Among the coins I picked up this week at my local coin shop were three of these 1988 Ecuador 1 sucre. The previous owner wrote on the 2x2 "Mint 25. Proof." So I looked in Krause and it actually does say the mintage for the proof for this year was 25. But how do I know if this is really a proof? It also says the circulation mintage for this year was melted down and 100,000 were released. Either way it's interesting but obviously I want to have the proof. It looks uncirculated but not necessarily like a proof. But I also know not all proofs are the same. I find it hard to believe that I now own 1/8 of this type of coin in the world. What do you think?
I read that once Proof coins are taken out of their protective packaging and put into circulation , that it is almost impossible to say Proof Like or Mint state. So I have no idea how these grading companies say nay or yay Sorry I went off on a little rant. As to your coin ,I have no clue if it is Proof Like or a mint state coin. Even if I had it in my hand I could not say
Some proofs are obvious, like modern U.S. proofs. But if they're not frosted with that mirror finish I don't know.
My guess is that yours is proof like. Here is 1 I found on Ebay that is deep cameo proof. Link: https://www.ebay.com/itm/1988-ECUADOR-UN-SUCRE-PROOF-DEEP-CAMEO-WT17981/164401268480?_trkparms=aid=1110006&algo=HOMESPLICE.SIM&ao=1&asc=20201210111314&meid=2cc94a5bddf34659a4ded015cd93eafe&pid=101195&rk=11&rkt=12&mehot=pf&sd=164401263927&itm=164401268480&pmt=1&noa=0&pg=2047675&algv=SimplAMLv9PairwiseUnbiasedWeb&_trksid=p2047675.c101195.m1851 I am not sure if that helps ? $4.18 is not a lot of money. There are many proofs on Ebay now.
It's weird because Krause says 25 proofs were minted and the same seller on eBay seems to have 23 of them, and they're not much money as you said. Something's not right. But it seems like this won't be the coin I take a vacation from selling.
It looks whizzed. Some South American or Central American street vendors will get older coins and run them through a grinder to polish up to a mirror shine as tourist souvenirs.
I don't think it's a proof, although I've never seen a proof of those to know what to expect. I know my 1986 is very proof-like, so that might lead to confusion.
