United States Gold Coins Mint Luster

When a coin leaves the mint it has a luster. This luster cannot be recovered if it has gone through circulation or if they have been cleaned. People have tried to clean the coins to regain this luster but it cannot be done as the mint luster of United States gold coins and silver coins is created during the coin striking process.

Flow lines are the cause of the shiny surface of the coin during the minting process which are microscopic patterns in the metal. The flow lines are easier to see on a larger coin.

The Morgan Dollars where nicknamed cartwheels when they were first produced because these flow lines simulated the appearance of a turning windmill. You can take a new coin out of your pocket now and view the process of the cartwheel effect.