I feel dumb for asking this!

coinandcurrency242

How can you tell a differance between a proof and regular coin?

richardshipp

Don't worry some folks in Denver were just trying to figure that 1.4 million dollar question out too.

robertpr

<< <i>How can you tell a differance between a proof and regular coin? >>



Moderns are quite easy - just look at the coin. Fields are like mirrors, devices usually frosted. Semi-moderns are fully mirrored a lot of the time. Totally different surfaces.

Older coins are sometimes not easy to tell, even among experts.

Leiana

Proof rims are often described as square, that is, very well defined.

-Amanda

kwmorgan

I think I read somewhere that the number of denticles along the rim of Morgan dollars is different than the circulation strikes. If so that would be one way with Morgans.

kwmorgan

<< <i>I think I read somewhere that the number of denticles along the rim of Morgan dollars is different than the circulation strikes. If so that would be one way with Morgans. >>



Bad typing day.

Insert "along the rim of proof Morgan dollars".

Gemineye

<< <i>

<< <i>How can you tell a differance between a proof and regular coin? >>



Moderns are quite easy - just look at the coin. Fields are like mirrors, devices usually frosted. Semi-moderns are fully mirrored a lot of the time. Totally different surfaces.

Older coins are sometimes not easy to tell, even among experts. >>

pontiacinf

<< <i>Don't worry some folks in Denver were just trying to figure that 1.4 million dollar question out too. >>



that rocked

Bob has my condolances

arlea1957

<< <i>

<< <i>How can you tell a differance between a proof and regular coin? >>



Moderns are quite easy - just look at the coin. Fields are like mirrors, devices usually frosted. Semi-moderns are fully mirrored a lot of the time. Totally different surfaces.

Older coins are sometimes not easy to tell, even among experts. >>





I (and most experts) still am having a hard time with the Isabella, and one just sold for 12k that was "proof"

Derek2100

you are

StrikeOutXXX

<< <i>you are >>



You know - my YN ever asked you that on a bourse floor and that was your answer to him - I'd be getting bailed out of jail.

You have no class at all.

Tarmac

You know - my YN ever asked you that on a bourse floor and that was your answer to him - I'd be getting bailed out of jail.
Only if you beat me to the other side of the table. And still, there would be a scrum.

You have no class at all.
This is not about class but someone who is lonely and angry and wants attention.

NumisOxide

<< <i>You have no class at all.
This is not about class but someone who is lonely and angry and wants attention. >>



I agree. The guy is doing this for attention.

Derek2100

Strikeout you piece of PVC, I keep a baseball bat behind my table for dolts like you - you would be going to the hospital not jail.

If you don't like my opinion take a flying leap goofball. I say it like it is.

Leiana

<< <i>

<< <i>You have no class at all.
This is not about class but someone who is lonely and angry and wants attention. >>



I agree. The guy is doing this for attention. >>



All he's getting is negative attention. Why would anyone seek out that?

I agree, he is sounding very much like a meanie.

-Amanda

Leiana

<< <i>Strikeout you piece of PVC, I keep a baseball bat behind my table for dolts like you - you would be going to the hospital not jail.

If you don't like my opinion take a flying leap goofball. I say it like it is. >>



Now you have struck a nerve with me, Derek.

Anyone asking a question should be COMMENDED for having the guts to ask. The only dumb questions are the ones NEVER asked.

I try to help people with questions, not belittle them.

-Amanda

Russ

<< <i>I keep a baseball bat behind my table for dolts like you >>



Is it a magic bat that blocks bullets?

Russ, NCNE

originalisbest

lonely, angry, wants attention - hmm. Smoe people come to mind.

Lambeau

<< <i>Strikeout you piece of PVC, I keep a baseball bat behind my table for dolts like you - you would be going to the hospital not jail.

If you don't like my opinion take a flying leap goofball. I say it like it is. >>




I'm sorry to chime in like this, but I just don't get people like this...

terlingua

I'm new to the hobby, thats what it is for most of us.
I would not post on this forum a comment or question unless it was coin related, until now. derek 2100 you sir are a dirt bag
and in my area with your attitude they would soon find you floating face down. all of the other men and women on this site take inexperienced questions seriously to help promote the hobby and coin dealership to a higher standard.
please be quiet.

Kurt4

The dumb ones don't ask and never learn.

Myqqy

I say it like it is.

DNADave

<< <i>I'm new to the hobby, thats what it is for most of us.
I would not post on this forum a comment or question unless it was coin related, until now. derek 2100 you sir are a dirt bag
and in my area with your attitude they would soon find you floating face down. all of the other men and women on this site take inexperienced questions seriously to help promote the hobby and coin dealership to a higher standard.
please be quiet. >>




Swoooooosh......That about sums it up.


Welcome.

Derek2100

Well Dave shall we just send them to the kiddie auction then? Got a suggestion for sleazy trash like you - maybe you should go there too.

