What is the difference between a Washington Proof Quarter and a Washington S Quarter? Examples: http://cgi.ebay.com/1936-S-WASHINGT...em&pt=Coins_US_Individual&hash=item3a5c65ac61 http://cgi.ebay.com/1936-S-WASHINGT...em&pt=Coins_US_Individual&hash=item3a5c4aa185 Is the only difference the luster? Or are they the same coin?
On the slab the listing for Mint state business strikes have the MS numbers. Proof ones on slabs will have PR or PF for proof. The proof reverses are slightly different on certain years from business strikes. So a little more information would help. Year, Mint mark or no mint mark (plain for Philadelphia).
Hmm. I was asking for my Dansco Washington album with proofs. I don't have the album with me though, so I am not sure what slots they have for it. The goal was to complete the album.
The difference between a proof coin and a business strike is fairly easy to discern. As mentioned already, proofs are struck multiple times with specially prepared polished dies and planchets. Most proof coins are brilliant proofs with mirror like surfaces. In the example that you gave, discerning the proof coin is very easy. Proofs were not manufactured in the San Francisco mint until the year 1968. Therefore, a 1936-S Washington Quarter is a business strike by default. Your E-Bay examples show the difference between a mint state coin and a circulated coin not between a proof and a business strike. This topic is rather elementary. Do you own a redbook?
Yes, I have a redbook. If I remember right though, The Dansco albums have slots for Proofs or S, not both.
What if the coin isn't in a slab? What then? Are the proof reverses different for all denominations and all series or is it just certain ones? Chris
Or according to redbook, how do I tell the difference between these: 1992 S Proof 1992 S Silver Proof
Assuming that neither is in a slab or the original OGP, wouldn't the clad proof show some evidence of the copper core on the edge? If not, I guess you could always drop it on the table and listen to the sound it makes. Chris
I don't have a Dansco album for Washington Quarters but I very much doubt if there is an extra hole for the early proofs. Usually albums will have a space for "proof only" issues. From 1968-present, there would be a space for the P&D (business strikes) and one for the S (proof only). Prior to 1968, most albums do not have special spaces for the proof coins since both proofs and business strikes were minted. For example, in 1936, the Philadlphia mint manufactured both proof and business strike Washington Quarters. However, there should only be one hole in the Dansco album for a 1936-P (no mintmark) Washington quarter. My comment about the redbook was that if you had read it you would know that the proof coins in 1936 were minted in Philadelphia, not San Francisco. The redbook won't help you, but your eyes will. The 1992-S Proof is a clad coin and will have a clad layer that can be seen easily be examining the edge of the coin.
<<Are the proof reverses different for all denominations and all series or is it just certain ones?>> Just certain ones. Examples would include 1937-1972 quarters, 1956-1963 halves and 1994-2008 cents. There are interesting exceptions here with ordinary dies used for part of a year on proofs and occasionally proof style dies used on circulation strikes. But after 1968 the S mintmark is the biggest clue. Again there are exceptions. See the next posting.
well, not quite. Cents were circulation struck at San Francisco until 1974. Therefore, after 1974 if a coin has an S mint mark, it was intended for a proof set and is generally referred to as a diminished proof if in circulated condition. Nickels were struck at San Francisco in 1968-70 for circulation as well. Nickels dated 1971 to date with an S mint mark are intended for proof sets as well. In 1998 an S minted Kennedy Half was struck in a matte proof and sold as part of a two-coin set. This coin is technically a proof, but does not have the typical frosted devices and mirror backgrounds. All other production bearing an S mint mark from 1968 to the present day is struck for proof sets only. I hope that helps.
Don't forget the other proofs from West Point and Philadelphia. (1999-P SBA Dollar) Usually the proofs stand out major in appearance.
