FlyingAl

Fair enough.

Here's what I call a "maxed out" slab. There's not much room left for anything, at least keeping it to a size where it would be useful.

Sure, but what about a details slab? There's not room to say AU Details - Cleaned on obverse from Y in LIBERTY down to base of bust. I'd suggest keeping the labels as is and adding the info to the Cert lookup page. Much more room and it stays with the coin.

Where would the info be located?

David was a huge asset to the collecting community and he will be missed. Thankfully, his legacy lives on in his works and the collectors that he has so greatly impacted. May Dave Rest In Peace. Condolences to his friends and family.

Looks like acid damage.

Ha! Where’d you get the pic from, I don’t recognize the coin from the slabbed examples I saw.

You own a J-1950? Wow!

Other than posting it here and sharing on the PCGS forums, no. I wouldn't know where to start. If there's a major call for it (I don't think there will be) then I may reconsider.

Quick update - The nickels section is almost done, I'm hopeful I'll complete it tonight while waiting for midnight to hit. That section alone took about 30 hours. Yikes! I'm enjoying the work though. You guys will get to see it first! Edit: Nickels added!

I agree it's certainly an outlier - and seemingly the only one. All other dies have no more than 10-15 coins in CAM holders. I think it is quite likely that the dies were chromium plated. I own one of the coins and in hand I'd say the appearance is very similar to what I would expect from chromium flaking. I'll put two images of coins from the same die pair below and you can see how quickly the fields degraded (probably from the plating flaking). The top coin is an early die state and the bottom is later in the die life (and represents the majority appearance of CAM 1942 cents).

Go ahead! I will be putting up the cents, nickels, and dimes when they are completed. It's a pretty labor intensive process, so it may take a while. When it is complete I hope someone will find a use for it!

I did not notice any major changes of the die markers during later die states for the half dollars. The coins are large enough that the markers were generally prevalent enough and distinct enough to carry through the entire die life. However, when going through every date/denomination to get the full list of die numbers needed for the entire study (31 (possibly 30) dies in the series produced cameo coins), I noticed that for something like the 1940 proof cent the die markers for one die pair are difficult to distinguish from another non-cameo die pair. They also wear as the dies wear. That's the only die pair that I really was struggling determining markers so far, but I imagine there are more. On a side note, I did discover that it appears one 1942 cent cameo die pair accounts for almost 80% of the cameo coins. That's well over 100 coins. The die started producing DCAM coins for quite a bit (I estimate 10 such coins exist) and it appears it wore slowly enough to continue producing cameos for such a large amount. This is contradictory to the previously widespread speculation that a die would only produce 25-35 cameo coins (this die produced quadruple that).

