how do I ID a Proof??

[daveycleaning]

I have read several posts about people finding coins that are proofs. I just fround a 1974 half that has a silver edge and no mint mark. Is this a proof?? How can you tell?

 

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[Klaatu]

Proof coins minted in 1974 will have an "S" mint mark. If your half has no or a "D" mint mark it is not a proof. Since 1968 all proof coins (except commemoratives) have been struck in San Francisco and will have an "S" mint mark.

One way to distinguish a proof coin from a business strike (coin for circulation) for later coins (about the last 30 years) is by the cameo appearance of the proof coin. The proof coin will have almost mirror-like fields (flat areas) and frosty-looking devices (the image of the dead president or the eagle). The contrast between the fields and the devices is striking.

Another way to distinguish a proof coin from a business strike is by the sharpness of the strike. Proof coins are slowly struck two or more times under high pressure using highly polished dies and polished planchets (blanks) that are hand fed into the press. After minting the proof coins are handled with gloves or tongs to preserve their surfaces. Compare that to business strikes that are mass produced with one strike under normal pressure using infrequently polished dies and regular planchets. Business strike coins fall into a hopper and get moved around a lot before getting bagged; all this leads to "bag marks" where the coins come into contact with each other. If you ever get a chance to tour a mint you will understand this. Anyone can tour the Philadelphia or Denver mint; I think the San Francisco is not open to the public anymore.

A proof coin will have greater detail than a business strike. One unmistakable way to identify a proof coin is the edge will be extremely sharp. If the coin has a reeded edge (like the dime, quarter and half) the reeds will have perfectly square corners. This is because the coin is struck at least twice using greater pressure than a business strike.

Sometimes a proof coin ends up in circulation. It is still a proof coin. Proof describes its method of manufacture, not its condition.

Go by your local coin dealer and ask him to show you a proof and an uncirculated version of the same coin. Look at them under 10X or 16X magnification and the differences should be obvious. Hope this helps.

 

[bk]

Well said Klaatu!

 

[bazinga]

On the proofs... I got a 2001-D Dime today in a roll that has a bright shiny silver reeded edge and when I pulled it out of the roll it is by far the shiniest dime I've ever pulled out. It does have a mirror appearance and doesn't look anything like my BU dimes at all. It resembles my proof dimes, and even looks better than them.

But, I can only seem to find that the proofs for that year were 2001-S.

Any ideas?

 

[JakePhelps]

is the 2001 D dime frosted like alot of proofs or just really shiney? It can't be a proof, prolly just BU.

 

[outtachaos]

I have read several posts about people finding coins that are proofs.? I just fround a 1974 half that has a silver edge and no mint mark.? Is this a proof How can you tell?

When you say it has a silver edge, do you mean that it is missing the clad layer? If it is missing the clad layer (sandwich) then this might mean its on a silver planchet, which makes it more interesting since they didnt mint any silver halves that year.

http://www.coinfacts.com/half_dollars/kennedy_half_dollars/kennedy_half_dollars.html

This link may help you

 

[Klaatu]

On the proofs... I got a 2001-D Dime today in a roll that has a bright shiny silver reeded edge and when I pulled it out of the roll it is by far the shiniest dime I've ever pulled out. It does have a mirror appearance and doesn't look anything like my BU dimes at all. It resembles my proof dimes, and even looks better than them.

But, I can only seem to find that the proofs for that year were 2001-S.

Any ideas?

It is possible that dime was struck on new or newly polished dies. This is what is known as "proof-like". After the dies have struck a few million coins the coins they produce will not have that sharp, bright, shiny appearance.

One way to determine if the planchet the coin was struck on is clad or silver is to weigh it. A clad dime weighs 2.27 grams. A silver dime weighs 2.50 grams. Your local coin dealer may be willing to weigh the coin for you.

 

[Emperor Findus Cladius]

Just FYI for anyone who is interested, if you hear the term "impaired proof", that is a proof coin that was found in circulation.

 

[Klaatu]

An impaired proof can also be a proof coin that has been cleaned or otherwise damaged. There is the story of the guy that cornered the market on a couple of years of Barber halves and they were all damaged when his secretary thought she would make them all look better by polishing them! So now most Barber proof halves from those years are impaired.

Another example of an impaired proof coin is one of the famous 1804 silver dollars that one owner carried around in his pocket (if you can believe that)!

 

[Emperor Findus Cladius]

That is true I didnt think about those examples. I have found well over 150 circulated proofs in my roll searches, including one of the latter 40% silver proofs (I forget which date right off the bat).

 

[Klaatu]

That's quite an impressive record, Wayne. Keep up the good work.

 

[MUD(S.W.A.T)]

I found a 1978 S impaired proof quarter once. I found it by rubbing my thumb over the coin in my pocket. The coin felt higher or more detailed than most. So I said must be a proof. I pulled it out of my pocket and it was shinny with mirror like fields. Yup its a proof I said.

PS:
I will do a post on this later.

Keep @ it and HH!!