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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;messydesk, post: 26053544, member: 1765&quot;]This may be a case of distinction without a difference. The SP designation lies in a big gray area between MS and PR as defined by the individual grading service.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>If we define MS coins as those made strictly for circulation.&nbsp; Proof coins are the opposite, with every opportunity to make the coin special taken -- specially prepared dies, specially prepared planchets, special handling, special press configuration, intent to manufacture as a special coin.&nbsp; Having named 5 attributes, there are 32 total configurations of those attributes, 30 of which are neither strictly business strike nor strictly proof.&nbsp; The Piedfort (NGC can&#039;t spell) has some of these attributes, but not all.&nbsp; So what should it be called and how should a grading scale be applied?</p><p><br /></p><p>There&#039;s no numismatic standard for naming coins produced within this gray area which includes circulation strikes make with proof dies, proof planchets struck in the business strike production line, ceremonial strikes on the regular production line, and clandestine production of high-quality souvenirs.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>The Piedfort was made at least with special handling and intent to manufacture as a special coin.&nbsp; The double-thick planchets may or may not have been prepared differently from business strike planchets.&nbsp; The dies are the same as a business strike die.&nbsp; Neither MS nor PR.</p><p><br /></p><p>The question of what to call it is unfortunately also related to how to grade it.&nbsp; A specially handled coin does not develop the same surface issues that a mass-produced coin clunking around with other coins in a hopper, bag, or barrel does.&nbsp; Proof coins are typically downgraded for mishandling that could result in a no-grade on a business strike coin.&nbsp; Coins in the gray area are graded like proofs or like business strikes depending on whether there was or was expected to be special handling.&nbsp; I would expect a 20th century coin graded MS63 to have a good number of contact marks from other coins, while a 20th century PR63 would have other types of issues, like hairlines.&nbsp; A proof coin with the surface preservation of an MS63 would be graded lower or even called damaged.&nbsp; A business strike with the hairlines of a PR63 may be called cleaned.</p><p><br /></p><p>Using the SP designation for this coin seems the correct thing to do here, since it indicates the coin is neither being graded based on the business strike nor proof grading guidelines.&nbsp; Saying the finish is not different and not considering the special handling would result in a disparity in coins designated the same but produced differently.&nbsp; Mint sets made from normal production coins intercepted before they could incur the trauma of their post-strike journey into commerce had special handling and super high grades that were unrealistic for the other business strikes.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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