RWB

Dies for matte proof nickels are not known to have ever been reused.

Please read the Guide Book for Peace Dollars or Renaissance of American Coinage 1916-1921. Your comment above is a little confused and misleading.

Messydesk is correct. The normal low relief dies used 1922-1928 have not only low relief, but a low camber angle - that is, the slope along the side of the letter from field to top surface of letter is excessively shallow. This makes the letters fade into the field and reduces visual contrast. This is independent of the technical relief of height of features above the field. The easiest way to see this difference is to compare the reverse lettering on a 1921 with a typical 1922 or 23. [Technical note - there were several hundred thousand 1922 trial pieces made from the initial hubs with a more acute camber angle.These are usually found paired with the reverse having a small separation between olive branch and eagle. This was replaced with a new pair of hubs in May 1922. The hubs were remade in 1934.] Not my comment. There were no 1917 proof nickel dies made, so none could have been reused.

I understand the comment and agree that the coin has almost no luster anywhere, which is not what we're accustomed to seeing on coins. But, compared to other coins known to have come from new dies the surfaces are consistent. (The final step after hardening/tempering was a dip in acid to remove any remaining scale. This gave new dies a light satin surface that quickly vanished on use.) The surface is similar to satin proofs because the dies were virtually new. (A satin proof is merely a new die struck with a medal press at high pressure.)

Maybe the next book should be written in emojis....?

Condition ("grade") and detail are separate for 1921s. Of course, it's nice to have both high grade and complete detail. The detail on this coin is very close to that of the original design cast - but not perfect. The coin has not been submitted to any grading company, and is "raw." As for condition, to me it's immaterial. I realize many will find that a ridiculous comment, but I don't collect little plastic cases and cute paper labels - it is the coin alone that matters.

"Grinding" maybe, but not "grading." What, if I might ask, makes the OP think of spending $30-$40 to have this common cent authenticated and graded?

Yes, I own the coin. Found it about 10+ years ago. I feel it is a circulation strike due to some visible reed marks among the eagle's feathers. Detail is actually better than some of the medal press proofs for 1921. The satin field is typical of very early strikes from a new die pair.... metal deformation (luster) has not had time to develop. As to "grade," I'll leave that to the viewer.

The earlier post with little blue and red arrows was an attempt to help members identify well-struck (detailed) examples when buying. However, a couple of folks have asked to see the coin with out distractions, so here it is. Also, a recent thread ATS features a nicely struck 1921, and members are encouraged to compare the two coins.

OK. Get out your graver and start scratchin'. That's you job for the next 7,000 years.

Cents and dimes are often used in cheap jewelry - plated and polished, etc to be shiny.

Boredom. Amusement.

Worn out and distorted --- not loose, however.

OK. Thanks for the clarification.

Go to www.vamworld.com and ask.

Clemens XIII had a schnoz you could hang the laundry on. Good thing most of those guys were not active procreators. Too bad the former owners will not cooperate. BTW - Your investigations should not be intimidated by religious sensibilities any more than those of some other entity. The facts and provenance of these medals will be lost. The Alexander VII medal by Gasparo Morone honors his interest in the city's architecture, but shouldn't the date be MDCLXVII or earlier? Ah well, That's up to the Heritage folks.

You can think of mechanical doubling as "Double Fudge" if you want.... A "doubled die coin" was struck from a die on which there is a doubled image. All coins from that die will be virtually identical. Die making basics: Until a couple of decades ago, it took several blows from the hub to transfer all detail to a working die. IF there was any mismatch between blows, parts of the design would be out of alignment and thus, doubled, or possibly tripled.

What are in the 52 circular holders?...Oh, I understand 1 each 1940 through 1958.including all mintmarks. Are these all uncirculated? As for the dates shown, a couple might be worth 25 or 50 cents as a hole filler; the rest possibly 5 or 10-cents each if you can find a buyer. Few collect from circulation any more, so there's limited market for the cents shown. But -- others are more attuned to this kind of thing than I. If you post some closer photos of the coins you call "shiny," members can help you decide if they are really uncirculated or just polished.

Good. Nice to direct members to an authoritative source.

Incredibly obvious counterfeit. The seller/offerer should be prosecuted.

That's too bad. In this kind of thing provenance is 50% or more of the "value" to buyers. Otherwise Papal (or Pay-Pal) medals are readily available.

The 1958-D photo has been so poorly enhanced that it is useless.

Let's not bring milk cows into this.....

With nothing more from the OP, one must presume he found a way to establish provenance without referring to any prior owners. That would be interesting to learn about....

Not worth the cost of authentication and independent grading. This is the kind of coin brought to the US by soldiers stationed in West Germany at the time. Really doubt you'd be offered more than a few cents for it.