I have not received my coins back yet from being graded but I checked the website and boy what a disappointment!

I thought I had figured out a secret to looking at proof sets still in the mint plastic and depending on the way they were toning I was sure to get a cameo or two. I bought four different early 60s proof sets and a 1955 proof set using my theory on four different occasions from four different dealers and found that I was getting cameos every time they were toned in this way. Mainly the 50c & 25c pieces were the coins that stood out as phenomenal cameos. I sent one complete 1962 set in with some other coins to be graded. I thought I had at least two maybe three cameos in that set. The half definitely, the dime and the quarter almost certainly. None came back cameo.

I guess I don't know what a cameo is suppose to look like. I thought I did, since I have been collecting coins for almost fifty years. I am now second guessing my ability to judge and grade coins. Or could it be that I was seeing things that I wanted to see that were not really there? Or could it be that I sent the coins in at the Economy Tier and that was to low to get a cameo designation even though non of them would have topped $300.

I am not sure. I would like to get some other opinions on this topic. Think I'll go to the BB's and see if I am alone on this subject or if others have had this experience also.

When I do get the first batch back I think I will try my hand at a little coin photography, see if I can get some decent pictures and post them for others to judge and comment on good or bad.

I sent several coins from the other sets I bought using my theory the beginning of this week. Hope I did not waste my money again.

One of those, a 1955 proof quarter, that I thought was an absolutely stunning example of a 67 Cameo and I was leaning more toward a 67 Ultra Cameo.... we will see what happens in a week or two.

signing off for now,

KD

To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.