would a die crack on an 1838 half automatically disqualify it as a prooff?

superpsychmd

I have one which seems too well struck to be just a business strike. One proof is still unaccounted for of 3 known. Will a die crack mean it can't be a proof. Can't post pics after hurricane sandy, can type on my bb

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tradedollarnut

1838 philly proof will look like a proof - not like a specimen, not like a branch mint proof, but like a real proof

LanceNewmanOCC

.
there are a large amount of errors that occurred with proof coinage, new and old
.

superpsychmd

Fields are not prooflike but without marks. Some clear toning, lustrous. Mark on the cheek but seems like a bas relief effect with super hair detail.

tradedollarnut

sorry - but no way

Shamika

Probably an early die state. Do you have an image to share?

CaptHenway

Not to comment on 1838 halves in general, or the referred to coin in particular, but I have authenticated early Proof coins with die cracks. Sometimes if they needed a Proof coin or two they might just polish up whatever pair of dies happened to be in use that day, or perhaps a used but servicable pair of dies in the vault, and strike a Proof or three.

superpsychmd

Like I said, no power after hurricane sandy, just able to use my bberry

RedneckHB

Whizzed?

superpsychmd

No way is it whizzed

stealer

<< <i>Not to comment on 1838 halves in general, or the referred to coin in particular, but I have authenticated early Proof coins with die cracks. Sometimes if they needed a Proof coin or two they might just polish up whatever pair of dies happened to be in use that day, or perhaps a used but servicable pair of dies in the vault, and strike a Proof or three. >>


I may be wrong but I believe that some proof dates in earlier series were struck mostly with cracked or imperfect dies.

coinlieutenant

I can think of at least one bonified expert on the series that will surely know, and about five others that are specialists that will chime in.

My two cents are this:

**Doesn't sound like a proof.
**I don't think a die crack would automatically disqualify it as a proof, but it would immediately put it in the "probably not" category.

crypto79

Early proofs are so eccentric that no one diagnostic is an absolute tell one way or another and the coin must be taken in its entirety. While having cracks does not preclude it from being a proof but having it randomly in your collection all but does.

Again it sounds like a well struck reeded half, nothing more. To be a proof you would need that and multiple other tells.

superpsychmd

What "tells" would I have to look for?

tradedollarnut

Do a little research. Here is a PR66 that sold - read up on the characteristics in the description. It also mentions a PR64 with die cracks. And there is another PR66 that sold years back that I used to own. And a raw one as well IIRC. They have a look to them - there is no question they are proofs

http://coins.ha.com/c/item.zx?saleNo=422&lotNo=979

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renomedphys

Lots of proofs have die cracks. My avatar coin has a die crack between NI in UNITED. I have an 1860 proof cent with a neat die crack off the tip of the headdress. The die crack has nothing to do with whether or not it's a proof. Proofiness is all that matters.