Can you post a photo? I have over 1 thousand ASEs and have ordered about 10000 of them for others and have never seen a milkspot. However, almost all of the ASEs were current year orders. One older year ASE that was handled by someone has a brown spot. I also have a similar brown spot on a Canadian Timberwolf coin that was handled when someone put it in the plastic flap holder. Some day I need to read up on how to get rid of the brown spots, but it isn't worth my time right now to do it for 2 coins.
I don't have access to them (they are several kilometres away, tucked away) but they are less prominent than the examples posted here. The odd spot here and there and whitish on the edges where my fingers presumably touched them. The white spots are less prominent than the examples posted here.
This is off topic, but here ya go... hopefully we all learn something new everyday Google: "ASE with milkspots" should get you a few hits http://forums.collectors.com/messageview.cfm?catid=26&threadid=415911&STARTPAGE=1 (Anyone else having problems with milk spots on PCGS ASE's?) http://www.collectingbanter.com/showthread.php?s=fe28bd1069ed9835b2b9306a9bbb1277&t=120128 (MIlk Spots on ASE) http://www.cointalk.com/t71417/ (ASE - Milk Spots) https://www.kitcomm.com/showthread.php?t=76991 (What causes Milk Spots on ASE's?) As I was saying, because standard bullion coins are minted with little expectation of returns apart from their metal content, I don't think milk spots are a big issue. A distributor for the Royal Canadian Mint (Talisman Coins) writes in regards to Silver Maple Leaf coins: "The coins are bullion coins. They are not collector coins. They are sold as one ounce of silver. The Mint knows that there is a problem. The problem has existed since 1988, when the SML coin was first introduced. The Mint says that there is nothing that they can do about the problem. Our experience is that some SMLs have them and some do not. We do not know what we are going to get when we open the boxes of 500 ounces of silver that come from the Mint. We have to take what we get; we can not return them. We do not have the time to sort them, etc. We ship out what we get..." http://www.goldismoney2.com/showthr...ot-milk-spots-quot-on-silver-Maple-Leaf-coins If milk spots, scratches and dings were a huge issue for these standard bullion coins, I imagine the mints would encapsulate each individual coin.
I use an eraser and it leaves no scratches at all. Don't press hard, use a corner of a new eraser and you should be fine.
Has anyone encountered any milk spots for Perth Mint bullion. This is mine - 2oz Tiger I find it strange because I have the impression that their QC is strict
Bad luck as this is your first coin. Don't worry as it is only worth its weight at spot so maybe sell it as such. I've collected about 100 of these Phillies and everyone is perfect. I don't particularly like a smooth edge as coins look better with milled edges. It makes me categorise the Philharmonic more as a round even though it has a face value. Aside from this comment it does possess a nice mirrored finish and is very shiny when perfect. Dump it when spot reaches your buy price and start again.
Yeah... wow... haven't come across a milked Perth Mint coin before... hmmz... I wonder what their official position on milk spots are?
I bought a 2009 20-coin roll of Philharmonic off Ebay in 2010, about $3-4 over spot price, when I just got it, there was only one coin got two tiny milky spots. this year I sold it, before I mailed the roll, I took a look, there were 3 coins all got milky spots. So they grew. My room is extremely dry, and I kept the roll in a metal container, so not my storage problem, just the original production problem. Luckily, the buyer did not mind, so I sold it.
Soft eraser or metal wipes will remove the milk spots...but they leave fine scratches and will destroy a numismatic coin. I called PCGS yesterday and they will attempt to clean a PCGS graded coin for free... if the milk spots appeared after their grading. As an alternative, they will buy the milky coin at market value, if spots appeared after they graded it. I have 12 Grizzlies that are horribly spotted...they're so butt ugly that I'm considering using the abrasive techniques on them. Fine scratches look better than an almost completely white coin. Some of the spots are actual finger prints that do not come off...and I've tried many solvents and non-abrasive methods to remove them. Drutter, on you tube, says the milk spots are caused by borax residue being baked into the surface during the drying process at the mint.
Found this video on youtube on tips to remove milk spots. Personally, as long as it is a bullion coin, I have no issues removing the milk spots but not for numismatic coins [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sJSwKe5Ev8[/youtube]
Booooo white spots. I just found my previously mint grizzly has white spots on both sides all of a sudden. The coin is encapsulated and not been handled. 4 months later and now I have a milky grizzly. How much will this effect resale premium? Who wants a milky bear?
WOW! OMG, Can no one else see the perfectly detailed tilted sideways SWAN that you are calling a milk spot.. id say you have a remarkable rarity on your hands and ill gladly take it off your hands. Congratulations and no matter what you do, dont scrub the Swan Imprint off. SWEET .. im jealous! 1for1
Like most here I don't have a real problem with milk spots on bullion coins. What I do have a problem with is sellers not disclosing this on their sales. If you purchased and were expecting a good condition coin then I would have been a little pissed had it not been mentioned and that was what I received. If it had been mentioned then no dramas as it was as expected.
It won't stay looking like a swan for long. My Maples that are milked stained tend to get worse with age.
The Swans beak is even yellowish and you can clearly make out an eye.. i somehow doubt this is a Milk-Spot.. its an imprint.. dont ask me how but id wager this is not the Milk-Spot-Pox and hence it will remain a SWAN and not spread accross the coin further. 1for1
