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 Replies: 69 / Views: 14,059 |
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Pillar of the Community
1844 Posts |
apart from the modern stuff how can you tell when a coin is a specimen strike ? I know rims and stuff but is there an easier way to tell?
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
1581 Posts |
Some are matte, but many have mirror fields.
One issue is that the mint would say PL, specimen and proof represent the process used from beginning to end, not the look of the strike. Hence you can have an extreme cameo specimen and no cameo proofs.
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Pillar of the Community
1844 Posts |
ok but what about the old stuff like pre 36 and into the Vickies... I have some awesome looking coins very high grades but not sure if they might be SP strikes or not... Is there an easier way on these older ones, given many have toning
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
3234 Posts |
Thanks Barrie......... artdio...Why not post some of your high graded SP "maybes" here..? We all like to see nice coins........  ..and the specialists here could possibly add some info for all of us too. |
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Pillar of the Community
1844 Posts |
I will just as soon as I figure out this new cam I have...
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
3234 Posts |
That's great news and we will love to see them...
Wouldn't that be wonderful,...if there were some SP's in your collection...
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
1581 Posts |
I think I may have a 1946 cent SP. It seems too gorgeous to be a mere business strike.
It would be a heck of a strong strike if it were mere MS. And while not full red, the eye appeal is superior IMHO. Just the right red to have the devices pop.
I'll have to see if I can get a good pic.
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
1581 Posts |
It seems the early PL and SP are the least documented things in Canadian numismatics. As mentioned above, even the existence is in question despite having flips with them defined as such. For example, I've read that there are fewer 1965 specimen $1 than 1948. Think on ramifications of that for a moment. I assume in most years that the specimens were produced for dignitaries, as gifts for the government officials to give away, and as samples by the mint to prospective customers. But, we really don't know the cold hard facts of the process. Also, why weren't proofs produced until the 1981? Was the mint so unsure of their capabilities they couldn't rise to that level? Proofs of Canadiana out of British mints exist back to the token days, yet even pre-proof era RCM trial and pattern pieces are specimens at best. |
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
3234 Posts |
As an interesting example following on this same train of thought here........
My avatar is the earliest 5 cent vicky.... and is labeled as a "First Strike",... and not a specimen. It's obviously (to the ICCS graders) that this coin is missing the important qualities that makes such a piece a specimen. The known specimens of this vicky must have very distinct qualities that are not present on mine.
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
1581 Posts |
Also, isn't Brian a noted authority?
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Pillar of the Community
1844 Posts |
I hear ya dialog , I ve seen and heard of some weird things coming from him over the years... Expert ? maybe on some things but not everything ...
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Moderator
 Canada
10462 Posts |
Quote:
Also, isn't Brian a noted authority? True, but I suspect it was a learning experience along the way. I have a 1951 1-cent, in an ICCS PL-63 flip (population of 1). I showed the coin to Brian a couple years ago and he even admitted that it was a specimen cent, not a proof-like strike. Brian does have an extensive photo library of higher end coins he has certified (I doubt that it is digital), that he could compare it to, if necessary. "Discovery follows discovery, each both raising and answering questions, each ending a long search, and each providing the new instruments for a new search." -- J. Robert OppenheimerContent of this post is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses...0/deed.en_USMy eBay store
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Moderator
Canada
10462 Posts |
Here is a nice specimen strike, I am surprised we are not seeing more gem 1967 specimen strikes in this thread.   "Discovery follows discovery, each both raising and answering questions, each ending a long search, and each providing the new instruments for a new search." -- J. Robert OppenheimerContent of this post is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses...0/deed.en_USMy eBay store
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Moderator
Canada
10462 Posts |
A pair of 1937 specimen 1-cent coins.   "Discovery follows discovery, each both raising and answering questions, each ending a long search, and each providing the new instruments for a new search." -- J. Robert OppenheimerContent of this post is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses...0/deed.en_USMy eBay store
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Moderator
Canada
10462 Posts |
1946 - they used copper ingots prepared during the latter stages of WWII. It is so hard to find a bright red 1946, in business strikes or specimen coins. Hence why this one was probably lacquered.  "Discovery follows discovery, each both raising and answering questions, each ending a long search, and each providing the new instruments for a new search." -- J. Robert OppenheimerContent of this post is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses...0/deed.en_USMy eBay store
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Replies: 69 / Views: 14,059 |
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Posted 08/03/2013 9:14 pm
