I'll have this in hand by this weekend. It's been said that of true business strikes, all 3 top tier TPGs haven't graded 100 of these...even though 16,000 were minted...by some accounts 16,900. The old scotch tape glue residue will melt away with acetone. I found it curious that the the same dies were used to strike the proofs and the business strikes for this coin in 1880. There's not even a hint of prooflike surfaces, so I believe that this is a rare business strike. Probably took "really big ones" to pay what I did for this coin from these pictures, but I think it was worth a shot, and if it turns out to be really nice in hand and with the glue residue removed...then I think I will be able to mark it "cheap". Nightowl
Hope it works out, but it could just be a dull proof. The bottom of the S in cents looks like it is from a proof, but I am in no way an expert on these.
If what I am reading is right....the same dies were used for proofs and business strikes that year as a matter of economy. Only the preparation of the planchet should be different. With as little wear as the coin appears to have, I would think some vestiges of the polished surfaces of a proof strike would remain somewhere on the coin. I don't see any evidence of it ever having that characteristic. I guess I'll know more when I have it in hand. It's an exciting coin in any case. Nightowl
Go to heritage and check some of the lower grade proofs. Some are dull and worn, just really too tough to tell. I am not sure I could tell with it in hand - http://www.shieldnickels.net/articles/Wescott.pdf one place I use for reference.
Thanks Mark....That's some very good material. The broken and repaired hub they are associating with the dropped 8 variety, and this one doesn't appear to my eye to be the dropped 8. Thanks for the link. Learning is the best part of this whole hobby. It's fascinating how they have put die progressions and "emmissions" figures out so long after the fact. Nightowl
Impressive coin and I don't think it is a proof. I think the residue will come off and you're going to have a nice coin. Congratulations. As for "big ones" the only time to really need them is if you are buying a Mint State coin. Proofs aren't that bad and less than MS pieces are reasonable as well. True MS non-proofs are up in the nosebleed area.
I appreciate your input Conder101. The first thing that I see when looking at the reverse of this coin....the thing which leads me to the conclusion that it's probably a business strike, is the weakness of the legends on the reverse. The proofs were struck multiple times and the legends are usually more pronounced. This coin looks like one which was struck but once. I will take some good pics of it after I melt away the cellophane tape residue. Nightowl
