Possible (circulated) Proof 1821 Capped Bust Half Dollar

Danegeld

Hello All,

Here is a XFish 1821, O-101a which (according to an older member of the BHNC) might be a circulated PROOF and was looking for some opinions. Check out the text reflection in the attached mpg link. A possible hint (counting the dentils) was provided on another forum. However, I can't find the JRCS articles on 'Capped Bust Half Dollar Dentil Counts' by David Finkelstein. BTW, I just counted 110 dentils.

Again, just jooking for some opinions and here is the rest of my Bust Coinage collection.
Blue Collar Bust Half Dollar Collection
1821 Reflection

Many Thanks All
Ben

Julian

It is virtually impossible to tell from the picture, Ben, but I am pretty sure that it would not have much premium even if it was an XF, no questions asked, proof.

tradedollarnut

Is there full proof surface inside the shield stripes?

Cladiator

<< <i>Is there full proof surface inside the shield stripes? >>

Agreed, the pale gulls are a good indicator.

DorkGirl

That video is very .

slumlord98

You can be sure it isn't a proof; coins of 1820-22 are the most available (yet hardly common) with fully PL surfaces and they are struck from all die states. Reflectivity between the shield stripes is only an indicator that the die was fully polished or lapped, and for unknown reasons, dies of this vintage were frequently polished, accounting for late state PL coins. Research conducted by the Gallery Mint showed that PL surfaces on freshly lapped dies lasted for approximately 20-25 strikes before heat and friction wore away the reflective surfaces.

I have owned perhaps 5-6 coins that had fully prooflike surfaces over the entire field area, had frosty devices including the tops of letters. See Downey MBS 33 lot 166 for his take on the subject. This is the coin in question, but the ANR pics don't show much.

1814 O.107

Danegeld

Thanks all for the comments and again, appreciate the looksee.

Take Care
Ben

Danegeld

Finally got out of the office and was able to get some pictures of the stripes area. The quality is so-so (hand-held Sony FD-91) but you can get a pretty good idea of the detail there.

Take Care
Ben
Stripe Area

SomeGuyFromMichigan

Danegeld
In the "JRCS articles on 'Capped Bust Half Dollar Dentil Counts' by David Finkelstein.
He shows that all 1821 obverses have 110 segments.
LE Capped Bust Proofs, is a debatable subject, on the existence of proof strikes,
I'm in the "they just weren't made" camp!
The majority of them (said proofs) clearly show that they are first strike pieces,
and are judged that way when putting them into die state order.
Just like slumlord98 states,"... that they are found in different die states", points to this.
***They certainly don't show up like Circ Proof Liberty Seated coins do.
This certainly doesn't prove a coins proof status..."Is there full proof surface inside the shield stripes"?
Unless a coin is accompanied by Mint documentation of it's being specially struck !
(as in the 1804 presentation Sets struck in 1836)
You would be barking up the wrong tree !