Whizzing is mechanical rotary-tool buffing used to fake mint luster. Once you see the tells, you cannot unsee them.
The tells
- Concentric micro-scratches — fine circular lines from the spinning tool.
- Greasy or wire-brushed texture — the surface looks smeared rather than struck.
- Mushy, melted-looking device edges — detail softened by the buffing wheel.
- A faint ridge of displaced metal at the rims — metal pushed outward by the tool.
- Prooflike-but-wrong mirror fields — reflective, yet lifeless and artificial.
The verdict
A whizzed coin is a problem coin, full stop. Bid accordingly — or walk away.
A photograph can inform a decision, but it cannot authenticate or certify a coin.