Anyone have Pics of California Proof Morgan
tyler267
Posts: 1,238 ✭✭✭✭
I've heard the term "California Proof" for years but have never seen one. Someone recently referenced the term on another thread. If you have a pic I would appreciate you posting it. thanks
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It was a PL circulation strike Philadelphia (1885 maybe ?) that had been enhanced with a metallic silver lacquer (scale model builder's paint) on all of the devices to create high contrast. It wasn't very deceptive, as the forger had done a sloppy job of letting the paint overlap in to the fields on both sides, and the coin didn't have the sharply squared edges or square edged legend lettering and date numerals. The paint had likely been applied with a graphic artist's air brush. I believe the moniker resulted from unofficial reports that these initially appeared in the Bay Area of San Francisco
Excerpt from the PCGS counterfeit detection guide
"Everything is on its way to somewhere. Everything." - George Malley, Phenomenon
http://www.americanlegacycoins.com
a meager search effort turned up nada.
will try again sometime.
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California proof-likes were somewhat prevalent in the early seventies. These were coins that had been altered by carefully polishing the fields to a gleaming mirror finish with a VERY fine abrasive and then either etching or "painting a frosting" onto all of the devices. The result is quite spectacular. I have one of these, an 1881-S with full blazing white cameo devices and mirror fields over twelve inches deep. I have seen one of these done with a Peace dollar, I think it was the most attractive Peace dollar I have ever seen. Unfortunately the dealer wouldn't sell it.
California proofs were originally a real high end grouping of mint marked morgans that some dealers bought as branch mint proofs only to find out they had been mechanically and chemically altered. Later they were marketed as DMPL coins to the unwary. The original person who made these was somewhere in California, They were a common thing to find up until the mid 80's, but when most high end coins were put in tpg holders they died out.
WEAAOSwciVXQM6h">This is what happens to a Morgan after they mess with it
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a meager search effort turned up nada.
will try again sometime.
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I tried searching also, could not find any pics.
Why do people want one of these? Just as an example for education or as a part of a collection of altered coins? I sure would not pay for one... Cheers, RickO
i consider it a personal tragedy i don't have at least one set of images. (even despite this forum discussing them a few times; even in just my tenure)
that is a tragedy that will be overcome.
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Why do people want one of these? Just as an example for education or as a part of a collection of altered coins? I sure would not pay for one... Cheers, RickO
i consider it a personal tragedy i don't have at least one set of images. (even despite this forum discussing them a few times; even in just my tenure)
that is a tragedy that will be overcome.
.
This is just a doctored juiced up image but not a California cameo.
TextIs this one a California Cameo or just a juiced up image?
Juiced. There are a few guys who all take the same bad images and then juice them. They make any semi PL coin look like the deepest DMPL out there. They have a few coins I looked at and then found on eBay shortly after, recognizable coins and I cant believe what they do to make them look so bad.
Why do people want one of these? Just as an example for education or as a part of a collection of altered coins? I sure would not pay for one... Cheers, RickO
i consider it a personal tragedy i don't have at least one set of images. (even despite this forum discussing them a few times; even in just my tenure)
that is a tragedy that will be overcome.
.
It may be worth reaching out to Conder101 ATS. Based on his post there, he may have a Morgan.
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