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 Replies: 42 / Views: 6,114 |
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Valued Member
United States
212 Posts |
Flurry of questions about proof coins because I don't think I've ever seen one. Or have I probably seen one and didn't know it?
How rare is it to find proof coins in circulation? Have you ever found any? Why/how do they get "released" from collections into circulation? How would you tell a proof coin from a really superb business strike? Does a proof coin eventually look just like a business strike after lots of use, or would it still be identifiable despite plenty of scratches/worn devices/corrosion/color toning? And does that depend on the denomination?
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Moderator
 United States
188213 Posts |
It happens. They show up in coin roll hunting often enough. People who acquire them through theft or inheritance do not realize what they have and just spend them.
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Moderator
United States
56855 Posts |
Use search box upper left of page, impaired proof. John1  |
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
1747 Posts |
trust me, once you see one you can never mistake one. so if you are asking the question, you have never seen one. This is all assuming the coin has not been thrown on the ground and drug through the earth.
Proofs will literally JUMP out at you once you open the roll, you cannot rim search and expect to find these it would difficult (but not impossible) to tell from the rim.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
8715 Posts |
Quote:
How rare is it to find proof coins in circulation? More often that you'd think.  Quote:
Have you ever found any? Yep. You can tell an impaired proof from a business strike due to its reflective fields and sheen of the devices. Also, the rims are often sharper and and raised off the fields more than rims on a business strike. Edited by SilverDollar2017
10/30/2018 1:17 pm
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
8938 Posts |
Quote:
Proofs will literally JUMP out at you once you open the roll, you cannot rim search and expect to find these it would difficult (but not impossible) to tell from the rim. Mostly accurate. With any denomination except halves this rule applies. Half Dollar Proofs have exceedingly thickened rims. If you have a lowball impaired proof take it out of the 2x2 and compare it to a business strike, it's quite different. Quote:
Does a proof coin eventually look just like a business strike after lots of use, or would it still be identifiable despite plenty of scratches/worn devices/corrosion/color toning? Occasionally happens with halves. You'll put one away and find that the burned/worn Kennedy you set down has an 'S' MM on the Obverse. I almost missed a 1973-S because of that. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1005 Posts |
You can easily tell proof cents apart from the rim - its noticeably thicker than business strikes
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Pillar of the Community
United States
6130 Posts |
It's unusual to search a $500 box of half dollars and NOT find a proof, from my experience. Proof coins in the wild don't necessarily mean theft or a clueless kid spending an inheritance; lots of people crack open proof sets to send in a possible PF-68/69/70 in to be graded; anything that wouldn't make the cut gets dumped.
I think I have found a proof of every denomination except small dollars "in the wild". Many of them were even in actual circulation; with a trained eye they can really jump put at you.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
759 Posts |
"How/why do they get released?" I recently released some and will probably be releasing more soon. The difference between the 91 cents I net that way and the slightly more than 91 cents I'd net by selling just wasn't worth the trouble. So away they went. Perhaps they will find a good home. Same with a few War Nickels I had. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
8938 Posts |
Quote:I recently released some and will probably be releasing more soon. The difference between the 91 cents I net that way and the slightly more than 91 cents I'd net by selling just wasn't worth the trouble. So away they went. Perhaps they will find a good home. Same with a few War Nickels I had. But that silver though... you could'a just sent them my way |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4132 Posts |
I've been deliberately releasing S-mint ATB Quarters, which is similar. I cherry-pick the nicest ones from a roll, then spend the rest. You also see lots of NIFC (not-intended-for-circulation) half dollars from recent years (they're only distributed in mint sets, rolls and bags for collectors nowadays). |
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Valued Member
United States
424 Posts |
I got 2 proof Kennedy halves from the bank in a span of about 6 weeks a few months ago. I wasn't roll hunting, just asked if they had any half dollars I could get. The first time the teller only had one, and this is what she gave me.  The second time, they had 3 and one was a 1973 proof Kennedy. Never hurts to ask!  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
927 Posts |
I don't think I have ever received a proof coin in change from a purchase, but I have gotten several from the bank in rolls. I don't roll hunt but I do ask for small dollars and half dollars every time I go. I know the "impaired proof" isn't worth a premium, but I save them anyway.
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Moderator
United States
188213 Posts |
Quote:I got 2 proof Kennedy halves from the bank in a span of about 6 weeks a few months ago. I wasn't roll hunting, just asked if they had any half dollars I could get. Excellent!  Quote:
I don't think I have ever received a proof coin in change from a purchase My wife got a clad proof Delaware quarter at the grocery store a few years back. |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
36741 Posts |
Always fun to find a proof in change.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
849 Posts |
The Wife brought this one home a couple of weeks ago.It's the first one in the last four years that I've been looking at Her change.  |
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Replies: 42 / Views: 6,114 |
Posted 10/30/2018 10:46 am
