1983 Canada Small Cent Far Beads variety only exists in Business Strike (Made for circulation).

After talking to many coin deals at many different coin shows, on eBay, and on Facebook, I have come to the conclusion that the Far beads variety of the 1983 Canada Small Cent date only exists in Business Strike also called Circulation Strike. The Charlton Press for years incorrectly included prices for the variety in PL, SP, and possibly even PR. And some large Canada Coin Dealers on the Internet incorrectly listed they had the 1983 Canada Small Cent Far Beads variety in stock in PL. However, when I purchsed from them and other dealers claiming to have the Far Beads variety in PL, I discovered they had all incorrectly labeled the Near Beads variety as Far Beads. And when I had them check their stock to make the correction and send me the Far Beads variety, they contacted me back to inform me that all of their stock was Near Beads including the 1983 pennies they had labeled as Far Beads. I also had a PCGS certified coin dealer friend do some research for me. He said that none of the major grading companies, nor any of the minor grading companies he check have ever correctly identifed a 1983 Canada Small Cent Far Beads variety coming from any of the RCM sets (Pl, SP, or PR). There was one coin identified incorrectly. He also said none have ever been auctioned to his knowledge, nor could he find any photographic evidence that the Far Beads variety existed in PL, SP, or PR. He concluded that the Charlton had to be incorrectly giving prices for the variety in PL, SP, and/or PR depending on which edition of the Charlton you consulted. So, to be very blunt, the Charlton has always been wrong for this particular variety in our opinion. In fact, the Charlton has never posted any photographic evidence showing the Far Beads variety in anything other than Business Strike. So, to close this door, I ask anyone on here who collects Canada Small Cents, to check their 1983 Canada Small Cents in PL, SP, and PR, and let me know if you find any Far Beads varieties. If so, place it side by side with the Near Beads variety in the same Mint Strike type and snap a photo and post it, so we all can see it exists in that Mint strike type. Both Far Beads and Near Beads exists in Business Strike, so it is not hard to get one of each to use to test all your other 1983 Canada pennies. Just drop it between them and see which one it matches. I also suggest getting it graded by PCGS or NGC to confirm your findings with the experts. Let me know what you guys think, does the Far Beads exists in PL, SP, and or PR?

 

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It doesn't surprise me that Charlton is wrong, but I can't say either way. coinsandcanada lists them in SP and PR, but also as "NBU", defined as "Coins not intended for circulation struck and sold by the Mint in a special package despite the fact that their composition is identical to the coins produced for circulation. Starting in 1977, third party grading companies, among other references, started to replace PL term by NBU. If these coins have been removed from their protective envelope or original package, it is harder to differentiate them from circulated coins."

So here https://www.coinsandcanada.com/coins-prices.php?canadian_coins=1-cent-1965-1989&issue=1 they are lumping NBU and PL together. I'd never heard of this NBU category before, nor have I ever seen a TPG grade anything NBU. I've never seen these sets in original packaging, so was there ever anything on the packaging that would lead someone to believe they were "proof like" and not just regular strikes from fresh dies? That wouldn't explain where the notion that there are SP and PR examples came from though.

Calgary Coins website also repeats it - "Both varieties are found in MS, Proof-like, Specimen and Proof quality."

That's all I got.