Circulated Vs SMS Coins

It's only a small increment. Instead of specially prepared dies, specially prepared planchets, higher tonnage on the press, and special handling for proofs, the SMS coins are just fresh dies, regular planchets, and press tonnage. And minimal special handling to package them.

It can be difficult, however, the SMS coins have a stronger and more distinctive strike, almost proof like finish and can be found with Cameo and even Ultra Cameo devices.

How about you post up an image of your coins.

Sure, Dearborn.

The 1965 and 1966 halves.


1967 dated half.


I would say if any of these fit the bill of what I would think a SMS half dollar would like, I'd say it would be the 1966. Again, I don't know. They were purchased all separately.

So you think they are SMS?

I would have thought maybe the 66 one was.

I wanted to try to include both 65, 65 and 67 BU specimens as well as SMS, but if I already have the SMS coins, I don't think I'll bother.

It only matters in the 8166 album, which has places for both.

You can tell when a coin is SMS but not when it isn't. The SMS are made to exacting standards by finite dies. You learn to recognize them. But there are a wide range of processes that apply in every strike making certainty impossible. However the problem arises with very high grade circ strikes; they are hard to differentiate. As a rule the services assume SMS unless clearly not. This is probably for the best anyway because most of the tweeners are SMS. This is for a simple reason; High grade clad from that era simply doesn't exist; at least its existence is the result of random forces and high grade coins were very exceptional.

This is why it matters. There's a big difference in price for SMS vs business strikes in the higher grades. I automatically assume that every nice 65-67 coin is SMS. If there were ways to differentiate, it would make the search more interesting.