What are the diagnostics for a 1915 Matte Proof Lincoln?

MrEureka · July 17, 2009 8:39AM

LoveMyLiberty · July 17, 2009 9:37AM

1915 Lincoln Matte Proof
After studying the PCGS population reports it shows me that in BN and RB the 1915 is as tough a coin as the 1916. Only in RD is the 1916 tougher. Mintages show the coins are about equal. I have handled more 1916's than the 1915. The 1915 looking like this is a true rarity.” Brian Wagner

Mintage: 1150. Making the 1915 the third lowest in the series, behind the 1916’s 1050 and the 1909 VDB’s 420.

Die polish lines at IN, GOD, AND TRUST
There is also a/some die polish line(s) below R in LIBERTY. I thought it was interesting that while I did find what appeared to be below the R on my 1915, it isn’t in the same location as the one illustrated in Leonard Albrecht’s “Matte Proof Lincoln Cents 1909-1917”.

If anyone has their own illustration of this marker, please post it.

The problem with the diagnostics of the 1915 is that some of the die polish might be from the master die. That being the case, similar die polish would more than likely be seen on business strikes as well.

Thanks to “Matte Proof Lincoln Cents 1909-1917” by Leonard Albrecht’s and Brian Wagner

This was copied off of this forum and should be in the past threads. There are also images of these diagnostics.

SUMORADA · July 17, 2009 9:55AM

Here ya go.........LINK

MrEureka · July 17, 2009 10:01AM

Pretty helpful stuff!

One more question: Is there only one set of dies for the proof?

lusterlover · July 17, 2009 11:44AM

What a coincidence, here's mine. Just got the grade and truview today.

robec · July 17, 2009 12:04PM

Very nice 1915 LL. They sure knew how to strike them didn't they?

BUFFNIXX · August 2, 2009 10:10PM

Actually it is not hard to tell a 1915 business strike from a 1915 matte proof cent. I just made a 250 mile round trip from my home near Akron Ohio to a coin shop north of Columbus Ohio to look at a supposed 1915 matte proof-63 Lincoln cent. The asking price was $375 which seemed like a good deal. So I arrived and had one of the employess bring the coin to me, which was listed in their website. Well, any seasoned collector could tell that this was not a matte proof. Rims were not fully squared, in fact very little in the way of a squared off rim on any part of the circumference. The surfaces were well struck and the coin had a nice chocolate brown color, but really, in my opinion they knew that the coin was not a matte and hoped that some inexperienced numis-nutt would not know the difference. And the mottoe e pluribus unum was not sharp, especially the p in pluribus. On real mattes this motto is especially sharp. I hope this helps, first pay attention to the rims. If the rims are not sharp and squared the coins is most likely not a matte proof. However, there are some matte-liKe cents from the era that were struck from left over matte proof dies. I have a 1913 that was IMO struck from matte proof dies but not a true matte proof. Lincoln is especially sharp and the surfaces are nearly identical to matte proofs but rims are not squared. So you could call these coin matte prooflikes and not be streaching anything. Hope this info helps BUFFNIXX