hi all, i've had this nickel (picture should be attached....) for 4 years now, picked it up on ebay for 25 bucks or something. the guy was selling it as a PR-63, and it was in some 3rd-rate grader slab like "Joe's coin grading service" (I forget the exact thing). But anyway, no one bid on it and I figured the coin was probably worth $20 even if it wasn't a proof. To be honest, I can't tell either way. Does anyone have any opinions on this matter? thanks! andy
It doesn't appear to have the strong strike or typical rim of a proof...but I'm not an expert with Liberty Head Nickels. My instincts tell me that it's a normal business strike though.
Looks polished to me with all the hairlines in the fields. Hard to tell with those fuzzy pics though.
yea, my picture taking capability sucks. What kind of equip do I need to take good pics? IF someone has a reference on that I'd appreciate a link to it..... I see some people take fantastic pics of their coins. I sense they must have a special device or something. andy
hi guys, thanks for your thoughts! What got me into thinking about this coin is that I have another coin (see pic 1 attached) and I don't see a huge difference between that and the coin in question (pic 2 here) except pic 1 appears to me (the novice) simply as being better struck. Which it should be because it was graded Proof 64 Cameo by a major grading firm. But is strike really the only diagnostic of a proof? as always, thanks. andy
I am sorry and I am not an expert, but from the two pictures I see a definite difference in the strikes. Just look at the star, hair and depth of the strike. Then look in the fields - in the top I see a cameo or cartwheel type luster and in the other dull hairlines. To me the dentils and rims look more sqaured off and nicer than the bottom picture. Please wait for an expert - the bottom coin could be an impaired proof, but from the strike and details I tend to agree with hobo.
In a sense it is. With proofs, because of how the die is prepared and the time and pressures in which the coin was struck...differences are seen. Most notibly, the rim tends to be much more squared off in a proof verses rounded in a business strike. Also, proofs are typically fully struck. I feel that the OP coin has a typical looking business strike to me (but the photo could be deceptive). Also, I see hairlines that indicate the coin was harshly cleaned at one time.
the 1883 business strike very typically has weak stars that may be mushy and lacking full star details, while still being MS. I'm sure this is that you have based on stars 6,7, and 8.
