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GTG: Proof WLH -PR68

ChrisH821ChrisH821 Posts: 7,095 ✭✭✭✭✭
edited August 28, 2025 2:27PM in U.S. Coin Forum

This die was probably on its last re-polish, lots of detail has been obliterated or re-engraved. Whoever did the re-engraving left a little squiggle mark on her dress, if you look in Coinfacts you'll see others with this mark.


If you know, don't cheat ;)

Collector, occasional seller

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    ChrisH821ChrisH821 Posts: 7,095 ✭✭✭✭✭

    If you open the images in a new tab they are quite large.

    Collector, occasional seller

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    TomBTomB Posts: 22,964 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I'm not going to hazard a guess, since accurately grading proof coinage from images is essentially impossible, but will state that I'd imagine it is very high grade given what appears to be undisturbed skin.

    Thomas Bush Numismatics & Numismatic Photography

    In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson

    image
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    dcarrdcarr Posts: 10,047 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited August 27, 2025 4:56PM

    PR66+

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    relicsncoinsrelicsncoins Posts: 8,279 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I'll wager 67.

    Need a Barber Half with ANACS photo certificate. If you have one for sale please PM me. Current Ebay auctions
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    FlyingAlFlyingAl Posts: 4,370 ✭✭✭✭✭

    That is either a 67+ or 68, depending on the graders.

    I think it's a 67+.

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    SanctionIISanctionII Posts: 12,972 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Where is the flag, the sun, the feathers and various other portions of the devices?????

    Notwithstanding the weak strike from worn out dies, that is an attractive coin.

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    MaywoodMaywood Posts: 4,085 ✭✭✭✭✭

    PR65.

    "Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety," --- Benjamin Franklin

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    U1chicagoU1chicago Posts: 6,891 ✭✭✭✭✭

    random guess of PR 65 since that is what came to mind first
    ...might be as high as PR 68

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    World67World67 Posts: 13,088 ✭✭✭✭✭

    66

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    johnny9434johnny9434 Posts: 32,291 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Ms 67

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    JBNJBN Posts: 1,976 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Floating fingers. No designer initials.
    PF65

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    CommemDudeCommemDude Posts: 2,433 ✭✭✭✭✭

    66+. I have some similar proof Walkers with that cellophane toning and the graders were a bit conservative when they graded them

    Dr Mikey
    Commems and Early Type
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    WaterSportWaterSport Posts: 7,035 ✭✭✭✭✭

    PF 64 - I don't like all the hits on the hand and hip.

    WS

    Proud recipient of the coveted PCGS Forum "You Suck" Award Thursday July 19, 2007 11:33 PM and December 30th, 2011 at 8:50 PM.
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    MeltdownMeltdown Posts: 9,246 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Looks 65 to me...

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    hummingbird_coinshummingbird_coins Posts: 1,613 ✭✭✭✭✭

    67+

    Young Numismatist • My Toned Coins
    Life is roadblocks. Don't let nothing stop you, 'cause we ain't stopping. - DJ Khaled

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    jesbrokenjesbroken Posts: 11,206 ✭✭✭✭✭

    67


    When a man who is honestly mistaken hears the truth, he will either quit being mistaken or cease to be honest....Abraham Lincoln

    Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.....Mark Twain
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    marcmoishmarcmoish Posts: 6,905 ✭✭✭✭✭

    PF65

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    pcgsregistrycollectorpcgsregistrycollector Posts: 2,304 ✭✭✭✭✭

    67+

    Proud follower of Christ! I love the USA! Land of the Bright and Beautiful! 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

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    jfriedm56jfriedm56 Posts: 2,989 ✭✭✭✭✭

    PR66 due to over polished dies and marks on hand

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    MFeldMFeld Posts: 16,605 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @U1chicago said:
    random guess of PR 65 since that is what came to mind first
    ...might be as high as PR 68

    I’m nearly in your camp. I think there’s a very good chance that the coin graded somewhere within the 64-68 range.😉

    Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.

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    Aspie_RoccoAspie_Rocco Posts: 3,872 ✭✭✭✭✭

    How could a proof coin grade higher than 65 with a weak strike/worn die (translated to incomplete strike) and light contact marks here and there?
    Letter and body parts are incomplete, some details are missing completely.
    I still like the coin, but cannot fathom anything higher than 64/65.

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    messydeskmessydesk Posts: 20,738 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited August 28, 2025 11:22AM

    @SanctionII said:
    Where is the flag, the sun, the feathers and various other portions of the devices?????

    Notwithstanding the weak strike from worn out dies, that is an attractive coin.

    It's not a weak strike. It's strong strike from weak dies. You wouldn't have sharp high-relief detail and rims otherwise. It's less desirable in my mind than one from better dies, but that's just me. Applying wet finger grading standards, I'll say 66, as it looks original and undisturbed. Not crazy about all the marks in the central obverse.

