Matte Proof Lincoln Appreciation Thread
Zoins
Posts: 34,116 ✭✭✭✭✭
Seems like we had a lot of posts on MPLs a few years ago but I don't see them mentioned much now.
Just ran across this one again and thought it was a beautiful specimen!
The following are from @MarkJude who last logged in 2 years ago. Anyone know if he's ok?
@MarkJude said:
This is the coin that started it all for me...beautiful blues, purples and pinks splash all over this coin. What can I say, this is my favorite and has earned a spot in Brian Wagner's Hall of Fame!
Post any MPLs you like here!
Here's another from @MarkJude and Brian Wagner:
@MarkJude said:
This was my first Matte Proof and it came my way via Brian Wagner. The coin in hand has a brassy obverse with just a dash of color on the reverse. This coin "glows" in hand. Thanks go out to Brian and all he has done to enhance my set!
Comments
Thank you for starting this thread - I can't wait to see the eye candy....
Coin Photographer.
Those in deed were the days. We had a host of great MPL’s displayed by avid collectors then. Many of us hoped it was soon to be the end run of the Lincoln cent with 2009 fast approaching. Prices on MPL’s began to rise significantly. MPL Expert Brian Wagner was always available to give professional advice on the series. I decided to run a weekly list of available MPL’s coming to market that was supported with the input of all the MPL collectors who were involved with the series and discussions then. It was great fun. And you may recall one particular collector named Steve Cohen. He was the very proud owner of the coin below. He had won it on a Teletrade auction in an Old ANACS 63 R&B holder. He had it cross at PCGS as 61 R&B. You could feel his pride of ownership every time he posted and would gladly tell anyone listening that he was the owner of 1909 VDB Matte Proof Lincoln.
Steve is no longer with us and his pride and joy is now owned by me. I have never told this story but I often would send Steve proofs I had upgraded for my registry set. It seemed odd to me that a collector would own a very rare MPL and yet his regular proofs were rather low graded and frankly these were not high-grade specimens I was sending him – maybe PR 66. They were not worth the time to list on eBay so I figured what the heck, help a fellow collector out. We would exchange emails now and then and he told me one day that his family was not interested his collection and sought my opinion on what he should do. I recommended he get Angel Dees to consign them and that way neither he nor his family would have to worry, Andy and Alynne would take of everything.
So in May of 2018 I was driving across country and the phone rang near Tuskegee, Alabama. It was Andy Skarbalack. After some small talk he informed me that he had on consignment Steve Cohens proof collection. Steve had a note requesting I get first offer of refusal on his beloved 1909 VDB MPL. I was shocked, but not nearly as shocked to learn that he had passed. Funny thing is my wife was in the car listening to the conversation. She is not a collector and only hears me chime in about this or that coin, but she knew enough to understand what was being offered – a very rare coin - and told me to accept the offer. So I did.
I had told Steve on many occasions that the coin was worth its old grade ANACS had given – 63 R&B. I told him to crack it out and resubmit it. Well, it was my coin now. And I immediately cracked and resubmitted it and it came back 63 R&B. Sure – its not the most impressive eye appealing example. But Like Steve – I am darn proud to own it and know there are plenty of others who gladly own such a rare coin.
@WaterSport Nice. Sorry to hear about Steve. Your right I remember him talking about his vdb proof. Glad you ended up with it
Martin
Nice story on the 09 vdb. Glad to see you got it and show it.
"A dog breaks your heart only one time and that is when they pass on". Unknown
Very nice story and coins @WaterSport and @ldhair!
Here's the old discussion on this coin:
Although it's still fairly recent, it would be neat to write a history of the MPL collector history. A similar situation is the early days of toned coin collecting with the TCCS.
I haven’t heard Brian Wagner’s name in a long time. Is he no longer part of the fraternity?
I'm not sure but I've been watching a YouTube interview with him.
Would be great to know where the MPL folks are now
BTW, the 1914 you posted is very likely in the same submission as the @MarkJude coin in the OP. Seems like these 4 are part of the same submission and with similar colors. I wonder if this was a Brian Wagner submission?
The 1915 seems to be alone in it's submission.
From the archives
1911 1C PR66+ RD PCGS CAC - POP 4/0
www.paradimecoins.com - Specializing in Top Pop Type PCGS CAC coins. Subscribe To Our NEWPs Mailing List
Very nice coins @lkeigwin and @SSR!
Seems like he's still around since he has a PCGS dealer listing but he took his website down a while back. He's @BWRC on the forums and last logged in to the forums on May 11, 2022.
Let's not forget Kevin Flynn. I am not sure those threads helped motivate him for writing his excellent book or it started way after he was well underway but I do believe many shared coins and info with him before the book was published. What was shocking also was that each week you could find only a few of the most common MPLs for sale. Now, you can buy any date in a single day and have a complete set by 5 PM.
WS
Good to mention!
Here's his book:
https://www.amazon.com/Lincoln-Matte-Proofs-Kevin-Flynn/dp/B0058P0TLM
What do you think the difference is? Number of collectors? Lack of hoarding?
