1954 Proof Washington 25c - Hand-Engraved Tail feathers

Tail feathers look normal to me .
Here's a image from Pcgs .

 

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Did you look at the first photo? There is something there. Looks hand done to me.

 

I'd send an email to Mr. Wiles with images, and see what he say ....

 

Mr

Mr. Whiles?

 

Thanks guys...who is Mr Wiles and how do I contact him?

 

Yes. The OP referred to it as the 52 variety. which is the Superbird.

 

James Wiles**
edited

 

Here's the list of the Coneca attributers .
http://conecaonline.org/content/coneca_attributers.html

 

Ok OP, I did a little research and there two different kinds of reverses .

The practice by the Mint of using different designs between the circulation strike coins and the proof strike coins is not new. From 1932 through 1964 the Mint used different designs for the reverse of the Washington quarters. The circulation strike design is popularly referred to as the "Type A Reverse." In the Wexler Die Variety Files we refer to it as Washington Quarter Reverse Design #1 (WQRD-001). This reverse is somewhat low in relief and is usually identified by close spacing between the bottoms of the E and S in STATES. The proof design is often referred to as the "Type B Reverse", or WQRD-002 in my files, and is characterized by a much higher relief, and has a much wider spacing between the bottoms of the E and S in STATES.

For all of the years from 1956 through 1964 circulation strike Washington quarters can be found with the normal circulation style "Type A" reverse, and also with the proof style "Type B" reverse. Since these can be found during all of these years, it is highly unlikely that proof reverse dies were mistakenly used to make circulation strike coins. It was most likely an effort by the Mint to save some money and time by not wasting the proof reverse dies. After a few thousand proof strikes they may have no longer been acceptable to strike proof coins, but could be used to strike many thousands of coins for circulation.

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Here we see the "Type A" reverse for the Washington quarters. It was used for circulation strike quarters struck through 1964. Note that there is little space between the bottoms of the E and S in STATES.

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Here we see the so-called "Type B" reverse for the Washington quarters. It was used for the proof quarters through 1964. From 1956 through 1964 it can also be found on a small percentage of circulation strike quarters.

 

Thanks...much appreciated!

 

Can we see the full coin front and back?
Looks re-engraved to me.

 

Right...and the Superbird was only 1952. And strangely enough, they used the FS-901 distinction on the 1953 Proof with re-engraved tail feathers as well, just to increase the confusion for collectors.

http://www.pcgscoinfacts.com/Coin/Detail/509995

The 1954 Proof I am inquiring about has more subtle re-engraving lines and in different places, so it wouldn't be the same die used on the 1953.

 

Yes, but is there a 1952 "Hand Engraved Tail Feather" Quarter, that is not a Superbird? My understanding is that the only one discovered or listed for 1952 with Hand Engraved Tail Feathers, is the/a Superbird.

 

Hmm I thought the superbird was the one that had a hand wngraved S on the eagles chest.

 

These are hand engraved. Notice the hand cuts are in relief, and if you think about it, any carving into the die by hand, would show up in relief on the coin.

 

I'm not seeing it on this coin.

 

Thanks for the feedback...much appreciated! They are more subtle than that 1952 and 1953 varieties for sure, but shaped more like the 1953 re-engraved, if that's what they are. They are definitely relief on this coin (easier to see in-hand). The one I have in hard is much different that all the other 1954 Proofs I have seen, with all of them having completely flat tail feathers with no relief at all.

It could just be a different reverse die that has a bit different shaped tail feathers, but that's why I posted it here as it looks a lot different to me.