possible rpm?

coop · Expert Member

Proof coin? Could just be doubling from the deeper second strike? Depending from the answer of the first question. Is the same marking under the date? If so it could be mechanical doubling. Need more imput...

ldarrellc · Senior Member

tell me how do you tell a business stike from a proof? there is no markings under the date. the coin is a 1970S quarter.............. Okay after looking at price list I see there is no business strike 1970S quarters so it would have to be a proof........wouldnt it?

Dick · Expert Member

Coop, are you looking at the same thing I am, the area just above the ""trumpet tail"?
Dick

ldarrellc · Senior Member

the pics dont do the cins justice I cant get the shine from the scan.

Dick · Expert Member

DArrell, rotate the coin 90 degrees. You can't adjust the angle of the light, but you can turn it down. THen give us a close up of the date, and MM.
Dick

garylcsr · Veteran Member

sad to see a $4.00 coin reduced to a quarter MHO

smed · Senior Member

ldarrellc · Senior Member

lets see if this suits your fancy best I could do.

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s221/ldarrellc69/1s.jpg
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s221/ldarrellc69/1970ss.jpg
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s221/ldarrellc69/1970s-1.jpg
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s221/ldarrellc69/1970.jpg

coop · Expert Member

Proof coins are made with special planchets, special dies and struck several times. Not all proofs have mintmarks on them. The proof cents from 1856-1964. The special mint sets from 1965-1967 aren't proof, but special strikes for collectors. 1968 started the proof Cents struck from San Francisco till the modern day. So all proof Cents from 1968 will have the S mintmark. But there are also business strike Cents with the S mintmark from 1908-1955 and starting again with 1968-1974. So all proof Sets have the S mintmark from 1968 forward. Before 1965 all proof coins were minted at the Philly mint. After 1968 all proof coins had the S mintmark except the coins that the mintmark was omitted. A few years were involved from 68-83 on Nickels and Dimes in proof sets. These are worth a premium, so watch for these.

Now a myth buster. IE:
I have a coin that is a BU business strike that is almost a Proof coin. What is wrong with that statement? Regardless of the condition a coin is in that is a business strike, it never reaches a proof status. Why? Proof coins are struck from special dies with special planchets. Some patterns on proof coins are different than some business strike coins on the reverses.
So if a coin is a proof and it is damaged, is it now a just a MS coin? No again. A proof coin that is circulated and scratched will remain a proof coin, just a lower grade. PR-58. Not a MS-58.

So how can you tell if a coin is a proof coin. The design can help. Knowing what difference there are on the reverses may help. But there are examples of miss-used hubs and other dies that were used to strike proof coins, that were later used to strike business strike coins. Also the Business strike design was used to strike proof coins. So know what year has which design can help determine if your coin is a proof coin. But the mirror finishes should help give it away and the frosting on the devices is another clue although the older proofs from Philly, only the first strike coins have the proof frosting on them called a cameo and they bring significant price increase for these. On the later current proofs, it would be harder to find one without the cameo. So knowing what to look for and the mirror finish should help you determine if a coin is aproof or not. But usually the proof coins have a stronger design on them with more detail than a business strike coin.
Hope this helps, but I bet there will be more questions as I didn't cover everything.

garylcsr · Veteran Member

Coop i may have misunderstood you and correct me if I'm wrong. but didn't the San Fran mint. mint S business strike coins until 1974 or 5?

Dick · Expert Member

1974, for sure, because I just got thru going thru a batch of "s" mint coins, and 1974 was the latest "S". I keep all "S" coins separate from the others, don't ask me why, I couldn't tell you.
Dick

ldarrellc · Senior Member

but what do i have a rpm or nothing lol

coop · Expert Member

Gary: Good catch. 1974 is the correct answer and I changed the message to show the correcion.

Dick: The mark in the Center you can see on most regular D mintmarks. I think it is a worn spot in the punch that forms this. If you would examine coins from that same era (all denominations) you will see the same marks on them, until they get a new punch. So I think that is what you are seeing.

Darrell: Your Quarter is a proof Quarter with what appears a dull finish. But I believe that is just glare from the scan. Try scranning you coin with a piece of darker colored construction paper over the coins opposite side. That will give you a darker backround and show the fields better. Black works best for copper, but quarters I don't know as I don't have a scanner to see which color works best. The paper can even be taped to the underside of the lid if you are using the scanner mainly for coins. that way you don't forget to use it.
But the coin looks like strike doubling (Proof coins are struck more than once). Do you see any evidence on the date on the under side of the numbers? That would also help you in future searches of coins.

ldarrellc · Senior Member

I do not see anything under the date that would suggest strike doubling or anywhere else on the coin.