After 10+ years hunting I finally snagged a 1957 OGP proof set containing a CAM nickel.
SanctionII
Posts: 12,598 ✭✭✭✭✭
I found the set yesterday in a shop about 25 miles from my office. Stopped by the shop after a court hearing to say hi to the owner and to snoop. He had a supply of newly acquired flat pack proof sets that he let me look through. I found eight sets that I took the plunge on. Seven of the sets contain very Cameo half dollars (2 each for 1964, 1963 and 1962 and a single set for 1958 that has a knockout black and white two sided half dollar [though cracks in the mint cello have resulted in some spotting on the half which I think will come off]). The 1958 half will likely be an upgrade to my best 1958 CAM half dollar and improve the quality of my best 1958 proof set.
The eighth set just happened to be the very last set out of the entire group of sets I looked through. I saw it was a 1957 and thought that it would be another ho hum set.
Not so.
When I took the set out of the envelope the nickel immediately drew my eye. I saw the obverse first and to my surprise it has fully frosted devices. I took a breath and turned the set over. The reverse of the nickel also has fully frosted devices. The frost on both sides match. The mirrored fields look nice on both sides of the coin. However the mint cello packaging is a little hazy and it hides the true look of the nickel. The lighting in the shop is not that great and the so so lighting coupled with the cello prevents a clear look at the nickel. The nickel, in hand, may look much better or much worse that it looks in the OGP cello. However, even with less than ideal viewing conditions the CAM contrast on the nickel just jumps out at you.
I have been looking for a raw, two sided, evenly matched, 1957 CAM nickel for more than 10 years (the best I had found previously was a mismatched nickel containing moderate reverse frost and light obverse frost that would never be considered a CAM) and have long assumed that finding one was just not meant to be. Low and behold, the coin gods have seen fit to bestow good fortune on me. This new nickel will substantially upgrade the quality of my best 1957 proof set.
Raw 1956, 1957 , 1958 and even 1959 CAM nickels are almost impossible to find anymore (unless you are Modcrewman
). So yesterday was a good coin day.
The thrill of the hunt lives on
The eighth set just happened to be the very last set out of the entire group of sets I looked through. I saw it was a 1957 and thought that it would be another ho hum set.
Not so.
When I took the set out of the envelope the nickel immediately drew my eye. I saw the obverse first and to my surprise it has fully frosted devices. I took a breath and turned the set over. The reverse of the nickel also has fully frosted devices. The frost on both sides match. The mirrored fields look nice on both sides of the coin. However the mint cello packaging is a little hazy and it hides the true look of the nickel. The lighting in the shop is not that great and the so so lighting coupled with the cello prevents a clear look at the nickel. The nickel, in hand, may look much better or much worse that it looks in the OGP cello. However, even with less than ideal viewing conditions the CAM contrast on the nickel just jumps out at you.
I have been looking for a raw, two sided, evenly matched, 1957 CAM nickel for more than 10 years (the best I had found previously was a mismatched nickel containing moderate reverse frost and light obverse frost that would never be considered a CAM) and have long assumed that finding one was just not meant to be. Low and behold, the coin gods have seen fit to bestow good fortune on me. This new nickel will substantially upgrade the quality of my best 1957 proof set.
Raw 1956, 1957 , 1958 and even 1959 CAM nickels are almost impossible to find anymore (unless you are Modcrewman
). So yesterday was a good coin day.The thrill of the hunt lives on
0
Comments
I am still looking for one of those two sided 58 half dollars, maybe I will have to take your double off your hands? I have just had dumb luck with the Jefferson's making a 57 and 58 in 68 CAM after just a couple months of hunting .
The more qualities observed in a coin, the more desirable that coin becomes!
My Jefferson Nickel Collection
Given that I am slowly collecting proof nickels from 1950 to 1964, I wish you would spend more time searching proof sets and less time lawyering.
More seriously, of the proof sets you search, what fraction do you think have at least one cameo coin?
<< <i>Nice score. Congrats, and hope it dcams for ya.
Now get some pictures.
and it sets us apart from practitioners and consultants. Gregor
I just didn't want to offend anyone.
``https://ebay.us/m/KxolR5
Thanks for sharing
Steve
For the sets I looked at two days ago, I found 8 sets that had cameos (at least coins that I think would possibly warrant a CAM designation by a TPG). I looked through probably 80-100 sets the dealer had. So the percentage of sets with CAM coins was very high (10%-12.5%).
That experience was very unusual.
Most of the time when I snoop through pre 1971 proof sets (in OGP and in after market holders) it is very unusual to find any coins that have frost on the devices and deeply mirrored fields. Most of the proof sets I have looked through contain coins that brilliant only. The quality of these brilliant coins cover the spectrum from ugly dogs to pristine gem+++. When I do find coins that have a Cameo appearance, most of the time the coins have frost on one side, or have two sided frost that is mismatched with the level of frost being light to moderate, or have shallow or otherwise impaired fields, or have noticeable defects (i.e. hairlines, milk spots, ugly toning).
