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 Replies: 12 / Views: 1,874 |
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Moderator
 Canada
10460 Posts |
It is sometimes quite tough to find a decent cameo on a specimen or proof-like nickel composition coin from 1968-1975, and almost darned near impossible to find them on a business strike... Fresh back from ICCS, only because PCGS does not comment on cameo strikes, unless they are proof strikes. Here is a business strike 1975 nickel dollar, with a cameo finish on the obverse devices. Another little nickel dollar to tuck into the collection...   "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
Edited by SPP-Ottawa
08/07/2013 10:37 pm
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
1700 Posts |
I still don't comprehend. How could a business strike coin have a proof like finish to it? Please educated me.
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Pillar of the Community
1844 Posts |
sweet coin does it come from the pile I sent that way ?
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Moderator
 Canada
10460 Posts |
It is not a proof-like finish. Look and compare to any 1970s proof-like set, the coins are like mirrors....
Cameos represent 'first strikes' of new or refurbished dies, and it can occur on specimen strikes, proof-like strikes and business strikes right from Canada's first coinage to 1975. The dies were cleaned and sometimes pickled in a bath of dilute nitric acid. The acid bath left a fragile 'bloom' that could easily be removed. The dies were then polished, and this polishing removed the bloom from the fields but not from the devices. When the coins were struck the bloom produced cameo-like devices on polished fields. The pressure of striking quickly caused the bloom to wear off and the cameo effect to fade. The first coins to be struck (maybe only the first 3 to 5) developed what we now call an ultra-heavy cameo appearance. With the pressure and friction of striking each successive coin had somewhat less contrast. Later coins were heavy cameo and this rapidly wore to a cameo effect. Even this wore quickly and the vast majority of coins do not exhibit any contrast between the devices and the fields, even for exceptional high grade pieces.
In 1972, the mint bought high pressure presses, for the Olympic coins. After 1975 these presses were used for normal coins, dies were probably treated and refurbished differently, and you no longer find cameo finishes on specimen, proof-like or business strikes. In 1981, proof coins commenced, specifically designed and struck to have ultra heavy cameo finishes on the devices.
"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
Edited by SPP-Ottawa
08/08/2013 12:12 am
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Moderator
Canada
10460 Posts |
Quote:
sweet coin does it come from the pile I sent that way ? Heh.... there was not even an MS-63 in that pile. Your coins went to the bank, more nickel for the mint's alloy recovery program. "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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Pillar of the Community
 Canada
9865 Posts |
Nice one SPP!
Nothing more attractive than a high grade cameo business strike coin IMO.
"Dipping" is not considered cleaning...
-from PCGS website
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
3234 Posts |
SPP...Very nice cameo effect and well explained...
Would that "acid pickling" and polishing also explain how my 1858 "First Strike" 5 cent piece came to be?
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Bedrock of the Community
Canada
11922 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
677 Posts |
Very nice coin SPP.
I used to buy rolls to get the cameo effect coins.
Now I am wondering if I should start acquiring specimen examples before the prices go up.
I am still learning to tell the strike differences apart and memorizing the dates.
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
3234 Posts |
Instead of buying and then upgrading,..and then upgrading again..........Buy or look for the best that's out there...and save yourself costly steps...>> Told to me many, many years back...... Never sell the best that you have or you might regret it later.... SPP is teaching us all ...do listen to his teachings........  .. |
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Moderator
Canada
10460 Posts |
Collecting, for me, is always about the hunt... I am forever searching for upgrades to my collections...
"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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Pillar of the Community
Canada
849 Posts |
Agreed SPP :)... Thats why I like to buy all your rolls... nothing like finding a beauty in a mint roll.
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Valued Member
United States
280 Posts |
Thanks for the lesson, SPP-Ottawa! I'll keep that in mind.
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Replies: 12 / Views: 1,874 |
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Posted 08/07/2013 10:41 pm
