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 Replies: 13 / Views: 36,072 |
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Valued Member
United States
158 Posts |
Just wondering what characteristics do you look for to see if you have a proof coin?
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Rest in Peace
10197 Posts |
 to the family! Proof coins, biggest sign is the mirror finish on the "fields", the flat areas and the sharpness of details. Proof coins (US) are struck twice as compared to the "business strike" which is only struck once. Another indicator is the rim, it is flat and fairly even all around, some say like a wire rim. If you look at a penny, where the rim connects the coin is curved on a normal coin. Some proofs appear "cameo", the fields are reflective while busts/emblems are matte effect. Just know someone will post pix in a minute..  |
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Moderator
 United States
56855 Posts |
to CCF. A proof coin will have an extra shiny look to it. It will have a squared off looking rim as well as a sharper strike. Depending on the date it will have a cameo appearance 1978 onward it is common. There are brilliant proofs that will look shiny without a cameo and cameo proofs that will show a cameo. And there are also matte proofs. There are also three levels of cameo,+Cameo,Cameo and -Cameo. John1  Edited by John1
04/06/2017 05:24 am
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4211 Posts |
kitten! Yes, proof coins have a mirrored look to them. Quite different than a business strike. More recent proofs will also have an "S" mint mark instead of a D, P or none at all. But not all "S" mint coins are proof strikes. Can you post a picture of the coin in question? |
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
1747 Posts |
have you ever hit your thumb with a hammer? proof coins stand out like a sore thumb. I normally say if you have to ask, it is probably not. To me its like finding a silver coin while roll hunting, they stand out so much, they are hard to miss.
If the proof has been travelling for a long time it may be harder to tell, but will still stick out.
Welcome to the community.
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Valued Member
 United States
158 Posts |
I haven't found one yet but at the same time didn't know what to look for. Thanks everyone for the info.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
First of all you might want to get a copy of the Red Book by Whitman Publishing. Then you could look up the years when a proof was made. That way if you found one in change, you could look it up to check to see if it might be one. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3463 Posts |
to the forum! Something to understand about Proof coins, they are not a grade or condition of coin. They are made with different dies than business strikes and are not put in circulation by the mint. They were issued in sets and only sold to collectors, so if you do happen to find one in circulation, it will be an impaired Proof and not hold much value with collectors. |
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Rest in Peace
United States
18456 Posts |
Quote:
I haven't found one yet but at the same time didn't know what to look for. Your really not supposed to find them in bank rolls . but we all have at one time or another . Proof coins originate from the mint where they are struck on a special highly polished planchet . They are then packaged for sets and sold for a premium . The only time you'll find a proof coin in a roll is when it's cracked out and deliberately and put back in the wild .  |
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Rest in Peace
10197 Posts |
I'm surprised no ones posted any pix of proofs!.. Here's some of mine, only thing is that because of the shiny background, the proofs reflect light showing up dark (working on getting better lighting). First is newest acquisition, a Netherland Silver Proof 10 Gluder, the second is a comparison of a 1969S business strike MS62 and a 1969S PR65 Proof coin. Wish they were better, I'll look for more:   Try to imagine the high shine in the darker areas... Here's a couple more of mine I dug out...   Edited by Crazyb0
04/05/2017 9:33 pm
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Valued Member
Canada
206 Posts |
Quote:
Your really not supposed to find them in bank rolls . but we all have at one time or another . Proof coins originate from the mint where they are struck on a special highly polished planchet . They are then packaged for sets and sold for a premium . The only time you'll find a proof coin in a roll is when it's cracked out and deliberately and put back in the wild sometimes in unfortunate circumstances like this: http://goccf.com/t/273953 br / |
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
4589 Posts |
There is also a big difference - for US coins - between the early proofs and modern. Modern proofs are made using a variety of special handling. The planchets are specially prepared, special dies are used which are polished differently from circulation strike dies, the coins are double struck or struck with extra pressure to bring up all the details. This creates the cameo effect (sometimes), the differences in the rims and other visual characteristics. For proofs beginning in the 1850s, it was not as clear. Dies were made by hand (or finished by hand). So it was not uncommon to use them for circulation (business) strikes after the proofs were completed. Proofs were made in small batches based on orders from the public or when needed for presentations. They were even struck on special presses (the "medal" press which was a screw type press even as the rest of the mint was transitioning to steam). -----Burton 50+ year / Life / Emeritus ANA member (joined 12/1/1973) Life member: Numismatics International, CONECA Member: TNA, FtWCC, NETCC, EveryCountry (online) coin club Owned by three cats and a wife of 40+ years (joined 1983) Author: 3rd Edition of the Sample Slabs book, https://www.sampleslabs.info/ |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
8137 Posts |
This is a good comparison...   |
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Moderator
United States
56855 Posts |
djstheman, to CCF. Proofs can be found roll hunting but yours is not a proof. When a proof coin is found in a circulated roll it is called am "impaired proof" John1 |
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Replies: 13 / Views: 36,072 |
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Posted 04/05/2017 6:53 pm