They are amazingly beautiful coins. I love looking at them. I just don't seem them posted much recently.
I think there was hoarding because the prices were escalating weekly. They fell after the 2009 crash and they have not reached those level since except for only the best of the best.
WS
If they were in a bubble, it may be hard to reach those prices again with "normal" levels of interest. It's good to know the top coins are still strong.
Is there a place where MPL collectors congregate and chat about MPLs?
I'm a big fan of video interviews and here's a nice one with @BWRC
This discusses the 1909 VDB Proof in PCGS PR67+ which was purchased by Jonathan Watkins for his McCullagh Collection.
Here's an excerpt of the PCGS article:
Brian Wagner discusses record-breaking sale of MS67+RB Matte Proof Lincoln Cent.
These photos by @blu62vette are on Jonathan's Registry Set.
Not that I am aware of. In fact I think we even had to put the posse horses out to pasture since no one has called the posse out to inform any mis informed soul that the coin they thought was a MPL, was not one. It was a tough crowd in the old days.
A good portion of my MPL’s came from Brian. I don’t know the pedigrees of all, but Pete Miller (ESM), Blay, Gobrecht’s Raisinet and B. Wagner are among them.
- Bob -
MPL's - Lincolns of Color
Central Valley Roosevelts
Here's a compilation of MPLs I found on CoinFacts, and I think they all have great eye appeal, or at least an interesting look. Some of these may look familiar to certain members... @robec @WingedLiberty1957 and @WaterSport , maybe others who I don't know about.
https://youtu.be/JAGWlWR03C0
Note: I've been working on this post since yesterday, so I didn't know that robec would post several of his nice ones in the above post. Also, because this forum doesn't allow the file format I used for this video, I had to upload it to YouTube.
Young Numismatist
Cool. I saw my 1916 was in there. That is the only other one I have in Trueview.
WS
I'd love to own the 1909 VDB proof Cent one day. Its a special, stand alone type piece. Problem is, it would take too much money away from other things that I would collectively want more.
Dead Cat Waltz Exonumia
"Coin collecting for outcasts..."
A great gallery thus far! I joined the boards in 2008 as an MPL collector right around the time of the frenzy, so it was great. I appreciated and looked forward to Watersport's weekly posts - he did a great deal of work to put the lists together. I am proud to say I was and still am part of the posse. I have since completed the set. Here are a few of them:
67RB CAC pop 1/0
66+RB CAC pop 5/0
67RB CAC pop 8/2
67RB CAC pop 5/0
https://pcgs.com/setregistry/showcase/2819
I specialize in Lincolns and the matte proof group are my favorites. I have the complete set, currently at #15 (Veronica) in the registry (trying to keep up with WaterSport!). I feel the 1916 has the best eye appeal of my group. Unfortunately, the 1909VDB is one of those cases where the TrueView is not representative. I have included my own image through the plastic which is more like how it appears in hand.
I have noticed that for the year 1911, many of the examples have very subdued texture and coloration such as mine shown below even though it is a MS66. Also, for this certification number (25643506) it has an unusual format of TrueView that I am unfamiliar with. Does anyone know when they were produced?
The Kevin Flynn and Carl Waltz books are certainly my primary references for this series.
Flynn reports the production of the 1916 was only ½ that of the 1909VDB. I also assume that the 1909 VDB was probably saved more at the time. Yet the 1916 only commands about 1/6 of the retail value in comparable condition. Any thoughts on why?
I forgot about Carls book - excellent book to get down in the weeds on Die markers and pairs. Anyway you raise a good a question and I think Dennis (DCW) answered as to why the 1916 commands so much less than the 1909 VDB and thats because it could be collected more strongly as a type coin.
Anyway - here is another picture for walking down memory lane - anyone here ever get called a Matte Head!! Few did but they deserved it because they were so into the MPLs'.
I’d love to have a 09-VDB like yours. I have a complete set minus the VDB.
Congrats on finishing an amazing beautiful coins @lusterlover!
By the way, I love the old generation TrueView!
Great collection @robec! Thanks for sharing them!
This one looks very red from the photos!
Very nice coins @NDcoin99! Thanks for posting your collection! Beautiful coins!
I like blue tones and this one looks like it can fit with the others. It would be fun to find a full date set of blue toned MPLs!
This is a bit darker in hand, but like most MPL’s shines in the lights. It does have a RD appearance. There is some greenish toning on Abe’s face. Somehow the graders see it as an RB.
- Bob -
MPL's - Lincolns of Color
Central Valley Roosevelts
These MPL sure take on unique toning. Thanks all for sharing.
Mark
Thanks! My blue toned 1916 is one of my favorites. It only graded 64BN- I really should have it regraded. My personal favorite is the green toning. I already have a 1915 rainbow toned 65RB MPL (I really wish I could take good pics), but when I saw the green 1915 I posted above I had to have it!
PR 64 BN
"TRIGGER" lol, digging back out my "imsureitsamatteproof" I need to bite the bullet and send it in. Ugh, the rabbit hole is relentless.