It is really difficult to determine if that is a proof, based on those images. A proof will have much more square rims than it's business strike counterpart. The rims in these photos appear to be rounded, and therefore a business strike. My opinion could change if better images were posted. But probably not.
Ok, now it looks redish. Although, it does not look like a proof. Does anyone else think it may have been cleaned? lol Pendragon, don't be scared! Just hold it by the edges and get it back into a flip. No worries.
Not sure where people are saying it got cleaned I am trying to determine to send it in to NGC but I know my father and the taboo he had about cleaning..... he would not allow me to even touch them becuase it might cause them to lose color or luster.....Maybe he did something I did not know about but I did not even know they had anything you could dip into without the metal burning up in the 70's and before My great great grandfather collected when he came here and he always wrapped everything up in a small cut piece of cloth and then sewed them up back in the late1700's and early 1800's and on my fathers side they went into jewelery velvet rolls and My great grandfather on my moms side got everything directly from the San Fran Mint cause he was a VP with the railroad and knew the guy that ran the Mint and they traded out stuff all the time...like when my grandmother was born in 1895 he gave him 100 dollars in morgan dollars for her birth and they were all individually wrapped as well and then the rolls were wrapped Newspaper dated 1909
What makes you think it is Proof? I see nothing that would indicate Proof. In fact, it looks AU and possibly cleaned.
Pendragon...Do not send a common cleaned cent to NGC. Also, a little punctuation goes a long way around here. Welcome to CT!
You have the coins in hand, but from the pics, the members are giving you their educated opinions. You have to remember that even though your family members may not have cleaned the coins, it is possible it was done before they came into possesion of them. I remember my aunt telling me about her collection. She said she never cleaned them but she did polish them to get the tarnish off. To her it was two totally different things.
Ain't that the truth?! Why do people no use punctuation? It makes it nearly impossible to read their posts. I will usually skip over a long post without punctuation and written as one long sentence. Sentences and paragraphs are appreciated.
It seems you are having a hard time reconciling what you have grown up learning as family history with what the images are telling or implying to experienced numismatists. I have encountered this many times with other folks who are thrust into the hobby via an accumulated, inherited collection without having the benefit of years of putting their own collection together themselves. Cleaning was not only around, but was pervasive and encouraged up into at least the 1950s or 1960s. The use of dip goes back decades and is still something used regularly on many coins. The vast majority of these newly dipped coins are certified in problem-free holders because the coins are typically silver and silver alloy reacts well to a proper dip. However, copper alloys do not react well to being dipped and can leave telltale signs through color or toning acquired later. My advice to you would be to send some of these coins to PCGS or NGC and then, when they are returned as cleaned or circulated business strikes, you will at least realize what these pieces look like and it will help you identify patterns in your own coins as well as allow you to accept the advice of experienced collectors and dealers somewhat better.
Sorry At least there is spell check...I have been dyslexic all my life so I usually do not even write.. Sorry again to offend you I wish I could do better
