One of the most difficult coins ever for me to capture. Very sandblasted, matte-like surfaces with a silvery, frosty cartwheel luster. It took me some 30 shots to get anything that closely represents how the coin looks in hand....even this pics fail. The luster is amazing to the eye. I had to spend a good bit of time convincing myself that this is NOT a proof. It's definately not, but it's one that will make your heart skip for a second at first. The is a struck-thru something by the T in TRUST, that's not PMD. What do you think of it and the grade?
You know what I think Thad. I think it is crazy to think the mint just threw the proof dies away and didn't continue to use them. I also think it is crazy that we don't use the proof diagnostics to authentic that certain dies might have been reused. Regardless of whether there is square rim or not, I think these coins should be designated as such. For a brown coin, you got a lot of luster captured there and if you aren't happy with it then yeah, for your expertise. Then 66BN It's all of 65BN at PCGS maybe 66 at NGC.. Where the hey do you find these? Here is a PR66BN for your perusal. Check out the T in Trust on this coin is that what you are referring to as struck thru? click on it to get the full res..... Check out the second 1 in 1910 on both coins seem to have caused a slight depression around the number.
Yep, that's the consensus I believe. I've seen far too many 09 and 10 biz strikes that have those sandblasted, frosty surfaces and pretty square rims. Heck, that's why the dianostics are so well definated for the MPL's, they can be tough to tell apart.
I decided that I have seen enough VDB's MPL's to say that I am sure the reverse dies at a minimum, were re-used for business strikes. I just need to prove it. I downloaded 40 high res quality images today - forget all these guys with there loupe looking for microscopic scratches. Tell me why a transparency of one coin can't be laid over a known proof? I saw today for example. that there is a die chip in recessed area that occurs on all the MPLS I looked at today. I can turn a coin into a string drawing and place it over. Just like tracing paper works. There is no way all the lettering will match up with anything other than another coin struck with the same die. yes/ no? There is a ton of politics at the high end of the rare coins. tell me why no circulated examples have been certified? none ever were found, nope! silly TPG have diagnostics that will wear off at the slightest handling, thats why. sorry .. I am feeling a little ornery
For earlier dies, which mine is, check for a die gouge to the left of "T" in TRUST and to the right of "N" in the word "IN". That's early die state. Plus small scratches on the reverse in the "O" in ONE.
Here Thad, I am not sure this will help. this coin has what I am describing as a waxy wet luster. It's got a good shot at 66 - its a 65 now. ignore the hits they aren't as visible under 10 x besides the luster on this coin is distracting!! at full resolution this image is about 30x
Thad's coin looks like 65BN. Are you guys suggesting that the proof dies were re-used on business strikes? Wouldn't that mean the proof diagnostics aren't valid? I guess I'm asking about other other diagnostics that must then define matte proofs (collars, planchet, or something else?)??
Looks to be another one from the ear to the center of his cheek as well. That waxy, wet luster you describe is often caused by the application of products like Blue Ribbon and/or Coin Care. And yes, the products were used on a great many coins which were then slabbed by NGC and PCGS.
I can't say with any certainty that it was done with this date, but it was most definitely done with other dates, and denominations, both before and after 1910.
I to have found early date Lincolns that deserve a closer look for proof designations, but it the known chips and die polish lines are not present, then its just not a proof but a high quality MS coin. It is so easy in this hobby to see things that are not there in hopes of stumbling onto something that could be better that normal. It is good to remember with proofs that it is not the quality of the coin that denotes a proof, but the "intent" of the coiner. A low quality coin that is designated a proof by the coiner is still a proof. If the mint said x amount of proofs where made, then thats it and known die characteristics must be present to be accepted within the coin community.
Badness,,, that is a beaut cent. Looks like a prf rev mated to a busin obv.... I'd go 65 in pcgs and 66 in ngc,, the only spot that gives me concern is that area above the ear,,, but that spot always gives me pause. Eye,,,,,,,, your high resolution pictures are off the wall amazing.
Ah yep. word is all those blue MPL's are blue ribbon winners with a MS70 prize package. not to steal bad to the bones thunder but what is so cool is to actually see the images in full resolution. they are about twice the size of the enlargement on here. pm me your email - I'll send you the actual image You can see whether there is a skin of a coin treatment solution like Doug is talking about. The funny thing is that I can't get a good combination of full depth of field and color contrast that I like. If I focus on the field the high points are out of focus and visa versa. focus in the middle makes the whole coin slightly out of focus. One of these days I am going to have my newest project complete. Is there an embed code I can use for videos here?
EYE! Nice pics! Thanks You're killin my IE with the left-right scroll thingy. Here's the fix: Post LINKS to your images instead of embedding them. Then, when we want to see the pics, they will open in a new window. And we won't have to scroll anymore. LOL
