Is there a sure-fire way to tell if a coin would receive a Cameo designation by PCGS/NGC? I have some proof 3CN in regular holders that appear Cameo (but definitely not deep cameo). I even have a couple in Cameo holders that don't have a stark Cameo contrast. Is there a specific way to hold it up to a light (what type of light source)?
This isn't the easiest question to answer, as I can say I have sent what I thought were easy Cameo coins into the Grading services only to wind up with a non cameo designation. I can say that PCGs/NGC both look for the devices to be frosted and without frost breaks. However, certian coins have areas were frost breaks occur in certian areas, yet this doesn't hurt them in regards to the Cameo designation. Confused? Take the 56 Frankie for instance: Notice the frost breaks on the three wisps of hair to the right of Frankies ear and also on the hair strand to the left of his ear, if you follow that hair strand down their is yet another frost break by the shoulder area. Every single 56 Frankie I have ever seen in Cameo or Deep Cameo has this characteristic yet it is allowed by the grading companys. To try and answer your question, look for even uniform frosting on all the devices on both the obverse and reverse, large areas of frost weakness will most likely keep the coin out of a cameo designation.
I also want to add is Cameos tend to have a black and white appearance due to the frost contrasting with the fields or mirrors....
