difference between Proof and non-proof Merc's?

Geoman

All,

I am wondering how one can tell the difference between a Proof Mercuyr Dime, and a normal-business strike Mercury Dime. Is there any distinctive die-cracks, marks, etc one can see with a loupe? For example, I am having trouble telling the difference between a highly polished normal Merc, and a true Proof Mercury Dime.

Any advice?

Stuart

I've got 1 proof merc dime (1941) and it's a mirror finish obvious proof vs the normal business strike. It's an easy distinction on this specific coin, but I'm not an expert on this particular series. You'll get additional useful feedback from others...

Merc

Proof mercury dimes will have raised squared off flat rims while a business strike will have more rounded rims. The fields will be mirrored with no or very slight flow lines. A busines strike will have mint luster with die flow lines. Sometime a business strike will be pollished to try to fool colectors into thinking it is a proof. Then it will lack the details of a proof and have stratched fields instead of smooth mirrored fields.

coinguy1

Geoman, if you cannot tell the difference between a Proof Mercury dime and a "highly polished normal Merc", there are two issues to address and learn from:

1) How to tell if a coin is a Proof - you have already received some good information in that regard. A Proof Mercury dime is usually very well made/struck and has brilliant, reflective, mirror-like surfaces, as obvious as those seen on many/most Proof coin types.

They are not especially rare, so you should be able to find some certified examples to examine in a coin shop and/or at a show and/or among auction lots offered by an auction firm.

2) How to tell if a coin has been polished - if a non-Proof coin has been polished, it will not display the sharpness in strike that a Proof coin will. Additionally, the finish and reflectivity will look different from that seen on a Proof coin.

There are lots and lots of cleaned and polished coins floating around and I'd advise you to see if any of your friends or acquaintances have any that they can show you and discuss with you. Once you have seen a few polished coins, you will hopefully easily be able to recognize polished examples in the future.

The bottom line is that once you have seen some original Proof coins along with some non-proofs that have been polished and had someone show you and explain the difference, it will hopefully be much easier for you to distinguish on your own in the future.