The instances of me finding proof sets containing GEM (65 or better) coins with two sided, evenly matched, heavy or better frost and deeply mirrored fields (in other words coins that would receive a CAM designation from a TPG) are becoming less and less frequent. I have not kept track of the numbers, but I would guess that recently it would take more than 100 proof sets to find one coin that would likely CAM at a TPG. Most of the coins I have seen in proof sets that would CAM are the usual suspects (mostly the more common dates in the 1960s, especially some of the minors). Finding raw proof coins from the 1950's that would CAM is even more difficult.
There are some dealers who have huge supplies of 1950-1970 proof sets and view all these sets as widgets. They either do not know or do not care about Cameo or DCAM examples of these coins. These dealers often set up at shows (one dealer is named De Rosa, or De La Rosa out of So. Cal.) and are willing to let collectors look through their entire inventory for Cameos. While looking through large inventories of proof sets at shows owned by these types of dealers, I have also experienced a very low rate of true CAM coins in these sets.
As I have looked for these coins over the years, my eye has gotten better. Some of the coins I picked up when I first started looking for raw 1936-1970 cameo proof and SMS coin would not be coins that I would acquire today as they do not measure up in quality to some of the better examples of the same date and denomination that exist.
Of course the reverse is also true, but to a smaller extent. There have been times when I have seen a coin in a proof set, have passed on it and have sorely regretted it. For example, a number of years ago I was at a Santa Clara show and saw a 1962 proof set in OGP that had what I believe would easily be a two sided DCAM half that would grade out at 67 or 68. I could have picked it up for bid. I passed on the set simply because it was a 1962 (and thus I irrationally thought it was TOO COMMON:smack
I run hot and cold on collecting these coins. Sometimes I look extensively and sometimes go months without looking. The bug bit me when I took up the hobby as an adult. I like these coins since my father and I collected some proof sets in the 1960s. Cameo examples of these coins are much more attractive than their brilliant counterparts. Buying them raw for modest money gives one a chance to break even or maybe even profit when it comes time to sell. Collecting in this area also gives you the thrill of the hunt. You look and look and look, knowing that most of the time you will not find anything worthwhile. However if you look long enough you will be rewarded and will pick up a very nice CAM coin for modest money. It is similar to golf. You play a full round of golf and are just horrible. You get frustrated and consider giving up golf for good. Then from out of the blue you hit a winner (long straight drive of 250+ yards down the fairway; tee shot on a short par 3 that lands 1 foot from the cup; chip shot onto the green and in the cup; or a 40 foot put into the cup). You love the way it feels and decide to keep playing because you know that you will get better and have even more success in the future [even if you don't].
TwoSides2aCoin: Thanks for the blessing. I can always use one (but what did I do to warrant one?).
<< <i>
<< <i>Nice score. Congrats, and hope it dcams for ya.
Now get some pictures.
Not including pics is a violation of rule 3.647....
What a great story. Your Lawyer skills are evident in the the presentation!
On a side note, does it really take a blessing from God to find one of these? Wow, tough date!!
allow me to alter the thread title to something that would really be impressive-----After 10+ years collecting I finally snagged a decent camera to take pictures of the coins I find.
an aside to Mark...............do a search for info on coins with cameo/deep cameo in sets, there have been a few. while I can't comment on the sets that Kevin searched, it is well known that it is rather common to find them in groups; that is to say that well struck coins and varieties are often found together if the sets come from an original bulk shipment from the Mint. though I haven't been a "searcher" in a few years my experiences are similar to what Kevin describes, finding nice coins in groups while also searching for months at a time with nothing special showing up.
``https://ebay.us/m/KxolR5
<< <i>
<< <i>Nice score. Congrats, and hope it dcams for ya.
Now get some pictures.
+1
Congratulations Kevin!
U.S. Type Set
I picked up the sets today. The 1957 nickel is gorgeous. Upon taking it out of the cello I looked at it in hand under good lighting. It has matching two sided frost that contrasts nicely with deep, flawless, mirrored fields. It would likely grade 67 Cam. It upgrades the quality oft best 1957 proof set.
The 1958 half is also very nice, with two sided matching frost contrasted against deep, mirrored fields. Need to remove some spotting that resulted from years in the cello. It may be an upgrade coin.
Still amazed that I finally snagged the 1957 Cam nickel.
https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/gold/liberty-head-2-1-gold-major-sets/liberty-head-2-1-gold-basic-set-circulation-strikes-1840-1907-cac/alltimeset/268163