In What Years Were The Canada Specimen Sets Made?

Having a Charlton coin guide will make it easy to look up specimen coins.

All the answers are there.

Haxby's coins of Canada has an exhaustive list of specimen sets also.

Prior thread relating to pre-1967 Specimen Sets.
https://goccf.com/t/215368

In 1967 the $20 gold coin set was issued in specimen finish.

Otherwise sets containing Specimen finish coin were not formally available to the general public until the year 1971.

Each different - no overlap
Business Strike (circulation coin) - MS
Specimen - SP
Proof-Like (PL and later NBU) - merged in 2012 with business strike
Proof - PR

I agree, a Charlton guide is a helpful resource, Vol 2 provides information related to uncirculated coin, sets/finishes, etc.

Padasap, I'm curious about your Cdn penny collection, maybe if we had more information we could give you better advise. I recall you hoped to collect pennies of various types and varieties. But is your intention to collect each different finish as well? The reason I ask is because the appearance between the different finishes is not always that noticeably distinct and I'd guess for pennies perhaps even less considering they were never a primary focus in any type of set (aside from some proof sets).

As far as Specimen sets, from 1971 to 1995, brilliant relief against brilliant background (similar to PL, except for some PL cameos can be found prior to the later part of the '70s)
1996 - 2009: brilliant relief, frosted legends and date against a lined background (similar to 96-97 PL)
2010 - on: instead of lined, the background is lazar lined.

Okay, I might be a victim of bad information here. Are PL from Mint Sets different from PL from Specimen Sets? I am of course excluding the satin finish SP coins from this question, which are obviously different.

I am not sure where I got the information now, but I know it came from a Canada Coin Dealer that I thought was an expert. The dealer said that the PL strikes in the Mint Sets were early strikes, and the methods used to make them were no different than those made to mint Business Strikes. This made sense to me because PL Morgan dollars are not specially made, but are early strikes that result in a Proof-Like Finish because new polished dies are used to strike them. Normally, only a few hundred coins have the PL look before the dies start to break down. But, you are saying the RCM used a special method to make PLs for Mint sets. I also was told by the same dealer or another one, I am not sure now to be honest, that Specimen Set PLs was not the same as Mint Set PLs in that all Specimen Set coins were double struck under higher pressure to intentionally create the PL look and give the coins much more complete details. The SP sets were the Canada Proof Set until 1981 when real Proof coins were minted for the first time. Now this is the information that I have been given, so if it is incorrect, then I need to know the truth, and I apreciate your help. I also apologize for stating incorrect information as I trusted the source more than I should have trusted them. This would explain why some dealers on ebay sell PL and SP as the same strike.

What I am doing, and I have repeated this several times now, is I am collecting all the different finishes for each year from 1953 to 2012, plus all special issues, and some major varieties.

Okay, I am collecting Business Strikes from Bank Rolls or Mint Bags, PL Strikes from Mint Sets in Cellophane, SP Strikes from Specimen Proof Sets, SP Strikes with Satin Finish, Proof Strikes from Proof Sets, and the lone antique finish 1998 special edition Large Cent. I am collecting the major varieties such as the 1985 (Pointed 5), 1983 (Far from rim beads and near to rim beads varieties), 1965 (all four varieties), and some of the other varieties with values less than $100. I am not collecting the 1936 dot for example although I have already collected 1920 to 1936 in circulated condition. I still need 1925, 1926, and 1929 (High 9) to finish that section up. I am also trying to collect 1937 to 2012 Business Strikes in Choice/Gem BU Red. I have been able to snag 1937 to 1940 for $5 each, and I have 1947 to 2012 completed in Choice/Gem BU Red minus some of the varieties that I have in circulated condition or BU Red/Brown.

I will post my checklist next, so you can see what I have been using as my guide. I got this checklist from this forum or from someplace that someone on this forum directed me to this list.

I am avoiding buying the reference books because I am almost done with the collection, and the cost of the books are too great. I would much rather spend the money on another coin, than on the reference guide. Also, I have you guys to guide me. ;)

This is true. However prior to 1981 for a time there were two different types of Specimen grade mint sets. Indeed some Specimen coins according to the COA are indeed double struck, but is that a standard of Specimen finish, I can't say but I don't think so. The problem with the collection of just one single coin is that you're not privy to the COA.

The ambiguity -

Aside from the 1967 Gold coin set, the first "Speciment grade" referred to as a Prestige Set (or Double Dollar), available to the public began in 1971. In 1973 one dollar was nickel and the other was changed to silver. The series continued until 1981.

However page 373 in 2015 Charlton "with the end of the 1976 Olympics, and with the new numismatic production now in place, the Mint staff turned their attention to improving their numismatic product line. The quality of the custom sets was upgraded to Specimen."
So in 1976 the mint began produced what was called "Seven Coin Nickel Custom Specimen Sets".

It goes on to say "1981 saw the first officially stated issue of specimen coinage"....with the "six coin nickel specimen sets, 1981-1996".

