  The coefficient of normal restitution of colliding viscoelastic spheres is
computed as a function of the material properties and the impact velocity. From
simple arguments it becomes clear that in a collision of purely repulsively
interacting particles, the particles loose contact slightly before the distance
of the centers of the spheres reaches the sum of the radii, that is, the
particles recover their shape only after they lose contact with their collision
partner. This effect was neglected in earlier calculations which leads
erroneously to attractive forces and, thus, to an underestimation of the
coefficient of restitution. As a result we find a novel dependence of the
coefficient of restitution on the impact rate.
