Over the past couple of weeks I've begun cataloging all of the 1913 5c Type1s that I've collected over the last year. Last night it was this one's turn and was surprised at just how gorgeous it is (wanted to share of course). The Buffaloes are infamous for having weak strikes out of a necessity of spacing the dies slightly further apart to save them from being damaged/destroyed during the minting process. So it's only the planchets that were slightly 'overweight' that got such a full strike. If anyone has a coin from this series with great appeal - please share!
Type1s are most easily identified by the change Barber made months into production by removing the mound on the Reverse of the coin but something else he did was to remove the natural pebbled look in the fields left by Fraser. Anyway, I'm probably geeking out a bit too much but it's another aspect of the Type 1s that I enjoy and noticed immediately in this coin.
It's a really great design. I don't have any great examples of the 5 cent version, especially not a 1913 type I, but I really appreciate my gold buffalos and I do have a roll of silver buffalo rounds that are based on the original type I design. It's not like the other 'cartoonish' designs, where semi-talented engravers did an OK job of copying Fraser's design. It looks like Fraser was the engraver for the round dies.
I've been tempted to buy these rounds for that same reason. It'd be so nice to have a larger example of the engraving. I just love this moment in American history I suppose.
I really miss the age when our coins had allegorical representations or messages of the concept of America, freedom, liberty, the pursuit of happiness and self determination. Leave the images of persons to commemoratives.
I have a Matte Proof example. These coins are rarer than they might seem to be because it takes expertise to tell the difference between the business strikes and the Matt Proofs. It has been said that more than a few Matte Proof coins have been spent because people could not tell the difference. This one has been through the mill at NGC twice. Some years ago, Dave Bowers put out a warning that some of the certified coins were not Proofs. The difference he pointed out was that the obverse and reverse had the Matte finish, but the edges were brilliant. NGC reholdered this one for me free of charge so that the edge shows. NGC graded this one Matte Proof-66. This is a business strike example. This is PCGS graded MS-63. I think that is conservative, but sending it in for a re-grade makes no financial sense.
Wow, thank you so much for sharing - absolutely gorgeous examples of the type. Looking out for Matte Proof hasn't even been on my radar. So many of them in the AU and XF grades have a similar lack of luster and when combined with the common occurrence of weak strikes I can definitely see where the expertise comes into play.
The Matte Proofs are supposed to be dull or have subdued luster. That was the whole idea. The mirrored surfaces of a brilliant Proof distract you from appreciating the design. Here are the two 1936 varieties. The Satin Finish Proofs came first. Collectors didn't like them. The brilliant pieces came second. I like the Satin Finish more. It's cheaper because fewer collectors like them, just like the old days. Satin Finish Proof. This is graded PR-67, CAC Brilliant Proof. This is one is graded PR-67.