This seems to indicate "Specimen" finish from various mint sets was not standardized prior to 1981.

As well, if you are collecting by "appearance" even Proof-Like coin at one time had varied appearances: ultra heavy cameo, heavy cameo, cameo or no cameo.

This auction, had an example of a burnished planchet used for PL strikes.

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Three-types-...262229869806

SPP-Ottawa,

Thanks you. I was not aware there were three different methods for PL strikes. Yes, you are collecting exactly the same way I am attempting to collect.

It seems that I stepped into a bit of a war here. But, I am only going by what the grading companies are using for strike notations. The Canada based grading company that I see on ebay, NGC, and PCGS are all using the notations, MS, PL, SP, and PR for the different strikes. They add the term Satin for the striation pattern cents. Burnished and Matte are also terms used, but I do not think I will encounter any of those pennies as they are probably all very expensive. Also, the list I am using was not created by me, but came from someone on here. I am using it to complete the set. I also have another list of all the clashing and Machine Doubling errors that another person provided to me from this forum. They copied the information from their album. I am planning on completing that portion of my collection once I get this other list completed. I would be happy to trade Proof and SPs for errors, if anyone is interested. I have several doubles because I had to buy big lots to get discounts. I also wanted to pick the best possible quality from a nice group of coins. My set is looking really nice now. Here is what I have collected, so far.

Business Strikes: 1920 to 1924, and 1927 to 1936 are all in circulated condition. I am missing 1925, 1926, 1929 (High 9), and 1936 (dot). My 1921 is BU.

Business Strikes in BU: 1937 to 2012 are mostly Choice BU Red or better. I am missing 1948 and 1949 (A points to Large Denticles), 1955 (SF & Large Denticles), 1955 (NSF), 1965 (Variety 4), and most of the clashing die error coins. 1937, 1948, and 1952 are BU Red/Brown. 1953 (SF) is circulated. 1941 to 1946 are also circulated. I am attempting to get everything from 1937 to 2012 in BU Red, but some may just be too expensive. I also have the 2006 (No P and No Logo) "Steel" or Magnetic, which is the error coin.

PL from Mint Sets (1953 to 2012): My list says these did not come into existence until 1953 with the 1953 (SF) coin. I have in my set 1958 to 2012. Some of the varieties in the 2000's are not found in PL sets according to the list. My list says that 1985 (P5) only exist as a Business Strike, which I have in the set. My list says that the 1983 (Far and Near Beads) exist in all four categories. I am missing Far Beads for PL, SP, and PR. I have both 1983 Varieties in BU Business Strikes. I am also missing 1965 (V1, V3, and V4) in PL. For 1996 and 1997, the sets came with Satin Finish SP Strikes, so I added them to the PL category, which represents all coins coming from Regular Mint Sets. I am also missing the 2004 Test Set Penny, but I have the 1999-P.

Specimen Set Coins (SP): I am not collecting any of the coins before 1952; although, there is a 1950 on ebay for $60. I lucked out and got a 1953 (NSF) Specimen Strike in a lot I purchased off of ebay. Other than that one, I do not have anymore until 1965. My list shows the SPs ending in 1953, and then starting up again in 1964. There is a 1964 SP posted on ebay for sale. The list says that 1965 (V1 and V2) are available in SP, but not (V3 or V4). I have is the 1965 (V2) in PL, but I am not 100% positive that it is an SP strike although it was sold as an SP. I have 1967 that I saw the dealer take from the Deluxe set, so I know it is an SP. I may also have 1968, but it was an ebay purchase just like the 1965. I have 1973 to 1995 with the PL finish from SP sets (deluxe sets) minus the 1983 (Far Beads). I have 1996 to 2012-P with the Satin Finish. I put the 1998 Large Cent with the Antique Finish in this section with the SP group.

For Proof, I have 1981 to 2007 minus the 1983 (Far Beads). I have 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2012 in silver. I am missing only 2008, 2009, 2010 (1935-2010, Special Edition Small Cent) and 2011 (1911-2011, Special Edition Large Cent). I put the Copper plated silver 1998 Large Cent in Proof here too.

So, you see, if the list is correct, I almost have collected what I can except for the clashing errors, which are next on my agenda. Most of the errors are listed for $1 or $2 on ebay, so it should not take too long to get what I can afford. If anyone needs Proof (1981 to 2005) or PL or SP, let me know. I would probably trade most of extras for error coins. A one to one trade should be fair in most cases. All errors must be in Choice/Gem BU Red or Choice/Gem PL Red similar to my coins. I have mostly extra proof and Specimen from 1973 to 2005. I have a few Mint Set PLs, but not many; however, a few are still in Cellophane.

I put the pennies in coin capsules, and then put the capsules into Mylar Cardboard flips. I then write the information on the cardboard and place the coins in pages in a collector's binder. I like this way better than the albums. I also feel the coins are better protected in the capsules.

Well, that is all I have left to say. If you guys could look at my list and make sure it is correct, then that would be very helpful to me. Thank you for your help. :)