| Author |
 Replies: 8 / Views: 1,268 |
|
|
Bedrock of the Community
 United States
12477 Posts |
This is something I've been wondering about lately. I was looking for a 1955 Jefferson nickel proof tonight and with these, one can get a mirror proof, cameo proof and a deep cameo proof. Were the differences intentional? They all came from the same mint. What, during the minting process, causes the inconsistencies of proof type? It seems that what is intended can be reproduced ad infinitum. Why the variation? In Memory of Crazyb0 12-26-1951 to 7-27-2020
In Memory of Tootallious 3-31-1964 to 4-15-2020
In Memory of T-BOP 10-12-1949 to 1-19-2024
|
|
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
2403 Posts |
How clean/polished the dies are? Just a guess.
Edited by MontCollector
07/26/2017 03:35 am
|
|
Moderator
 United States
56855 Posts |
As the dies wear, it changes the kind of proof the coin will end up being. It starts out as a DCP then wears to a CP and then a brilliant proof with no frost at all. John1  |
|
CCF Advertiser
United States
1533 Posts |
It used to be unintentional and was due to an early strike. Frosted coins from the 1940's and the 1800's are very expensive as they are rare. Sometime in the late 1960's the mint realized you can produce a deep cameo by sandblasting the die with ultra-fine powder and then polishing the flat surfaces. Thats why they all look like that now. Deep cameo's today are a matter of intentionality. Proofs from the early 1960's and before are not and so deserve a premium.
|
|
Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21786 Posts |
Used to use sandblasting, but I think they use laser etching for cameo proofs these days.
Fields would be polished with 50,000 or 100,000 diamond grit.
That is what I use for final polish of faceted sapphires.
(I also happen to be a gemstone facetor).
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
2202 Posts |
Didn't they also have "matte" proofs in the old days?
|
|
Bedrock of the Community
 United States
12477 Posts |
Thanks for the responses! I just never really thought about it until looking for nickel proofs around the late '50s to late '60s that seems to be a transition period. For instance, I have a '68 cameo proof and then a '70 brilliant proof and it made me go  Is die wear also the reason for brilliant, PL and DMPL Morgan dollars? In Memory of Crazyb0 12-26-1951 to 7-27-2020
In Memory of Tootallious 3-31-1964 to 4-15-2020
In Memory of T-BOP 10-12-1949 to 1-19-2024
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
1963 Posts |
Yes. On Morgan dollars, the more a die is used, the more luster you will see as a result of flow lines. Of course, it also depends on how bold the strike is. It also depends on how properly a die was hardened. On a real DMPL, you should see no 'cartwheels' whatsoever. |
|
Valued Member
United States
52 Posts |
Interesting question. I think Andrew99 has it right. They started doing it on purpose because of collectors.
|
| |
Replies: 8 / Views: 1,268 |
|
Posted 07/26/2017 05:06 am
