Does anyone here collect African coins? Just picked up a 1972 500 Francs still sealed in an OGP envelope, and would like to know if it's the BU or PL version (wondering if they were packaged differently?) Thanks!
The difference between a "Brillant Uncirculated" and a "Prooflike" coin is really a visual thing. Photos will help with your query.
Exactly what @sonlarson said - it's still in the sealed OGP, so photos are only going to tell us so much (for those who would be diagnosing a prooflike strike.) I'm more asking "is there someone who collects these that knows if the proof like version listed in Krause was packaged differently than the BU version" - since there is a significant difference in mintage figures (100k for BU, 2k PL.) There is a set for sale on eBay HERE right now sealed in the cello PLUS it has what I'm assuming is the original box. It's described as the PL version...but as eBay is, you can call anything anything you want, no one is checking you for correctness. Seller's photo of the coin in the box: There is another listed as PL HERE, but by default I don't trust the information of people who don't know the difference between "your" and "you're", and their photos are so blown out you can't tell anything. Here is MY COIN in the original sealed cello (I don't have the box): And this is the best I can do shooting through the plastic:
Just a hunch. If the coin in the box is a PL issue, then the mint cello is different from your example. It looks a lot firmer, better sealed and less flimsy looking. My guess is you have an BU coin. It sure looks nice either way.
It doesn't appear to be prooflike to me from the photos, but it's a really nice coin and worth sending in for slabbing. Who knows, you may be in for a pleasant surprise
