More Circulated/Pocket Piece Commemoratives

You lost me but that is what makes this a great hobby, everybody has different tastes. There are coins out there for everybody. You should show some pics of the kind you like. Especially since you aren't asking for opinions then it can't hurt to share.

@secondnomore: This is a great thread to see heavily circulated US commemorative coins, another can be found here: http://goccf.com/t/187113.

There are several collectors of circulated commemoratives that participate here, I'm sure they'll enjoy having another like-minded collector join their ranks and discuss these coins.

Regarding the use of "cameo" to describe these coins, we created a term in the CCF Glossary a few years back:

circulation cameo
A state of preservation on a well-circulated coin that exhibits naturally darkened/toned fields in conjunction with lighter/less toned devices. The contrast between the darker fields and lighter devices, when significant, presents similarly to the cameo contrast seen on some proof coins.


Enjoy your collection! I look forward to seeing examples.

@secondnomore - would love to see some pics! Great responses above as well.

Circ cameo seems to be a favored look for those collecting circulated silver coins/tokens/medals - I never heard any say they didn't like the 'look.'

There are various stages or degrees of it as well. It can also occur after a heavily toned coin is cleaned (and then re-toning) or simply pocketed or put into circulation. I'll see if I can post some examples and get everyone's input.

Two-toned or multi-toned coins from being circulated and then put in a folder or album can be stunning as well.

Original surfaces are preferred but aren't always 'attractive.' Other times they are, just homogeneous, honest wear.

There are certainly some objective reasons why one coin is subjectively attractive to one collector and not another, but these are sometimes difficult to describe or put into words. This has been extensively studied in the realm of human-physical beauty, and is fascinating to me, not being one to have posters of movies stars or entertainers. Symmetry is one objective measure that comes to mind.

Back to coins. Here is a Sesqui that I would call circ cameo, and dark. For some reason (I have read it has to do with planchet preparation) most circulated Sesqui's I see present as shiny, or if toned, rather flat and dull.

I gather most did not find it attractive as it hammered for $14.50 + shipping.

This Gettysburg obverse doesn't quite get there - still too crusty/dark in the fields vs. devices; however, the reverse seems to have enough contrast (according to the images)

Not a circ cam, not a two-toner, just honest wear and acceptable amount of ticks and nicks.

I agree, nice and honest.

two_t, to my (untrained) eye, those are fabulous. I'd be proud to have those.