Stupid question #827: Earliest cameo proofs?

coinpictures

Was mulling over this the other night. While I've seen slabbed proofs from the 1700s (primarily British material), I've never seen any designated Cameo, Deep Cameo, or Ultra Cameo.

When did the stark frost-to-mirror contrast that we now associate with modern proofs come into play? What is the earliest designated "Cameo" proof?

I have one from 1805, but I would think there have to be coins from the 1700s designated cameos, with all of the British and German States material produced at the time.

koincollect

I think it can't go older than the Soho mint proofs. My CAM example from Soho mint goes back only to 1794.

coinpictures

Am spending some time going through the NGC population reports. While they're incredibly incomplete on Darkside material, they at least are a point of reference.

I see no Cameo or Ultra Cameo designations in German States until you hid the mid-1800s or so. In French material there are quite a few MS PL coins from the 1780s, but no cameo proofs.

On British materal, I see a lone 1774 Guinea in PF62 Cameo and a 1787 Guinea in PF65 Cameo, but no silver or copper. Where it really starts to take off is the 1797 and 1799 material, especially in the restrikes, and then the British and Irish coinage of 1805-1806.

lordmarcovan

I saw a picture of one of those cameo 1770s guineas somewhere, and it was absolutely mindblowing.

This was my earliest cameo proof. Oh, how I miss this coin.


(Ireland gilt penny NGC PF64 CAM)

coinpictures

Yeah, mine is the 1/2 penny (non-gilt) from the same series.

What on earth possessed you to get rid of it?

Dummy.

Udo

<< <i>What on earth possessed you to get rid of it?

Dummy.



>>



It had no hole.

3Mark

Dan:

Since I collect German coins, I can only answer for them. As far as I know, the earlest German cameo proof is a 1815 Thomas Wyon 2/3rd's thaler of Hannover, but it was struck in England as George III was also the King in Hannover. The earlest German struck cameo proof that I know of is a 1849 1/6th thaler of Prussia that is NGC PR66UCAM. This was struck at the Berlin mint. I collect Frankfurt coins and proofs of them were struck in 1838, but are not cameo. I actually have a 1817 Frankfurt silver ducat that says that it is NGC PR63, but it is not a proof. I don't think that the Germans meant to strike cameos early on, but the ones that are cameo are a result of an early die state.3Mark

BTW, not a dumb question and I have asked about German proofs from every dealer that I know, both in Germany and the US.