One of these does not look like the other...

Stork

I took my photos to Todd of BlueCC fame and he is working on them (thanks Todd if you are reading this). He posted some preliminary photos and with permission here is a screen shot.



My point of this is that I recently purchased a 1931 1/2 lek that was described as prooflike...and is so prooflike I dropped back at the ATS folks for a re-look (also after showing it to a few people who didn't think I was nuts--at least they didn't say so to my face).



Sooooo....in looking at this index shot, all I can say is I still think there is something proofy going on for the 1931 1/2 lek, especially when laid out next to the others, and as far as I know this is not a series known for having proof-like coins in the circulation strikes. There are circulation strikes, there are proofs (few and far between) and provas, and the provas I've seen don't look like this either (and helpfully add the word 'prova'). I would also say that in hand it is far away different than any other circulation strike one I have ever seen.







and here is a 1 Lek that is in the Heritage auction this week...a 1931 proof.

Linkage



So, what do you think?

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edited to add (and to remove poll...)



The coin did come back as proof. I hadn't planned on going after the proof coins initially, but once this one fell on my lap I had to look. None graded here (AFIK) and ATS there are now two. This one and a 66. In the 1 Lek there are a 65 and a 66. I found an Australian website that had listed the 66 pair together. I don't know the date sold or the final price, but they did change hands. Who knows what lurks in the European collections of course.

Zohar

I am not sure which image to follow. There are three at the bottom. Are these the same coin? Regardless, very cool collage!

Stork

This is just a preview and a screenshot of the index page-- the photos are still being finalized. The three at the bottom are different years of the 1 Lek.



The one that I'm thinking about is the middle right (Jan Brady) position. It's the only 1931 in MS I'd ever seen, and once it was in hand the seller just wasn't kidding about being prooflike (his photos were not totally clear about that). It has the cameo look and it may be just wishful thinking that had me thinking that in the photos. Hence the poll . Plus, the proof at the Heritage auction either didn't have super photos are wasn't super duper cameo either, which made me think this one was more likely yes than no. The strike looks sharper in hand vs. the more common year and the fields are much more 'liquid' for lack of a better word.



The three in the bottom row are 1926, 1927 and 1930, and have similar looks. The 1926 (Peter Brady/left middle) vs. the 1931 are just much more distinctively different.



Oh well, perhaps I'm dreaming. It's not THAT much of a value difference, but it is appealing to have a rarity, though I don't even know how rare. The proof mintage isn't listed so I have no idea how many more might ever come out of the woodwork. I'm sure there are many in European collections, just not here.

Zohar

I see what you are saying. The middle right surely "POPS" when compared to the others next to him and is very similar in look to the HA specimen. Please do share when images are finalized. Cool stuff you have there!

SYRACUSIAN

I had seen these Heritage lots and somehow, none was in your want list. I also found the estimates too high and now that I see the realized prices they are 50% higher. I dread to ask, too lazy to look them up, but the color doesn't look very silverish.. Are they copper nickel?



Congrats on the grading of the proof. It's one thing buying it already stabbed and another seeing it in an MS 64 slab, asking at least for a P-L designation and getting it back as PF66.



I also like lot 31425 a lot. A gold one year type 10 Franca 1927-R with 6000 mintage in 64? I really wish you'd bid and win this, these small ones are the ones everyone will be looking for in a while. It looks too cheap, to the extent it's now tempting me, after my colossal underestimation of an Egyptian gold coin that realized over twice my max bid that was never placed anyway.



Finally, after seeing what Todd did to Zohar's coins, I can't wait for the final result and the resurrection of this thread.



410 more lots to reach the gold 10 Franca as of this typing....

SYRACUSIAN

Stabbed instead of slabbed. Thanks Apple for your great autocorrection.

Stork

Autocorrect is awesome isn't it?!



The 10 Fr is a nice coin, and someone got a decent price on it. That one would have been an upgrade for me, and right now I'm eyeing one of the Japanese yen for my upgrade attempt.



Once I actually pay for Todd's awesome photos, I'll post a few. That photo up there was a screenshot of some of the nickel ones. He was nice enough to give permission post that. The whole set of coins so far are 62-67 and are not pristine, but in the ~10 years of intermittently searching, this is what I've found.



Confession time, I reallocated some money I planned wage war with on a Stacks auction (and still would have lost out on it turns out) and did drop a big bid on the 65 proof 1Lek. I had a feeling the regrade would go my way and given the choice of trying for the 1 Lek proof or selling my now proof 1/2 Lek, well, of course I went with spending more money to have both.



The price was a shot in the dark and maybe it would have been more logical to go for a known quantity, or a precious metal, or even a less marred proof coin somewhere, but oh well. The allure of having something unusual was too much for me.



Photos soon!