How to tell SF from BS

murphy · Senior Member

I have some experience telling the difference between Satin Finish and Business Strike surfaces on coins. I submitted one of only three 2005P ms68 business strike cents to PCGS. I found two varieties, at least I call them varieties, of cents that have one side SF and the other side BS. So having said this I am hoping that I am somewhat qualified to speak on the subject of how to tell the two surfaces apart.
Compare my photos of this 2005P "half & Half" Cent with Satin Finish obverse and the Business Strike reverse. They were photographed in the exact same light. All I did was flip it over. Notice in the top one how the patina is uniform and brighter across the cent, but in the bottom one the light shows more in lines. These lines are called die flow marks. All new cents have them. That's what you see on the reverse. However the Satin Finish like on an SMS cent, is so strong that you cannot see the die flow marks. You just see a finish that looks like a proof cent with frosting on the devices as well as over the fields.
I haven't heard anything or read anything about this lately and thought I would add my input plus I wonder if anyone else has any notions on the subject.

Bob P · Site Admin

Would love to review your pics Murph, but for some reason all that is there is the Red X box of death or nothing at all Crying or Very sad

Could you please try and repost the pics?? Thanks!

coop · Expert Member

That funny I can see them? Borrowing Murphy's picture a thought hit me? Take a look and see what you think is better?

Same image, just different backround colors.

murphy · Senior Member

Hit your "refresh" button Bob. My Image Hosting Service was obviously down earlier. It should work now.
I like the white background better. Smile

Bob P · Site Admin

I amstill not seeing your pics Murph. I even went so far as to manually put in the image hosting address in my browser, but no go. I can see the pics Coop posted, so I dont know whats up. I will try back again later.

GarryN · Expert Member

I can see the pics. Are you saying that there are 2005 cents out there with different finishes on the obverse and reverse? How is that possible?

Gabe · Senior Member

I guess it is possible, since satin finish coins could be mistaken and used for bussiness strikes.

What I think you got there is just a die in EDS that looks sharp, and appears to be satin. Maybe Im wrong, but that is probably what you got there.

murphy · Senior Member

Perry Hall suggested the same thing over in the PCGS Forum, but I'm not convinced that die state is the case here. So I'm going back to the drawing board, look at some more pennies and compare die states.

coppercoins · Site Admin

I guess I should chime in by saying that I haven't really followed the whole "finish" thing on the 2005 cents, and don't really have anything of value to add to the conversation. I don't see anything at all unusual about the coin in the photos.