Trade Dollar.........Proof or Business Strike?
relicsncoins
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Does anyone know the die diagnostics for a proof 1876 Trade Dollar? I recently picked this up with an Anacs photo certificate from the 1980's. It's graded AU50/50. It has prooflike surfaces, squared rim and extremly well struck. Unfortunately someone dipped it white. So what say you, proof or business strike?
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Comments
<< <i>polished BS? >>
Deffinately dipped, but there are no hairlines to indicate polished. Because of the PL surfaces, the contact marks from circulation are deffinately pronounced.
<< <i>
<< <i>polished BS? >>
Deffinately dipped, but there are no hairlines to indicate polished. Because of the PL surfaces, the contact marks from circulation are deffinately pronounced. >>
I can see enough hairlines that in conjunction with what the coin looks like I can determine its polished BS.
I am guessing something more than a dipping - the surfaces look strange in a nutshell. That polished look from the pics anway. What is that with the horizontal portion of the "U"?
Best wishes,
Eric
I specialize in Errors, Minting, Counterfeit Detection & Grading.
Computer-aided grading, counterfeit detection, recognition and imaging.
You mentined you work with the ANA - would you know if on the very first gen slabs if there was just a PL designation for Prooflike Morgans or did they have PL and PL Mirror designations or some such? Thanks
Best,
Eric
I'll weigh in with the minority report and say it probably hasn't been aggressively polished. Trade dollars often had highly reflective surfaces, and plain old pocket friction will make them look like they've been cleaned when they haven't.
It would be an instructive experience for many to take a large, uncirculated silver coin -- an SAE works well for this, and I imagine a proof Ike would be great too -- and carry it around in the pocket with your change and keys for a few weeks or months. It will look "cleaned" even though it isn't.
I'm not fond of the white surfaces, but there is nonetheless a lot to like with that coin -- great strike and nice frosty surfaces. Worse has slabbed, and at higher grades than what ANACS gave this one.
- If the coin is a Type I/I, it's most likely a MS coin (PR's for this combo are really tough to find)
- If the coins is a Type II/II, it's most likely a PR coin (MS's for this combo are even harder to locate)
- If the coin is a Type I/II, it could be either a MS or PR......your coin is a type I/II
Okay, next step.....what I look at are the following:
- How sharp is the rim edge......your's looks a little soft/rounded....feels like a MS
- How strong are the stars in relief.....your's look pretty good but sort of looks like a MS by the picture (although, examining in person is worth so much more)
- How distinct are the folds in Miss Liberty's dress on the obverse and the detail in the eagles feathers?....still feels like an MS to me.
There are many MS coins that are PL (in fact I think that NGC has certified a few) so just seeing a PL surface means that it might have been cleaned or it is simply PL.
It has a MS look to my eyes.
Hope this helps. BTW, I've been fooled a few times on this date and I've seen misattributed coins by both major services on this date. It's tricky.
keoj
<< <i>This is a really good question.....of all the dates, distinguishing a PR versus MS coin for 76 is the hardest. This is my method....
- If the coin is a Type I/I, it's most likely a MS coin (PR's for this combo are really tough to find)
- If the coins is a Type II/II, it's most likely a PR coin (MS's for this combo are even harder to locate)
- If the coin is a Type I/II, it could be either a MS or PR......your coin is a type I/II
Okay, next step.....what I look at are the following:
- How sharp is the rim edge......your's looks a little soft/rounded....feels like a MS
- How strong are the stars in relief.....your's look pretty good but sort of looks like a MS by the picture (although, examining in person is worth so much more)
- How distinct are the folds in Miss Liberty's dress on the obverse and the detail in the eagles feathers?....still feels like an MS to me.
There are many MS coins that are PL (in fact I think that NGC has certified a few) so just seeing a PL surface means that it might have been cleaned or it is simply PL.
It has a MS look to my eyes.
Thank you very much, this is very good information.
BTW, for you that think polished, if you had the coin in hand you would most likely not say so. The Anacs photographs show the same PL surfaces, and I doubt they were so incompetent in the 1980's to slab a highly polished coin, possible yes, but highly unlikely.
Hope this helps. BTW, I've been fooled a few times on this date and I've seen misattributed coins by both major services on this date. It's tricky.
keoj >>