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 Replies: 24 / Views: 2,535 |
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
5417 Posts |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10045 Posts |
Beautiful coin!  Given the depth of strike on the eagle (esp. the tail), is this possibly a circulated proof?   It's 55 or thereabouts. |
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Valued Member
 United States
160 Posts |
That is an interesting thought DVCollector. I don't know how to begin verifying that. I did look at the coins pictured on PCGS photo grade and none have tail struck quite that well, particularly at the base. I would love for that theory to be correct.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10045 Posts |
I think the right way to confirm (or dismiss) your coin would be by proof die pair markers. Sadly, I don't have the Snow attribution guides for the FE series, but doing some digging here shows there were 4 proof SL die pairs. Additionally, I've headed over to Heritage to study details between proof and MS for this series. Here's a writeup that I noticed on a particular coin. I also notice that your coin has a rather blocked-up last A in "AMERICA". Does it have the other details or rotation? The picture below is of a PR-65, Snow-PR2 obverse. Quote:
Snow-PR2, Snow-PT9. A pair of small raised diagonal die lines crosses through the bottom serif of the 1 in the date and thence to the denticles below. The last A in AMERICA is nearly filled in. On the reverse a tiny diagonal die line appears in the denticles below the right end of the ribbon. The reverse is rotated about 30 degrees clockwise with respect to the obverse. Not that I'm saying your coin is de-facto proof, but it gets more interesting as I look further. I enjoy research, and I think this will be today's project--I will post more info as I find it.   |
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Rest in Peace
United States
4849 Posts |
Wow, I love it! I would say AU-58+ imho.
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Moderator
 United States
23522 Posts |
You only have to worry about PR2, 3 and 4, DVCollector - this is a Low Leaves type. 1858's can come pretty strongly-struck, and I don't see the Mint releasing a Greaser Proof into the wild. |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10045 Posts |
Well...I don't know what to say about the reverse weakness. Some of the details don't look "proof" enough...but I love the coin! And I don't have the Snow guide for FE cents, so I'm sorta shooting in the dark here. But I'll post some markers for the Snow-PR4: Quote:
Snow-PR4. Low Leaves Reverse. Closed E in ONE hubbed over an Open E in ONE.  Edited by DVCollector
03/02/2014 3:20 pm
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Moderator
United States
23522 Posts |
That one'll be most visible at the upper and lower tips of the outside serifs, and doubling to the right of the center serif.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10045 Posts |
And it's pretty easy to see the definition of design elements against the fields is on a whole different level on proofs. If I actually owned some FE proofs, I might have picked out these differences more quickly.  |
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Valued Member
United States
160 Posts |
I'm pretty sure it isn't Snow-PR2 due to the lack of die rotation. I haven't found a good pic of PR3. However, I feel 95% sure I see the doubling on the outside of the top and bottom serifs of E in One. There may be doubling of the center serif, but it is hard to say looking at it free hand through a loupe. I don't have a microscope or anything handy to really check, nor do I have the amazing photo skills of SuperDave.
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Valued Member
United States
160 Posts |
I took the original image and cropped in on the E in "ONE". The doubling looks similar to the photo above I think. Thoughts?  |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10045 Posts |
I'm going to leave this one up for people who really know proofs. I just had my hopes based on the obverse--great coin!  |
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Valued Member
United States
160 Posts |
I appreciate the help DVC. I've been collecting a little over a year so my experience looking at die dagnostics, etc. is limited. Maybe someone else can chime in if my close-up of the E reveals anything. I may need to invest in a better camera too, or at least a USB microscope.
Edited by ndwlegal
03/03/2014 11:13 am
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Valued Member
United States
355 Posts |
That's a nice flying eagle for sure!
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10045 Posts |
Just as an interesting note...I ran across this PR64 reverse with incomplete strike. Taken off Heritage. While that doesn't prove anything with your coin, it shows it's possible that some FE proofs weren't fully struck.  |
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Replies: 24 / Views: 2,535 |
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Posted 03/02/2014 1:18 pm
