don't they state scratches....this is very confusing to me....the term scratches logically (to me) makes more sense!

 

Hairlines are a natural occurrence caused by external forces and scratches are made by a direct mechanical means!

 

I've always read hairlines as meaning "hairline scratches". I've copied the following from NGC:

 

Less experienced collectors may confuse mint-made die polishing marks for hairlines. Die polish lines are raised on the coin’s surface. Hairline scratches on a coin go down into its surface. This difference may be difficult to see at first. Obviously, if a collector does not detect the hairlines on a coin or mistakes them for die polish, he might be tempted to remove it from a slab to send it in for a higher grade. This can be a quick grading lesson when the coin is returned with its original grade.

[Patricia_Gert 10]

Good day all,

 

A few years ago NGC would have rejected a coin that appeared cleaned (i.e. returned it unslabbed with a note) and NCS mostly only stated "improperly cleaned" on the slab. NGC then started putting "problem" coins in a slab indicating a bit more details (where apparent) on the probable type of cleaning. One of these being "SURFACE HAIRLINES". The correct term (probably shortened by NGC) should be "surface hairline scratches" as these surface hairlines is actually a multitude of fine scratches on a coin's surface, after minting.

 

The NGC guide "Understanding NGC Details Grading” states under "Improper Cleaning" that:

"SURFACE HAIRLINES are faint, abrasive lines that disturb a coin’s appearance,

even though some original surface may remain underneath. They typically result

from gentle rubbing with a cloth, and their severity may be described more fully

through addition of the terms LIGHT, MODERATE or EXCESSIVE."

 

On the other hand:

An example of hairlines caused by the forces in the minting process can be seen on attached Inauguration R5 coin. These hairlines however does not result in a "details grade" as this is caused by the minting process. This specific coin have a grade of PF69UC.

 

Kind regards

Gert

 

Edited May 2, 2012 by Patricia_Gert

[Cold Sea 3]

Hi Gert,

 

I might be wrong, but it seems to me that these "stretch" marks are more common on the R1 and R5 coins, and not so much on the R2, and never on the other denominations with different type metals. I think you are right when you say the marks are caused by the forces of the process, rather than die marks. I also got a feeling that the marks are valleys rather than ridges. This might help Alloway with his heat/friction/cracks observation during the minting process.

 

Regards

[alloway65 10]

I think we have all learned something about surface hairlines on coins...I must now have a closer look at some of my ungraded coins.