Abstract: A method and an apparatus are disclosed for coating a metallic wire with a similar or dissimilar metallic plating layer having the desired uniform thickness and a compact metallic structure by passing the wire through electrolytic baths and through surface smoothing stations. The wire is passed through an electrolytic bath to coat the wire with a plating layer, then pressed against the peripheral surfaces of rotatable rollers to smooth the surface of the plating layer substantially over the entire periphery thereof. Subsequently the wire is coated with an electrolytic plating layer over the smoothed surface of the wire.