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    ChrisH821ChrisH821 Posts: 7,095 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I like the variety of responses. A little late but maybe the trueview will help.

    Collector, occasional seller

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    MFeldMFeld Posts: 16,605 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Aspie_Rocco said:
    How could a proof coin grade higher than 65 with a weak strike/worn die (translated to incomplete strike) and light contact marks here and there?
    Letter and body parts are incomplete, some details are missing completely.
    I still like the coin, but cannot fathom anything higher than 64/65.

    Because there’s not typically a grade deduction for missing details due to a worn die. And some of the “contact marks” might be as struck.

    Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.

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    Aspie_RoccoAspie_Rocco Posts: 3,872 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Thank you @MFeld
    I rewatched the PCGS proof grading video and saw no mention of strike quality. I misremembered strike quality impact regarding grades from business examples.
    The part that is odd to me is how good and crisp the left hand thumb looks compared to the incomplete right hand.
    How is there sharp central details and weak outer details?
    If the die is worn does it literally lose that much height/depth?
    I suppose with a lot of polishing the details near fields would become more shallow while also not effecting the deeper central details?

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    ChrisH821ChrisH821 Posts: 7,095 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Aspie_Rocco said:
    I suppose with a lot of polishing the details near fields would become more shallow while also not effecting the deeper central details?

    Exactly this.

    Collector, occasional seller

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    MaywoodMaywood Posts: 4,085 ✭✭✭✭✭

    If the die is worn does it literally lose that much height/depth?

    As a die wears it should technically get deeper. How can detail wear away and add material to the die to make it shallower?? What happens is that the fine detail is lost and the metal flow stops filling the die completely

    "Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety," --- Benjamin Franklin

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    ChrisH821ChrisH821 Posts: 7,095 ✭✭✭✭✭

    The "Die wear" we are talking about here is material lost due to polishing the surface of the die.
    To maintain nice reflective surfaces of proof coins, the dies had to be periodically polished. In doing so material is removed from the highest surface of the die, the fields. Do this enough and next thing you know you are polishing the fields right into the lowest relief parts of the design, like the flag, palm of the outstretched hand, the sun...
    If you look closely you will notice that the outline of the flag by the "I" and the bottom of the right sandal are re-engraved, along with a few other details.

    Collector, occasional seller

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    FlyingAlFlyingAl Posts: 4,370 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @ChrisH821 said:
    The "Die wear" we are talking about here is material lost due to polishing the surface of the die.
    To maintain nice reflective surfaces of proof coins, the dies had to be periodically polished. In doing so material is removed from the highest surface of the die, the fields. Do this enough and next thing you know you are polishing the fields right into the lowest relief parts of the design, like the flag, palm of the outstretched hand, the sun...
    If you look closely you will notice that the outline of the flag by the "I" and the bottom of the right sandal are re-engraved, along with a few other details.

    This particular die pair is probably the worst of the era, and it's particularly late in the die state. A fascinating entry into the series, but generally when it gets this bad it hurts the value of the coin.

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    ChrisH821ChrisH821 Posts: 7,095 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Since guesses have slowed I'll go ahead and spill the beans.
    PCGS graded this coin PR68

    Would I have graded it that high? No. When I sent it in I expected a 67 or 67+ out of it. It does have very good eye appeal and originality.
    There was very good discussion and a wide range of guesses here.

    Collector, occasional seller

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    U1chicagoU1chicago Posts: 6,891 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @ChrisH821 said:
    Since guesses have slowed I'll go ahead and spill the beans.
    PCGS graded this coin PR68

    Would I have graded it that high? No. When I sent it in I expected a 67 or 67+ out of it. It does have very good eye appeal and originality.
    There was very good discussion and a wide range of guesses here.

    Congrats on the grade!

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    FlyingAlFlyingAl Posts: 4,370 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @ChrisH821 said:
    Since guesses have slowed I'll go ahead and spill the beans.
    PCGS graded this coin PR68

    Would I have graded it that high? No. When I sent it in I expected a 67 or 67+ out of it. It does have very good eye appeal and originality.
    There was very good discussion and a wide range of guesses here.

    It has the look. These swing a lot between 7+/8, especially ones with the yellow edges. Since it has more blues than yellows, it had a very good chance at going 68. The grade evidently reflects that.

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    privatecoinprivatecoin Posts: 3,787 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Still a pretty coin even with the lack of some details. Isn't that caused by polished dies, not a weak strike on a proof?

    Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value. Zero. Voltaire. Ebay coinbowlllc

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    messydeskmessydesk Posts: 20,738 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @privatecoin said:
    Still a pretty coin even with the lack of some details. Isn't that caused by polished dies, not a weak strike on a proof?

    Yes.

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