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I scored a 1954 silver proof "Cameo Trifecta"
SanctionII
Posts: 13,260 ✭✭✭✭✭
I stopped by a local B&M to snoop yesterday. I saw a 1954 proof set in a Capital holder. The clear outer layers of the holder are scuffed up, beat up, cloudy in appearance and the back side has tape residue on it. On top of that, the three silver coins have developed a white milky haze on both sides. All together these things made it very hard to get a good look at the coins in the holder.
However, drawing upon vast knowledge and experience gained after years in the trenches and muck looking for jewels amongst the dross, dreck and droppings of modern cr*p, I looked closely at the three silver coins, with a loupe, under the brightest overhead light I could find in the shop. Applying my genetically encoded "supervision" to the outerlayers of the holder and to the milky haze on the three coins, I determined that all three have:
1. significant frost on the devices on both sides of the coins;
2. possibly, just possibly, black watery mirrored fields.
In other words, I may have found a silver Cameo trifecta hiding in plain sight. Even better would be a trio of Cameo coins with minimal or no hairlines.
I had to leave the set at the shop overnight since I did not have enough cash to pay for the set.
I went back today and picked it up for bid.
I took the holder apart to look at the three silver coins.
Just as I suspected, all three have nice two sided frost on the devices and what appears to be nicely mirrored fields under haze. Rotating the coins reveals that the white haze also has a faint light blue tint to it. There is also some darker toning on portions of the coins (the kind of which will come off with a bath) underneath the haze. Even better the three coins do not appear to have any hairlines (at least none that appear through the haze as viewed with a 10x loupe).
All three silver coins have the same "original" look [white/light blue haze and some darker toning underneath the haze]. I looked at these three coins under a halogen light and they look pretty good, even with the haze. If the haze and/or darker toning underneath are removed, it is possible that very nice black and white cameos will emerge that have lots of contrast and eye appeal; and no hairlines or other detractions.
The question is whether I should remove the haze or not. Curiosity is nudging me to remove the haze to see what lies beneath. On the other hand, originality has a lot to be said for it.
So if you were me, would you leave the three coins as is or would you give them a bath?
BTW, the nickel and cent are run of the mill.
However, drawing upon vast knowledge and experience gained after years in the trenches and muck looking for jewels amongst the dross, dreck and droppings of modern cr*p, I looked closely at the three silver coins, with a loupe, under the brightest overhead light I could find in the shop. Applying my genetically encoded "supervision" to the outerlayers of the holder and to the milky haze on the three coins, I determined that all three have:
1. significant frost on the devices on both sides of the coins;
2. possibly, just possibly, black watery mirrored fields.
In other words, I may have found a silver Cameo trifecta hiding in plain sight. Even better would be a trio of Cameo coins with minimal or no hairlines.
I had to leave the set at the shop overnight since I did not have enough cash to pay for the set.
I went back today and picked it up for bid.
I took the holder apart to look at the three silver coins.
Just as I suspected, all three have nice two sided frost on the devices and what appears to be nicely mirrored fields under haze. Rotating the coins reveals that the white haze also has a faint light blue tint to it. There is also some darker toning on portions of the coins (the kind of which will come off with a bath) underneath the haze. Even better the three coins do not appear to have any hairlines (at least none that appear through the haze as viewed with a 10x loupe).
All three silver coins have the same "original" look [white/light blue haze and some darker toning underneath the haze]. I looked at these three coins under a halogen light and they look pretty good, even with the haze. If the haze and/or darker toning underneath are removed, it is possible that very nice black and white cameos will emerge that have lots of contrast and eye appeal; and no hairlines or other detractions.
The question is whether I should remove the haze or not. Curiosity is nudging me to remove the haze to see what lies beneath. On the other hand, originality has a lot to be said for it.
So if you were me, would you leave the three coins as is or would you give them a bath?
BTW, the nickel and cent are run of the mill.
0
Comments
There is a very conservative approach to this:
1) rinse in acetone - this can do no harm and it might help.
2)send in as is for grading.
3) If unhappy with the results, crack out the least valuable coin and go to the stronger stuff - dip I assume, or maybe MS70.
4)Resubmit the cheapest coin
5) Repeat as necessary. When you have determined the optimal treatment, crack and perform on the more expensive coins.
Or you could send to NCS right off the bat,...
or you could just leave them alone!
i see a lot of forum members talk about dipping possible cam/dcam coins
doesn't this remove a slight bit of the "frost" on the devices to the point of downgrading the coin by leaving less frost than what was on the coin previously?
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“In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock." - Thomas Jefferson
My digital cameo album 1950-64 Cameos - take a look!
Congrats on the score, a 3-fer is indeed a rare treat to the cameo hunters.
<< <i>MS70 is not a dip and doesn't remove any metal. It has removed haze from proof coins for me very nicely (PVC too). YMMV. >>
yup then after MS-70 a good rinse in distilled water and then acetone
<< <i>doesn't this remove a slight bit of the "frost" on the devices to the point of downgrading the coin by leaving less frost than what was on the coin previously?
. >>
In theory you are probably correct, however the amount of any frost removed in a quick dip is so minute that it's probably not worth being concerned over. And I'll add that PCGS's grading of CAM/DCAM coins I've submitted without dipping has been so harsh (in terms of designations) that I am comfortable saying they prefer that they be dipped prior to submitting to remove any tarnish and bring out the contrast.