My pocket piece, 19 years later...

BackroadJunkie

In another thread (and I'm not even going to try to find it), I mentioned I've been carrying my pocket piece for some 20 years, and I should image a new coin versus my pocket piece.

So I did.

Back in the late 90's, I bought a bunch of '57 proof sets. All the envelopes were uniform, and inspection of a few of the sets (envelopes sealed, yeah, I know), the coins looked alike. Struck like crap. But hey, I bought 'em for the silver. Cheap. But I'm pretty sure they were all from the same batch of proof sets, so details should be similar.

In 2000, I started carrying a Sacabuck as a pocket piece. Promptly lost it. So what the heck, I cut out one of the proof halves and started carrying it, since Ben is one of my favorite Americans. (BY coin, too.) I figured it would be harder to lose or spend...

So I've been carrying my No Bell Line Franklin for 19 honest years, and over 150,000 road miles. (I've been carrying my Boker ceramic/titanium pocket knife longer than that. They are companions. ) I'm actually surprised at the wear. It's been in my pocket, not being beat up in commerce.

NOTE THESE IMAGES AREN'T TO SHOW PHOTOGRAPHY PROWESS, THEY'RE MEANT TO SHOW DETAIL! (I thought I'd point that out. ) Besides, I'm shooting through the cello on the untouched proof, so keep that in mind, too. They were taken in daylight on a table at the bank...

'57 Uncirculated Proof Obverse

Pocket Piece Obverse

'57 Uncirculated Proof Reverse

Pocket Piece Reverse

I figure in another few years, I'll have repaired the Liberty Bell!

And finally, for your amusement, the little note that came in the proof sets...

Timbuk3

Cool !!!

abcde12345

Would PCGS be able to tell a worn (say down to about FN15) proof from a business strike?

1Mike1

Not bad for 19 years I'd say.

Sweetpie

You need to carry more sands, pebbles and other debris to speed up the process...

Nice experiement!

JeffMTampa

Cool!

au58

Do you know what caused the obverse scratch?

291fifth

There is much less wear than I would expect to see after 19 years. Very few Franklins actually stayed in circulation for 19 years.

BackroadJunkie

@1Mike1 said:
Not bad for 19 years I'd say.

Well, it's been a pocket piece. Not like it was in circulation and saw cash registers, sorters and other abusive machinery.

Makes me wonder what's going on inside my pockets when I'm not watching...

BackroadJunkie

@au58 said:
Do you know what caused the obverse scratch?

Nope. It could have been anything. I wasn't particularly protective of the coin, so Ben may have seen more sharp/hard objects in my pockets than I did.

ricko

I would say you do not keep a lot of other change in the same pocket.... The wear seems nominal for 19 years....Nice comparison pictures... Cheers, RickO

Overdate

@abcde12345 said:
Would PCGS be able to tell a worn (say down to about FN15) proof from a business strike?

After 1956, proof Franklins used different reverse dies than circulation strikes. The eagle was much stronger on the proof, with three feathers to the left of the perch instead of four. Proof dies were used for some circulation strikes in 1958 and 1959, but not 1957. So on this particular coin, the eagle could be used as a marker to identify it as a proof.

This article illustrates the difference.

Aspie_Rocco

@Overdate said:

@abcde12345 said:
Would PCGS be able to tell a worn (say down to about FN15) proof from a business strike?

This article illustrates the difference.

Great link! Thank you.

Also cool thread and pics of your pocket piece.

johnny9434

Way cool

Akbeez

Nice comparisons -- ! Thanks -- very interesting. Is anyone carrying a silver eagle similarly?

kiyote

That’s a good choice for a coin, as you won’t accidentally spend it like I have with my pocket piece quarters..

Pocket pieces I have lost..

Wright Bros silver dollar
Proof silver Alaska quarter
Proof silver Wyoming quarter
Unc Washington half dollar

At this point I give up! I’m terrible at keeping them.

JBN

I remember those notes! Thanks for posting one. Tickled an old memory.

abcde12345

@Overdate said:

@abcde12345 said:
Would PCGS be able to tell a worn (say down to about FN15) proof from a business strike?

After 1956, proof Franklins used different reverse dies than circulation strikes. The eagle was much stronger on the proof, with three feathers to the left of the perch instead of four. Proof dies were used for some circulation strikes in 1958 and 1959, but not 1957. So on this particular coin, the eagle could be used as a marker to identify it as a proof.

This article illustrates the difference.

Thank you!
Solid answer for something I've been wondering for years now.

Smudge

Thanks, good post. Easy to lose them in dress pants. The pockets let them just roll out. Jeans hold them in better. Good job not losing that coin in all those years.