Why Do Earlier Proof Coins Look Different Than More Modern Proof Coins?

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Author	Replies: 5 / Views: 958
Humanist1287 Pillar of the Community United States 1107 Posts	Posted 07/14/2025 1:18 pm Just curious about this. I've noticed from many coins, most notably the ones that I have, Lincoln cents and Jefferson nickels... The strike in the proof coins from the 50's and 60's is much different from that of the coins that came later. I don't know about other coins other than those... But I would assume probably a similar scenario? I know Philadelphia produced many of the earlier proofs before San Francisco became mostly proof only, with exceptions obviously. For example, it seems many earlier proofs have a more mirror-like strike, as opposed to a cameo or frosted effect. I personally like the more mirror finished ones. I'm sure somebody will fill me in on this. Any thoughts? Just for comparison take of what I'm talking about... *Dansco 8100 Lincoln cents Liberty "V" nickels Jefferson nickels 1938-current Buffalo nickels Roosevelt Dimes Eisenhower/Anthony dollars** Edited by Humanist1287 07/14/2025 1:25 pm Report this Post to the Staff

Brandmeister Pillar of the Community United States 6448 Posts	Posted 07/14/2025 1:44 pm There are many factors. The obverse and reverse designs have seen changes over the years. The coining machinery has been changed occasionally. Probably the single biggest factor in proof coin striking is the manufacture of dies. The techniques to polish the fields and to produce a cameo effect on devices has changed (and improved) drastically over the years. Report this Post to the Staff
jbuck Moderator United States 187446 Posts	Posted 07/14/2025 2:46 pm Band has summed it up nicely. Coin Collector Since 1978 Avatar Old Avatar 7070 Eisenhower Australia Canada World CCF Members on eBay CCF eBay Search Engine Report this Post to the Staff
Marv65 Bedrock of the Community United States 10470 Posts	Posted 07/14/2025 5:19 pm Starting in the 50's the dies were soaked in an alcohol/acid type solution then the fields were polished which gave the dies devices a frosty affect but only for the first coins from the dies then it wore off leaving you with highly reflective coins like your cent shows. In Mid 70's the mint changed to sandblasting the dies then polishing the fields and plating them with some type of material. From there they refined the die process and since the 80's every coin was a cameo/deep cameo - that is why proof DCAM/CAM coins from the 70's on up ~~don't~~ are common to see. Edited by Marv65 07/14/2025 5:20 pm Report this Post to the Staff
Brandmeister Pillar of the Community United States 6448 Posts	Posted 07/14/2025 5:29 pm Now they use some kind of laser stippling process to produce the frosting, right? You can see the dots if you zoom in close enough. This article provides a lot of details on the most recent process, I believe: https://www.coinworld.com/news/us-c...sting-c.html Report this Post to the Staff
Sap Moderator Australia 16804 Posts	Posted 07/14/2025 6:13 pm In short, the "cameo effect" became popular with collectors at least in part because it was rare - some proofs showed it, while most did not. The Mint noted this trend, and so sought to deliberately create the cameo effect for all their coins, in the theory that this would make them all more popular. Thus, "proof = frosted" became the standard. Don't say "infinitely" when you mean "very"; otherwise, you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite. - C. S. Lewis Report this Post to the Staff
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