A summary of my summer 2026 collecting efforts.

SanctionII · August 23, 2026 10:23PM

I have posted multiple threads on new acquisitions I have made this summer. In this thread I summarize same and as grade results and Trueview photos become available I will give updates.

Suffice it to say, my visits to local shows and a local shop have rewarded me with some very nice coins that will expand and improve my 1936-1942 proof Registry Set, and possibly improve my 1950-1964 proof Registry Set.

I have acquired raw proof sets for the years 1937, 1938, 1939, 1942, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1955, 1956, 1957 and 1962. All five coins in the 37, 38, 39, 42 and 51 sets are being graded. The halves in these sets have a Cameo appearance and some may even be so designated. The 37, 38 and 39 nickels are multicolored two sided toners, with the 38 being the FS-403 variety. The 37, 38 and 39 cents are fiery orange/red and have frosted devices. The 42 quarter has lightly frosted obverse devices and partially frosted reverse devices.

The 52 and 53 sets have halves with a Cameo appearance that IMO are lock Cameos. The 52 set has a multicolored dime that IMO Is a lock toned Cameo. The 53 cent is fiery orange/red and is the DDO FS-101 variety.

The 55 set and the 57 set have quarters that IMO are lock Cameos. The 56 set has a Type 1 half the is a possible Cameo. The 62 set has a nickel that IMO is a DCAM.

The coins mentioned above have been sent to our host in stages. I expect all coins to be graded and returned by the end of October or early November.

The 1942 half is back with me. It graded PF65, no CAM. The Trueview does not show the coin as it looks in hand.

Your thoughts.

As more coins are graded and returned I will update this thread.

Have fun with your coins!!!!!

ChrisH821 · August 24, 2026 7:01AM

Very nice purchases so far, and there's still four months left in the year!
You and I seem to collect and build registry sets the same way, with a preference to finding raw examples and having them graded. It's a very fun challenge.

Maywood · August 24, 2026 8:43AM

I believe my assessment was PR66 non-cameo. Can you offer some in-hand insight as to what held it back, maybe marks or strike??

SanctionII · August 24, 2026 9:40AM

Maywood.

Your PF66 non-cameo guess was very close. There are some hairlines in the obverse field above In God We Trust which probably caused the grader to opine a 65 grade. I would not disagree with a 66 grade however as I have seen many PF66 half dollars with similar hairlines.

As for a Cameo designation, I thought the coin had a chance at receiving same. The devices on both sides have heavy, even frost, including the sun, the sun's rays and the rocky crag on which the eagle sits. IMO what denied the designation is the fields. They are mirrored, but not of sufficient depth (i.e. like the fields on Skyman's 1938 PF66CAM). My cell phone photos of the coin (both in and out of the slab) do show the coin fairly well as it appears in hand. Depending on how the coin is tilted into the light and depending on what type of light is present the appearance of the fields shifts from deep mirrors to impaired.

Unfortunately this Trueview photo of the coin does not show the fields very well.

I am sitting at my desk, under fluorescent lighting looking at the coin in the slab as I type this reply. Under my office lighting the fields look much better than they do in the Trueview photo.

In any event, this proof half dollar is one of the best looking, Ricko Approved BW, 1942 half dollars I have ever seen (due to the heavy frost on all of the devices). When viewed under halogen lighting the coin really pops as the fields appear to be deeply mirrored and black,

P0CKETCHANGE · August 24, 2026 9:51AM

@SanctionII said:
What denied the designation is the fields. They are mirrored, but not of sufficient depth (i.e. like the fields on Skyman's 1938 PF66CAM).

Does the cameo designation require a specific reflectivity depth of the mirrored fields?

PCGS’ guide to the designation only mentions the level of frost on the devices:
https://www.pcgs.com/news/what-are-the-differences-between-designations

CACG’s standards also only mention device frost and say nothing regarding the fields.

SkyMan · August 24, 2026 10:57AM

I have seen in hand a variety of Sanction's pickups, and they are quite nice looking coins. Congratulations, K!!!

Maywood · August 24, 2026 11:48AM

Kevin, fluorescent light might be the worst source for assessing coins, and especially bad when it comes to hairline detection. A “harder” light source would be better. 😇

SanctionII · August 24, 2026 12:34PM

Maywood. Agreed. However my landlord and his property manager would deny a request to change the lights in my office.

SanctionII · August 25, 2026 8:16AM

Here are better photos of the 1942 half that show how it looks in hand under good lighting.

Maywood · August 25, 2026 1:11PM

Seems that the assigned grade is appropriate.

SanctionII · August 31, 2026 1:15PM

TTT.

The Proof coins I now have in at our host for grading are:

Received 7-17-2026

1942 1C

1942 5C

1942 10C

1942 25C

1952 10C

1952 25C - Superbird Variety

1955 25C

1951 50C

1956 50C - Type 1

1957 50C

Received 8-5-2026

1937 1C

1937 5C

1937 10C

1937 25C

1937 50C

Received 8-31-2026

1939 1C

1939 5C

1939 10C

1939 25C

1951 1C

1951 5C

1951 10C

1951 25C

1952 1C

1953 1C - DDO, FS-101

1957 25C

1962 5C

Received 8-31-2026

1938 5C - DDO, FS-403

1938 10C
I
1938 25C

1938 50C

1939 50C

1951 50C

1952 50C

1953 50C

I will also be sending a 1938 Proof cent in for grading soon.

Results should post between early October and December.

Regardless of grades and designations that may or may not be received, these coins are a smorgasboard of really nice raw coins I have found at local shows and a local shop since early June.

The coins include four varieties (53 cent, 38 nickel, 52 quarter and 56 half); rainbow toners (the 37, 38 and 39 nickel); blazing red/orange coins (37, 38, 39, 42, 51, 52 and 53 cents) and silver coins that are a frosty black and white (37, 38, 39, 51, 52, 53 and 57 halves); a frosted 56 Type 1 half; 55 and 57 quarters; a unicorn (a 42 quarter with lightly frosted obverse devices and moderately frosted reverse devices); and a possible DCAM 1962 nickel.

Looking forward to receiving the grade results.

SanctionII · September 8, 2026 5:03PM

TTT.

One coin that I did not mention above is a 1952 PF68CAM Roosevelt Dime that I submitted to our host in July for Restoration.

The prior TrueView photo of that coin is this one:

As you can see the coin exhibits a spot on it above FDR's head (the story about this spot is a long one).

Today I was notified that the coin is finished with the restoration process and will be heading back to me. A new TrueView photo of the coin showed up today. It is this one:

Hopefully Restoration will have has resulted in the spot being at least minimized. Looking forward to having this coin back in my possession.

cameonut2011 · September 9, 2026 7:00PM

I look forward to seeing your results.

SanctionII · September 16, 2026 11:09AM

The five 1937 Proof Set coins received by our host on 8-5-2026 have finally moved from Order Entry into Grading as of today.

SanctionII · September 21, 2026 2:29PM

The five 1937 Proof Set coins have moved from Grading to Encapsulation as of today.

cameonut2011 · September 23, 2026 5:03PM

@P0CKETCHANGE said:
Does the cameo designation require a specific reflectivity depth of the mirrored fields?

PCGS’ guide to the designation only mentions the level of frost on the devices:
https://www.pcgs.com/news/what-are-the-differences-between-designations

CACG’s standards also only mention device frost and say nothing regarding the fields.

There are no requirements for the depth of the mirrors, but there must be significant/sufficient field to device contrast. It is incredibly subjective. A light frost is usually not sufficient although there are outliers just as there is variation with other designations and grading, etc.

A summary of my summer 2026 collecting efforts.

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