San Francisco Mint 2018 Silver Reverse Proof Set

Got an email from CoinWorld today containing an ad from L&C Coins for the Reverse Proof Sets. Clicked on the ad and this paragraph was at the top (note the last sentence):

In honor of the 50th Anniversary of the San Francisco Mint's production of proof coins, the U.S. Mint issued a Silver Reverse Proof Set for 2018. The ten coin set contains each of the coins regularly released in a silver proof set, but in a reverse proof finish. This is the first time reverse proof cents, nickels, quarters, and Sacagawea dollars have been offered. With a mintage limit of 200,000 sets, these coins are sure to be a highlight for any modern proof collector's collection.

*Due to PCGS grading, the Block Island Quarter is only available in Reverse PR69 at this time. Our Reverse Proof 70 set bundles include the other 9 coins in PR70 and the Block Island in PR69.*

Are they saying PCGS isn't giving any Block Island Quarters a grade of 70? Who would want a complete set with nine of ten coins graded 70? Also they are selling individual RP70 quarters for $30 apiece but the RP69's are going for $10.

I would say that of all the quarters that particular company submitted, none came back good enough, so they have to make do.

PCGS has only assigned grades to around 550 BI quarters. I will go out on a limb and say that will rise and the number of BI 70's will rise accordingly.

But....it's still a low percentage relative to the others in the set. Also remember it takes a bit of time to get the real numbers into the POP

NGC has assigned grades to 2036 BI S quarters...614 RP 69's and 1422 RP 70's...quite a discrepancy from PCGS. Kinda makes you wonder...which one is real OR which one is creating a perceived rarity

Here's your chance to grab a quarter:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2018-S-25C...bce&LH_BIN=1

Due to some bad bidding on my part, I accidentally ended up with two of the reverse proof Kennedy halves. Both are PCGS graded PR69, but there's a big difference in contrast between the frosted and reflective surfaces. One of them looks great, almost black-and-white. The other is quite muted by comparison, like gray-scale, and not as reflective. (The muted one also has a scratch across his ear. The debate over how this got a 69 grade is suitable for another topic, and one we've revisited several times.) Looking at the recent comments over the degree of frosting and the alleged all-frosted "error", I'm thinking there's a quality control issue here (surprise!).

Each of these two individual pictures was taken with my phone and under identical lighting conditions, within a few seconds of each other. So any differences you see are in the quality of the coin.



This one, showing side-by-side was taken an hour or so later, but shows the difference in contrast when viewed at an angle. There's no significant lighting effect contributing to the difference if I swap sides -- it's all a difference between the coins.


I have no need for a duplicate, so I'm going to return the muted one because it's less appealing and because of the scratch. Of course, if it turns out to be one of those error coins, I'm keeping it. But my money is still on a lack of QC.

Wow, that is certainly a difference.

All the label means is that the TPG received the coin for grading within 30 days of release. There is no way to tell when the coin was actually struck. The Mint strikes, stockpiles and eventually ships out the coins in whatever order they so desire. So, that First Strike label may contain a coin from a new hardly used die, or a coin from a die that's ready to be replaced.

I got my set today I ordered via US Mint from the fulfillment center ( Not the US Mint ) and my Kennedy somehow looks less contrasting than the rest. I tried to take pictures but these are hard to photo for me.