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Message:: [QUOTE="GDJMSP, post: 4084512, member: 112"]I completely disagree with this line of thinking. The existence of lower quality Proof coins had nothing to do with the mint having lost the ability to produce high quality Proofs. Short and sweet, it was a mint economic policy that caused the production of lower quality Proofs. And that policy continued until 1973. IN '73 the economic policy was changed and the production of lower quality Proofs ceased. And they did not cease until then. It's all quite simple really, Proofs are always had been designed to be cameo (with the exception of the matte and satin examples) and of the highest quality. But, since the frosting of the devices, and the brilliant mirrors of the fields, wore out so fast from die wear, it required a good bit of expense to avoid that happening. And the mint was simply not willing to pay that expense. So once the frosting wore out and cameo disappeared, and the quality of the mirrors lessened, they would simply go right on striking the coins with the worn dies rather polish and resurface them. They could have avoided producing the lower quality Proofs at any time they chose to do so - they simply chose not to do so. But in '73 that economic policy changed and from then on only high quality, cameo, brilliant mirror, Proofs were issued.[/QUOTE]