1964 Denver sms?

I could possibly have a Denver sms set the half dollar has a satin or sandblasted finish and square and sharp rims. The rest of the set has the same look

 

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Did I miss something? I thought SMS were 65-67.

 

I was under the understanding that all SMS coins were minted at the San Francisco Mint (without mint marks). The theory goes that these were trial pieces struck prior to the 1965-1967 run...but who knows for sure?

PCGS claims that many (perhaps all) 1964 examples came from the estate of Mint Director Eva Adams...which had no mint marks...but have a teardrop shaped bump between the base and crosslet of the "4" in the date. You may be able to zoom in and see it on this HA Auction example...

 

Denver had the newest presses and produced the sharpest strikes at the time. Perhaps that could add to the confusion.

This was a very interesting period in U.S. Mint history. Circulation grade coins were minted in both Philadelphia and Denver, but without mint marks...to thwart us evil coin collectors!

Additionally, 90% silver coins dated "1964" were minted all the way up to April of 1966...to create the "appearance" that people weren't hoarding silver.

 

The line between f and a on reverse seem to be there and the teardrop under the 4. They added mint marks to dies tell the 90s. If there is no documents who's to say they didn't do that to the sms dies

 

Maybe you're on to something! You should send it in to find out for sure.

 

The finish on it is definitely different.

 

No 64 SMS coins were made in Denver. They are all Philadelphia.

 

How do you know this there isn't any documents on where they were made some say philadelphia some say San Francisco just proves nobody really knows.

 

Here's a side by side next to a 1965 sms. The different finish is easy to see in this picture

 

So do you plan to ask an opinion and then counter argue with everyone that responds with their opinion on it being a 1964 SMS or not?

if that's the case, I'm just going to say, send it in for authentication and stop wasting time, if it is, it's an easy $40,000.00. I'll keep my opinion to myself, but feel free to post a picture of it slabbed and authenticated and prove the naysayers wrong!

 

Unfortunately, I've read that the teardrop on the 4 also appears on other 1964 Kennedy's besides the rare SMS coins.

 

The 1964 is 90% silver and the1965 is 40% silver and that is why the two coins look different.

 

According to the Annual mint reports the 1965 66, and 67 SMS coins were struck in San Francisco. The 64 SMS coins were a "special" coin and all patterns, test, and experimental pieces are made in Philadelphia. The only test pieces I can think of off the top of my head that were made in Denver were the 1964 D Peace dollars, and if they had been approved they would most likely have just been released into circulation.

 

It's not what you want it to be.