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Are colourized and nudes exactly the same coin?


CatStudent

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From years ago I always assumed that the colourized versions of silver coins were just the nude/plain version with a decal/sticker on it. Probably because I read that most of the colourized coins were made by 3rd parts (non-official) that purchased plain coins and glued the sticker over them.

For this reason, trying to find an economic solution to fill an empty spot on my Australian lunar set, I bought a colourized version of a 1/2 oz silver lunar Ox. I assumed that it was the same coin with a decal on it.

But after receiving the coin, and checking it carefully, I noticed some differences that question my assumption. It looks like if the colourized Australia Lunars are not the same coin, that they are minted with a different stamp. In this case, the plain version of the ox has some texture, like the grass or the hair of the ox. But the colourized version looks totally flat, there is the outline of the ox, but the interior shape is flat (maybe to get the decal glued better?).

Please, anyone knows for sure if the Colourized Australian Lunars are made by a 3rd company buying plain versions? Or, if they are made by the original Perth Mint using a different die?

thanks

ox_color.jpg

ox_plain.jpg

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The colourised versions are flatter so the print can sit evenly. If you have a close up look the image is made up of small dots. I noticed the difference in a couple I bought a few years ago and wondered what it would look like with the print cleaned off. I left it alone as I didn't want to devalue it.

These are all made by the same mint with different dies I guess.

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The coloured versions are not made by a 3rd party they are made by Perth mint, it is not a sticker or decal that is added on to the coin, it is a printing process done by Perth mint.

See below, I'm not sure if they use different dies for the coloured coins its possible but I doubt it personally, the depth of the ink could make the coins surface appear flat.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

The popularity of coloured coins is reflected in the commemorative silver line-up offered by The Perth Mint. So how is the colourisation of precious metal coins achieved?

The Mint uses a specially adapted pad-printing technique. It begins with the preparation of four printing plates, known as clichés, each one etched with different elements of the coin design as a series of tiny depressions.

Cyan, magenta, yellow and black ink, the base colours from which all others are produced, are mixed and applied to the etched surfaces of the clichés.

Silicone pads are lowered onto the clichés to absorb the ink. Then, in a carefully sequenced process, the pads deposit the ink on the face of a coin in successive layers until the image is complete.

PadPrinting

Colouring coins at The Perth Mint

Special inks are required for optimal quality. As only very small quantities of ink are transferred during the pad-printing process, the pigmentation must be highly concentrated. The Perth Mint mixes its ink with hardener, which cures to leave an exceptionally durable finish, resistant to fading, as well as solvent and chemical attack.

Colour adds vibrancy, realism and appeal – the results are often quite spectacular.

The problem with common sense is, its not that common.

 

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Thanks very much for your replies.

@motorbikez, thanks for this information, very interesting. Tracking up your text to the Perth mint I have found a cool video. Clearly, the Perth mint doesn't use decals to make their own colourized coins:

 

@MickB, I purchased these two coins for this exact same reason but I have been sillier than you. I decided to remove the paint of one of the coins to find the answer and I loosed the gambling. After removing the colour layer you can see clearly that the Perth mint uses two different dies for the colourized and plain coins. See attached image.

Conclusions:

- Some third-party companies buy plain silver coins and colourize them applying paint or decals, in these cases, you can get the original plain coin by removing the colour with a solvent neutral to silver.

- Some official mints, like the Perth mint,  produce their own colourized coins from a different die. These colourized coins match the weight and size but the colourized part is flatter in order to get a better adhesion. In these cases, trying to remove the colour destroys any value of the coin, DO NOT DO IT. :-( 

DecolourizedCoin.jpg

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@CatStudent You learn something everyday in this interesting hobby of ours. I wouldn't have thought there were different dies for the coloured coins but thinking about it ,you would get some people trying to do what you have done, removing the colour to try & get say a 1/2oz or more likely a 2oz mouse as they way more expensive than the coloured coins.

The problem with common sense is, its not that common.

 

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@swAgger, yes, it hasn't been a cheap lesson (32€ in my case), but it could have been worse... :)  

@motorbikez, you are right, but still, there are many colourized coins done by 3rd companies, so it's not a so crazy idea. In fact years ago I purchased a colourized Somalia Monkey because I was not able to find the last coin I needed to finish the series. I could remove the decal easily with acetone and I got my set completed. In this case, the colourized coins are 'taken' from the plain series, and decolorizing them returns them back to the original mintage.

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