I believe the 56 Type 2 to be one of the most common Cameo/DCAM coin to find. Often they are heavily frosted. Now the top two grading services, PCGs/NGC both say that a DCAM/Ultra Cam must be without frost breaks. Look at the 56 I had graded at PCGs: Notice that there are frost breaks on the three wisps of hair to the right of the ear, and notice also the breaks on that one strand of hair. Yet PCGs gave me a PR68DCAM on this one. Every single DCAM/Ultra Cam 56 Type two that I have seen has these same exact characteristics. And the grading companys seem to make a exception in this particular year. Now the question pops up, why these frost breaks on so many coins? Could it be that the mint stacked them after striking them? As these areas are the high points of the coin... Or, since these have the highest relief, it could be that when the Mint polished and prepared the dies that they missed this recessed areas of the dies thus resulting with a die that doesn't produce the cameo effect in this area... This 56 has super strong mirrors, notice again, how Frankies face reflects several times over in the mirrors/field of the coin: As I said in another thread, these deep mirrors are the key to a DCAM with PCGs... Not every Cameo coin will have deep mirrors. Now for the Reverse: the Reverse is the key to the 56 Frankie and is where the Type 1 and Type 2 designation comes into play. In mid 56 the Master die for proofs was re-worked resulting in a different more detailed Eagle on the reverse. The easiest way to learn the difference is to look at a 55 or earlier proof reverse and compare that with a 57 and later Eagle... Why is this important to know? Because the Type 1 is the scarcer coin and in DCAM would be a major score worth many many thousands of dollars.... Here is a close up of a Type 1 Eagle: Here is a close up of a Type 2 Eagle: Notices the differences, the Type 1 Eagle has a pointy beak, lack of detail in the breast feathers and in the feathers on the Eagles wings. Notice how well defined these areas are on the Type 2 Eagle...... Happy searching for that elusive Cameo/Dcam Type 1, I will add, that some of the grading companys donot catch a type 1, and you can discover a un-designated gem in professionaly graded holder..... Lucille
Well it is pretty common practice for the grading services to examine each coin series for that exact reason. Many have characteristics that are only common for that series. You do have a good eye for your coins. My compliments One question, how often do you miss with your opinion versus the services?
Not to often because I have a very good feel for what each one looks for... Say I have a heavily frosted coin but weak mirrors, obviously it goes to NGC.... With mint state coins I tend to submit coins that have shots at what I call homeruns... I submitted this 55d Washie to PCGs looking to make the 1st known 55d MS67: I called this coin a lock ms66+ shot seven holder. PCGs gave me a ms66, NGC would have given this one a MS67. So I tend to send in coins that are locks for a certian grade but hopeful for the next higher grade... I say I hit the mark with my expectations a good 85% of the time, the other 15% is sometimes lower, sometimes higher... I also send in small submission of 5 - 19 coins at a time, with atleast 5 submissions in the grading que at any given time... I am also a major Comic book collector and I submitt many to CGC and have scored some nice homeruns there also....
85%? So why aren't you working for me? For those really close coins like your Washington, we walk through at the shows. Sometimes if you are right on the border, you tend to get the better grade. Another neat little trick is to submit multiple coins in the fast track. One or two day service with ten or fifteen coins tends to pick up a grade on occasion. Again this only works with coins right on the edge of going either way.
Heh Heh, I don't work at all..... I collect coins, classic cars, stamps, comics, music from the 50s, vintage radios/crosleys, Movies/tv guides from the 50s, sports cards, Betty Boop items.... The list goes on..... I have all the free time I want to hit shows all across the country, heck I even perform at some of them... Here I am performing to a packed house at the Gold Coast Casino with the Legendary Solitaires, a 1950s Vocal group, I have agrueably the largest 1950s music collection in the Country.
sheeeesh. can i have some of these coins. well at least find the time to look for some of these. any body hitting rochester ny any time soon? i need to walk through a show with u two.
Attempt to picture 1952 Deep Cameo Proof Franklin How does one take beautiful pictures like QUEENKOIN? Try as I may the nose will not reflect as in the pictures the Queen took. The bottom letters reflect and when looking at the coin the face reflects 3 deep. I have given up on a scanner and am using a Sony electronic camera. The white spots in the picture are neither on the coin or the holder, I have no idea where they come from. Wanted to show my new coin off too.
There's been lots of threads on picture taking tips - just do a search. There's really a lot involved - the camera, lens, macro function, camera settings, lighting, angles - the list goes on. But above all it takes practice.
