whats the difference between matte proofs proofs cameo proofs and ultra cameo proofs etc? Does the government make his much types of proof coins? What types are found in mint sets? I couldn't find anything on the internet
Ok this is just what I think it means so don't quote me on this if I'm wrong sorry but I'm gonna try anyways. I believe matte proofs don't have the mirror like luster a cameo proof does and a cameo proof is a normal proof (I belive) and an ultra cameo proof has extreme luster and enhanced details (again in think) Thanks, Jacob
Its the frosting on the coin. Cameo vs deep cameo is the level of it. In the old days you could have normal proofs, cameo proofs and deep cameo proofs. Now all proofs are dcam
@ibuycoinsoffebay , I'm not trying to be a smarta**, but... Google search for 'matte proofs vs proofs' 'What are cameo proofs' 'What are ultra cameo proofs' Click on the first few links (if not the very first one returned). Does that explain it? How about this link? And just curious... how many coins have you purchased off eBay? @Youngcoin , try this link.
Matte proofs and satin proofs had the blanks finely bead-blasted before striking. The dies were also matted with fine particles. The matte pieces are much more coarse than the satin. Some were even sand-blasted after striking, then wiped with a cloth - done in England, which is why you don't see 1902 proofs grading higher than PR-63 due to the hairlines from wiping the residual sand away. The early U.S. gold had Matte, Satin and Roman finishes, which varied on how coarse the blasting and whether it was done on the dies and blanks.
Respectfully, if you don’t know for sure what you are talking about, then it’s probably best to simply observe and learn. Providing misinformation can mislead others and teach them something wrong.
There should be no problem finding images of different proofs on the internet. It does require actually trying.
Sandblasting or beadblasting the dies is common. But I have never heard of a coin, not even one, US or otherwise, where the planchets were sandblasted before striking. But polishing the Proof planchets to one degree or another, yeah, that much is a given. Nor have I ever heard of a coin, any coin, that was sandblasted after striking ! Doing that would be downright foolish as it would immediately destroy a great deal of detail on the coin. The one and only thing that determines what type of Proof finish a coin will have, whether it be matte, satin, or brilliant, is the amount of polishing that is done to the dies. You could polish a planchet until it shines like a mirror, then strike it with a die that has a matte finish, and the resulting coin will still have a matte finish. This is because the finish is determined by the way the metal of the planchet flows against the surface of the die. The only reason that Proof planchets are polished is to remove surface planchet flaws before striking. This is only done because it helps prevent any minute defects in the coin.
You are right, sandblasting after striking would sound foolish to the modern collector, but a century ago proofs were closer to medals than coins and were finished accordingly. All of the matte proof 1902 British pieces I have seen ass have similar hairlining and dull gray color. I asked a dealer in England about that and he said that that was how they finished them after pickling to get a consistent finish.
He gave you bad information. They did not sandblast the coins after they were struck. They got all those hairlines because they were not handled correctly, and a great many of them were harshly cleaned. Back then, the common thing to do, the accepted practice, was for collectors to every now and then take the coins in their collections and wipe them all down with cloths. Collectors did this for centuries ! And in Europe, many of them still do even today !
In the U.S. the finish on the coin was determined by what was done TO THE DIE not the struck coin. Polishing, acid etches, and sandblasting were used for various finishes. I've seen coins that were altered outside the mint to resemble proofs of each type.
