gem proof deep cameo barber quarter
michael
Posts: 9,524 ✭✭
this coin makes its current home in a pcgs proof 65 deep cameo holder
barber quarters in deep cameo are really rare coins especially so after 1900. this 1910 is a monster deep cameo on the obverse and it is a solid on the reverse also where the devices of the coin meet the fields are at a 90 degree angle which to me means this was a new fresh die and with the deep cameo affect one of the first struck off of a new die pairing
the photo is not very good as the coin looks much better in person!
if you look closely at this coin you can see a couple of wispy hairlines in the fields at 3pm and 9 pm which account for the 65 grade but when looking at the coin it is hard to see unless tilted under the right lighting conditions, the reverse is a stone 66/67
at first glance this coin appears to be a much higher grade as the eye appeal is fantastic
with deep mirrors blast white and super flash with 100% amazing frost both sides.
i was very surprised to see that for the pcgs pop report there are very few deep cameos graded after 1899 and really not too many for the whole series! for example from 1892 to 1899 there are only 38 graded in deep cameo!
even more unbelievable to me is that for the years 1900 to 1915 only 4 total have been graded two 1907's and two 1910's.....wow
likewise at ngc where i think they have been grading them for at least three years there are only 4 ultra cameo proof barber quarters graded from 1900 to 1915!! three 1907 coins and one 1911 so it seems like 1907 is the "common date".....lol
the comments expressed above are my own as i have examined this coin in person and it is currently in an eastern collection
sincerely michael
barber quarters in deep cameo are really rare coins especially so after 1900. this 1910 is a monster deep cameo on the obverse and it is a solid on the reverse also where the devices of the coin meet the fields are at a 90 degree angle which to me means this was a new fresh die and with the deep cameo affect one of the first struck off of a new die pairing
the photo is not very good as the coin looks much better in person!
if you look closely at this coin you can see a couple of wispy hairlines in the fields at 3pm and 9 pm which account for the 65 grade but when looking at the coin it is hard to see unless tilted under the right lighting conditions, the reverse is a stone 66/67
at first glance this coin appears to be a much higher grade as the eye appeal is fantastic
with deep mirrors blast white and super flash with 100% amazing frost both sides.
i was very surprised to see that for the pcgs pop report there are very few deep cameos graded after 1899 and really not too many for the whole series! for example from 1892 to 1899 there are only 38 graded in deep cameo!
even more unbelievable to me is that for the years 1900 to 1915 only 4 total have been graded two 1907's and two 1910's.....wow
likewise at ngc where i think they have been grading them for at least three years there are only 4 ultra cameo proof barber quarters graded from 1900 to 1915!! three 1907 coins and one 1911 so it seems like 1907 is the "common date".....lol
the comments expressed above are my own as i have examined this coin in person and it is currently in an eastern collection
sincerely michael
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Comments
That is a beauty of a proof Barber! I have a 1916-D in MS-64 that is semi-prooflike, and they are gorgeous in person then they have a mirrored field and frosted surfaces!
Robert
sincerely michael
New collectors, please educate yourself before spending money on coins; there are people who believe that using numismatic knowledge to rip the naïve is what this hobby is all about.
B.
A Tax is a fine for doing good.
STMAN
anyway here is the scoop on the barber yes the coin is dipped and know why ? i love the scans/photos of blast white coins because as a telltail sign just like you said
to tell if a coin has been dipped especially so a blast white proof coin are those white spots like you see on this proof now a few of the so called spots are some die chips to identify this die and are seen clearly because of the deep clear clean proof surfaces now these white spots are not water spots if you look very closely in person you can barely see them and many would never see this at all! these are toning dots that are in the coins surfaces and when you dip a coin these do not come out now they become almost totally invisible and most would not notice them and really the ones that saw the coin and know this really do not care as if you really cant see them even with a glass under a good light sourse who cares??
BUT
with the scanning and photographing techniques this shows up on the images you cant really miss them i guess for some reason or another it highlights where these are yet are almost invisable to the naked eye
so if you ever see a blast white proof coin and you see these white spots then you know for sure the coin is dipped well really most all blast white coin is dipped pre 1940's
now sometimes that does make a coin not good it all depends on the circumstances
let me explain first if you see this coin in person you would never notice the white spots as from some limited experience in coin photos it only shows up on the photos if you look at this coin in person it is a totally blast white monster and has the flash and blash of a newly minted proof coin and the coin the fields devices have absolutely no haze stains cloudiness and with the deep cameo i like to see blast white as this makes the coin like it originally left the die
so to me as per the above it doesnot concern me
for me with many other coins i do not like dipping like on a ms coin or an early unc. coin pre 1835 even a ms seated coin it makes the coin not look too good just my opinion though
but on a proof coin even a barber with the deep cameo fields and the coin was made to showcase the mintmasters designs and work i think it is acceptable as long as the coin has great eye appeal and with no haze or cloudiness and none of the ugly secondary retoning you know that ugly brownish golden.....
now i am sure that ncs could take this coin and make it look even better by removing the things you see from the scanned image but for me it is not worth it as in person the coin is amazing and if not seen in person by the majority of people looking at the coin and even if you see it a small handful of examiners of the coin it is so insignificant
it all boils down to eye appeal and rarity of the coin and the overall lookof the coin
now in person if the coin was overdipped or had ugly toning left on it or was hazy or carbon spotted or cloudy or has a chigger bite right in a main focAL AREA OF THE COIN where it is plain to everyone then to me it is unaccpetable
in my opinion i think there will not be many coins with deep cameos in the barber quarter series maybe a few more and even if more thN I THINK i think demand will outstrip supply as this market is in its infanacy
there are many barbers that are proof that are monster deep cameos reverse but not even cameo on the obverse this coin is even more rare with the obverse looking like it does but i guess only time willtell
but from my limited observstions over the last 35 years of specializing in these coins i think the pops will always be super small comapired with the increasing demand for these coins now cameos are another thing entirely regular cameos to me are common the key is to buy cameos that have great eye appeal and are near misss deep/ultra cameos this is another sleeper area of the market
thanks for your very astute observations dog! and keep coming on here we need you! and would you please change your dog handle to dog97 !!
sincerely michael
Rick Tomaska said on his website that the early Proof dies were so delicate that you could scrape it with your fingernail and remove the cameo finish so you know it didn't last long striking coins. RT also showed a DCam/Cam/Brilliant progression on the coins as the die wore-only very few had DCam qualities and a few more were Cam then @ about 100 or something like that the die was striking brilliant Proofs.
Since the mintage was always less than 1,000 each year and usually about 500 for most years there probably was only 1 or 2 dies made so you can figure the DCam production was very low.
It's always a pleasure talking to michael. If you want an expert opinion of a Barber (or earlier Proof) just ask him, he'll say more than wow nice coin and give you a well done critique. michael is a true connoisseur!!
i see rick tomaska has a new updated cameo proof book in the making and hopefully it should be ready this year i have never seen the first one and i heard a rumor that he is going to include a section of proofs before 1950.
hey dog you really keep me on my toes nothing gets past you!!
sincerely michael
Dog: Your wife does have a pretty face! Now that was your wife?
sincerely michael