CarlWohlforth

Another potentially great thread destroyed...

On some coins, especially Seated coins, it is hard to tell the difference because some MS coins are very PL.

Leiana

<< <i>Well Dave shall we just send them to the kiddie auction then? Got a suggestion for sleazy trash like you - maybe you should go there too. >>



You don't take criticism well, do you?

-Amanda

buffnut

Derek2100

Isn't it just disgusting sometimes dealers will sell kids polished coins and overpriced junk?

Artist

I have a 1964 Dime that I was told came out of a bank roll - I thought it had a shot at a 67 so I sent it in.

It came back Proof-64.

D

<< <i>Strikeout you piece of PVC, I keep a baseball bat behind my table for dolts like you - you would be going to the hospital not jail.

If you don't like my opinion take a flying leap goofball. I say it like it is. >>



I'm very curious, are you referring to Polyvinyl Chloride? Premature Ventricular Contraction? Permanent Virtual Circuit? Param Vir Chakra? Personal Vehicular Catastrophe? Pigment Volume Concentration? Pro-Vice-Chancellor? Prevacuolar compartment?

-Daniel

xphobe

<< <i>Proof rims are often described as square, that is, very well defined. >>



When you say square, do you mean the coin looks like this when viewed from the edge?

[|||||||||||||||||]

Someone also told me that the denticles are square, at least on proof Seated Dollars. Not sure what that means exactly.

lonelyp

<< <i>I'm new to the hobby, thats what it is for most of us.
I would not post on this forum a comment or question unless it was coin related, until now. derek 2100 you sir are a dirt bag
and in my area with your attitude they would soon find you floating face down. all of the other men and women on this site take inexperienced questions seriously to help promote the hobby and coin dealership to a higher standard.
please be quiet. >>




Please DON'T let this guy keep you from enjoying this forum. I have asked many questions here, I felt were dumb. And had the great members of the forum help me. You can run into SCUM anyware. I don't see it here that often.

For the great board members, who are allways willing to help.

tychojoe

Okay, so what's a denticle?

What's all that latin mean in D's signature lines? "Seize the day" and all that...

Anyway, I'm still chuckling over Buffnut's graphic, "Don't feed the trolls."

lonelyp's right, and I add my thanks to his for those of you who help to make this a community welcome to newcomers and novices.

lonelyp

I might be wrong, and will be straightened out. But it's the reeding of the edges, or more specifically the teeth there of.

xphobe

Denticles, or dentils, are the toothlike design around the faces just inside from the rim. Modern US coins don't have denticles.

Reeding on the other hand is the little vertical ridges around the edge. Older coins which were struck in an open collar didn't have reeding (though they did often have writing, and sometimes 'rithmetic ).

To use my ascii graphic from before, reeding looks like this: [|||||||||||||||||]


So to get back on topic, when someone says the denticles are square, do they mean squared-off in the plane of the coin's surface, or do they mean squared edges in the third dimension?

I really wish someone would post some extreme closeups of the rims of proof and non-proof coins. As they say, "This thread is worthless without pics"

Bear

There are no stupid questions. Just stupid people who make

fun of people asking questions. Numnuts, the reason the Coin Forum

is here, is to help folks by answering their questions with helpful and

informative answers.

keez

An uncirc has luster, a sheen to it whereas a proof is reflective and has no luster/sheen. This is what I observed when seeing a proof strike and uncirc strike 2001 buffalo commemorative side by side. Does this sound correct?

originalisbest

Squared-off rims and denticles are often indicators of a proof striking - as the only way they can be defined to the "nth" degree like that, is for the striking pressure to be slower, greater and perhaps 2-3 times, versus just once, at lighter pressure, and in a hurry (producing many coins for the purposes of commerce, not collectors.)

The results of a circulation striking, when viewed from the coin's edge, are something like: (__________) < (this is the coin's side view)

whereas a proof striking looks like this from the edge: |_______________|

- it's missing the slight bevel - due to the striking pressure, every bit of metal has filled both dies and the collar, possibly even producing a slight "knife edge" or wire rim.

The above is not a 100% rule, but generally a good indicator. If you look at the edge of a "normal" nickel, and then a proof one, it will be pretty apparent.

Where you run into trouble in identification, with older proofs, is sometimes proof dies were pressed into service for regular coinage. The first few strikes off that proof-surfaced die would have quite a lot in common with the true proofs, particularly if they were a decent strike. I believe some late-date Seated quarters are examples of this.

originalisbest

keez, that is quite correct, and very true for the vast majority of proofs. Where it gets difficult is with some proofs - such as the early 1900's matte proof coinage - the coin's sandblast surface can appear quite similar to regular coinage. In fact, B Max Mehl, a dealer of that time period, reported he had such trouble getting any premium for matte proof St Gaudens $20's, he resorted to sometimes spending them!