Grain like satin finish?

[Dearing]

What makes a penny look like this, it looks really great for a 1986 and looks like satin to me yet its not a satin finish or proof.... What makes the copper grain line like that or is that just how they come out sometines?

[Petespockets55]

I think what you are referring to is a variation of " orange peel" on a zinc cent's surface.

[GrumpyEd]

You mean the vertical linear pattern on it?
I think by chance that was the direction that the planchet strip was rolled. The rollers make a pattern or oil or gunk or uneven surfaces on the rollers makes lines then when they plated it the plating adheres unevenly so when they strike the coin the plating sort of lifts in a matching pattern.

There are also patterns of (from center of die to the edges) flow lines caused by the metal on the coins being struck moving so over time it makes that pattern on the die which makes it on the coins. It's what cases cartwheel, you look at the coin at different angles and it sort of looks like it rotates as your angle changes.

[Dearing]

Ok, thank yall... I understand why and how now.... Cool i found another that im curious about its strange looking. I dont know if its post or during mint but it appears to be from mint I think. Here is a couple pics.

[Dearing]

I didnt know it was called orange peel, thats interesting, thank you.

[GrumpyEd]

Ok, thank yall... I understand why and how now.... Cool i found another that im curious about its strange looking. I dont know if its post or during mint but it appears to be from mint I think. Here is a couple pics. [ATTACH=CONFIG]134112[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]134113[/ATTACH]

That must be exposed to something post mint.

Something rubbed the plating off of the rim, maybe it was in a washer/dryer. Coins in a machine for very long get rounded rims, zinc plated ones get the plating worn off of the rims quickly.

[jfines69]

I'm in with roller lines on your 86... Here is some info from the Glossary -

Roller Lines: These are very thin parallel striations, often seen on both the obverse and reverse going in the same direction. Though sometimes blamed on improper alloy mixture, these thinner, more even lines are more likely from dirty or damaged rollers from the rolling mill when it was reducing the planchet stock to the correct thickness for coin production. More commonly seen in the late 70s and early 80s. Photo courtesy of jmangham.
The 2003 looks like it was soaked in acid to remove the plating... Sometimes an unplated zinc core can make it thru the minting process and into circulation... Please remember you will get more looks and comments if you place different coins in their own threads... When you bunch up coins of different years with different errors/anomalies the threads can become confusing which in turn will make fewer folks chime in!!!