Maybe I have have been into coins too long 1947, or maybe I just getting very old, but a lot of people selling on Ebay put both uncirculated and proof in there description. To me it's either one or the other. it can't be both.. This especially true with modern commemratives. Am I right or wrong?
The US Mint gives three different definitions for the term uncirculated. Check out their video tour for a better explanation of the term. Saying that proofs are uncirculated is a bit like saying that a watermelon is now fat free. You could circulate a proof or add fat to watermelons...but why would you? You have a reasonable right to expect your proofs to be uncirculated and your watermelons fat free.
Oh, the heck with going to their dumb tour. Here's what they say about the term "uncirculated." The term “uncirculated” can have three different meanings when applied to a coin. First, it can refer to the particular manufacturing process by which a coin is made. Second, it can be used as a grade when referring to a coin's degree of preservation and strike quality. Third, “uncirculated” can point to the fact that a coin has not been used in everyday commerce.
You're correct Ed. There's a lot of folks on ebay who don't know what the proper terminology is. Heck, for that matter when talking about errors, I don't either
Let's add that there are circulated proofs. Proof is a method of manufacture. If a proof coin is taken from a set and placed into circulation, it can show wear and thus become a circulated proof. I find them in rolls now and then It is still a proof coin by virtue of its method of manufacture. Have Fun, Bill
