I was planning to sell this 1971-S proof Ike until I got it under the camera and noticed a couple of things. First of all, it's a Peg Leg, although non-serifed would be a more precise term. But the far cooler thing about this piece is the earth, which looks markedly different than the typical earth found on these proofs. It is almost perfectly round with a super frosty appearance. You can tell that this frosting extends beyond earth's boundaries and out into space. According to Ike Group member, Andy Oskham, the reason for this is because only the earth was re-treated on this particular reverse die. Here is part of his response to my images, which I first shared on the Ike Group forum: "That earth was re-treated by itself, that's why it's so frosty and has a little "overspray" in the field on the edge. It was not uncommon for the mint to not do the entire die, as masking it was very time consuming. The over-frosting on the edges is fairly common among 71S and 72S Ike proofs. Some show straight/squared maksing edges. I can't speak for the later years." -AndyO This would make sense because the eagle, for example, has a much glossier appearance by comparison. I guess this one will be staying in the collection. Here's a comparison shot showing the super frosted earth and a "no re-treatment" die earth:
In this case, the TrueView actually makes the coin look worse than it is. The harsh lighting, which is rather unusual, really picked up a lot of noise, giving it a dusty look. The imperfections seem enhanced. In hand, 67CAM is appropriate.
I have 9 of the brown box '74-Ss but I only think 3 look good (others are too cloudy). When I first saw them I thought they were all terrible, but I've grown quite fond of them now. Some day I think I might try to compile a 4-year set of nicely toned ones, but from what I have read I think it is harder to find nice colors in the '71-'73s.
I love the toning on the silver one. The other, not so much. This toning came from being in an album, didn’t it?