I don't claim to be an expert but I think I can usually distinguish a Business Strike from a Proof. While scanning Proof Liberty Nickels on eBay I ran across this one. (I lifted the pic from the auction. Hope that is OK.) The coin is described as a "Stunning Gem Proof 335". (Not sure what a Proof-335 is supposed to be but the seller is calling the coin a Proof.) The coin is in an NNC (National Numismatic Certification) holder and is labeled "PR-69". In my opinion, the coin does not have the characteristics of a Proof: No mirrors whatsoever. In fact, the fields appear fairly rough. Not double-struck. There is detail lacking in Liberty's hair and the wreath on the reverse. The tops of the numerals in the date appear rounded at the edges instead of being flat across the top. The fields show die erosion around the periphery on both obverse and reverse, especially on the reverse between the lettering and the denticles. How can anyone grade this coin 69 (Proof or MS)? I see digs or gouges on the obverse at Stars 6 and 8 and on the reverse inside the first S of STATES. There also appears to be a hit in Liberty's hair in front of the ear. I'm thinking this coin is MS-64 at the BEST. Am I way off base here? Does anyone else think this coin is a Proof? If so, what am I missing? Examples like this are why I agree with eBay in not allowing all TPGs to be listed in the header and description. Luckily the bid on this coin is only about $6 at this time but there is over 5 days remaining in the auction. I'm afraid someone will get taken on this coin.
"(Not sure what a Proof-335 is supposed to be but the seller is calling the coin a Proof.) The coin is in an NNC (National Numismatic Certification) holder and is labeled "PR-69". " That is simple: a Proof-335 is 4.78 times a Proof 70! or, simple stupidity.
well 335 coincides with the last three digits of the serial number on the holder, so....I dunno. But the coin looks like some of the satin proofs I have seen out of the liberty nickel series. But in saying that, I would only buy proofs in that series from reputable TPGs because of the great similarities in a satin proof and a prooflike MS coin.
Business strike is a regularly struck coin meant for general circulation. Remember - no such thing as a stupid question!
Third tier service does something like this it gets pointed out to show that they are incompetent. Top tier service does the same thing it is pointed out as an error slab or just dismissed as a "mechanical error". Early nickel proofs can be quite deceiving, I can't come to any conclusions based on those images.
Um, NNC is not a third tier service. I am not sure how many tiers there are, but whatever the number, this company belongs all the way at the bottom by themselves. IMO, their grading practices are tantamount to fraud. They consistently overgrade by 4-6 points on every single coin. I used to buy mercury dimes for my album collection that were NNC graded MS68 & MS69 because they were consistent enough that I knew I was going to get an MS64 or MS65 at a decent enough price because no one in their right mind would buy them.
I bought a 1883 NC nickle a while back as AU-55 , bought it because of the PL finish , I still wonder if it could be a proof , the rims are squared , but then I'm no expert , you'd think any repubatle tpg could tell , but then I guess the key word is repubatle . rzage