This is a die study of the known cameo proof coins and their die pairs based on PCGS and NGC certification. This guide’s intention is to serve as a deterrent to counterfeiters who wish to deceive collectors. It can, however, serve as a guide for collectors who wish to search for a coin from dies that had the best details they had to offer. These dies are almost always the dies that produced cameo coins. By being able to match a coin to a die pair that produced cameo coins of a later die state, collectors can obtain a coin with much higher attractiveness than usual for a normal price. Only coins with verifiable cameo dies and cameo die pairs were included, which required high quality images. These are all known and discoverable cameo die pairs for the era. Multiple altered coins were discovered in this undertaking, which was a major reason for its production. Such coins can be altered by taking a normal non-cameo coin and adding a solvent to the devices that make them appear white or coppery. When well done, this alteration can be extremely difficult to spot, even for a professional. As such, several coins have made their way into TPGS holders as altered coins, yet they were not spotted as such. The TPGS have been fervently hunting such coins and to correct their errors. The best tool for a collector to avoid this is to use die matching, which can be achieved by use of this guide.. By analyzing the die pairs used in the production of these coins, it is likely that no other altered coin will ever be certified. The numbers used are Cameo Numbers, abbreviated CA-X. The X will be replaced by the number of the die in the order it appears in the sequence of denomination and year order, commonly referred to as “Redbook order”. All cents will come before nickels and so forth. For dies discovered or added after the original set of study is complete, their numbers will come after the highest currently known die number. For a coin to be considered, it must be graded as a cameo by PCGS, NGC, or CAC. ANACS and ICG coins will be considered, so long as the contrast can be verified. In addition, another coin from the same die pair must show a similar degree of contrast, though it may not be certified as a cameo. This is used as an anti-counterfeiting safeguard. High quality images are needed for die markers and verification. In the case a cameo coin has been certified but it high quality images are not available and no other cameo coins exist, the coin will be listed as “Unverified” for the sake of completion. Die markers chosen are those that are most visible on an image. More are present than stated, but two or three of the most obvious markers were chosen. Once markers can be used to distinguish one die pair from all other pairs, no more markers are needed. All information relating to die use dates is from Roger Burdette’s work on the subject, titled United States Proof Coins 1936-1942. Coins that state “possible use dates” were not able to be conclusively narrowed down to a single die pair. Coins that state “use date” were able to be conclusively narrowed down to a single die pair. Example CA-X (Cameo Number) Possible Use Dates: Dates that new die pairs were used or where the die use could be narrowed to a day or set of days. Die Markers: Markers of each die and images of those markers. Description and Coins Possible: Description of the coins and contrasted coins likely remaining. Estimates of surviving coins are those that would be designated cameo, or in the case that very few cameos would exist, those that are strongly contrasted on one side of the coin. Image: Image of a cameo proof or near cameo from the same die pair. (Usually a TrueView from CoinFacts) Note: During final completion, one extra die number had been added and all die numbers have been adjusted accordingly, bringing the total number of dies to 30. CENTS 1936 Proof Cent CA-1 Possible Use Dates: September 15th, unknown date (incomplete die records). Die Markers: Die gouge at eye. Die scratches extending from the right upright of the T in TRUST, impression midway up the N in CENT. Figure One: Die gouge at eye. Figure Two: Die scratch extending from the first T in TRUST. It is expected this wore away upon repolish. Figure Three: Impression midway up the N in CENT. This was likely caused by a foreign substance entering between the coin and planchet and remaining on the dies for a time. Every known cameo proof has this impression. Description and Coins Possible: There appears to only be one die pair capable of striking proof cameo 1936 cents, but since die records are missing for a large part of the year, one cannot be sure of this. The cent is the only currently known 1936 cameo proof, which makes it quite rare in the series and it commands a substantial premium. Less than twenty contrasted pieces are likely to exist today. Image: 1937 Proof Cent CA-2 Possible Use Dates: January 5th, March 18th, September 8th, October 4th. Die Markers: Striations off of the N in ONE and E in AMERICA. Circular die lines on the obverse portrait. Figure One: Circular die scratches. This was caused by a brief demurring in the die production process. Figure Two: Striations running through ONE CENT. These appear on all coins from this die pair. Description and Coins Possible: A deep cameo reverse is common.. It is likely that this die produced around forty to fifty cameo coins. Several Ultra Cameo coins were produced from this die pair, which would lead one to believe that this date and denomination is quite common when compared to other cameos. It appears that this die pair was repolished and produced a scant number of cameos after, perhaps three or four. Image: 1937 Proof Cent CA-2A (UNCONFIRMED) Possible Use Dates: February 23rd, March 19th, September 14th, October 20th. Die Markers: More examples are necessary to determine die markers. Description and Coins Possible: This die appears to be CA-2 after a repolish, and bears no major identifying features. Based on coins that the author has seen images off and in hand, this die pair shows some minor identifying features of CA-2, but without more examples it is impossible to tell for sure. As such, this pairing is unconfirmed. One coin has been designated as a cameo from it. Image: 1938 Proof Cent CA-4 Possible Use Dates: December 5th, December 14th, December 30th Die Markers: Recut coat, weak N in CENT. Weak TED of UNITED. Figure One: Recut coat. Note the extremely strong boundary between the edge of the coat and field.Ensure the recutting matches exactly to the pictured example. Figure Two: Weak bottom N in United. Note how the lower left serif appears to be misshapen which was caused by overpolishing of the die. Figure Three: Weak TED of UNITED. Note the weakness in definition caused by overpolishing. This is common among proof cents. Description and Coins Possible: This is the first die pair that produced cameo coins for 1938. This die had fairly strong contrast and was likely capable of producing up to 40 cameo proof coins, which is a testament to the quality and strength of the contrast when the die was first put into service. Contrast is usually weaker on the reverse, but still readily apparent. A large proportion of 1938 proof cents come from this die, which suggests it is not from the dies pairs on December 5th or 14th. However, due to incomplete die records this cannot be confirmed. Image: 1938 Proof Cent CA-5 Possible Use Dates: December 5th, December 27th, December 30th Die Markers: No recutting of coat, broken U in UNITED. Figure One: No recutting of the coat. Coins with contrast that show no recutting are likely from this die pair. Figure Two: Broken U in UNITED. This was caused by overpolishing of the dies. Note that die pair CA-4 sometimes has weakness in UNITED, so ensure to check for coat recutting and that the weakness is in U, not TED. Description and Coins Possible: This is the second die pair that produced cameo cents for 1938. Under twenty cameo coins are likely, possibly less. Contrast is weak when compared to other 1938 cents from CA-4, so buyers are warned to choose carefully if wanting to select a die from this die pair. Image: (A high resolution image showing contrast was unavailable) 1939 Proof Cent CA-6 Possible Use Dates: January 6th, March 31st, November 24th. Die Markers: Recut coat. Figure One: Recut coat. This full recutting of the coat line all the way up to the bow tie appears to be unique to this die pair. The reverse die shows no major identifying characteristics. As always, ensure the detail of recutting matches exactly and contrast is apparent. Photo courtesy Stacks Bowers. Description and Coins Possible: This is the only cameo proof die for 1939 cents. Contrast is not strong, but noticeable. Overall quality is high and buyers are encouraged to look for a near cameo example rather than paying for a full cameo designated coin, as the differences may be very minor to unnoticeable. Less than fifteen cameo coins are likely. November 24th is likely the use date, as only a few examples from this die were observed. Image: (Courtesy Stacks Bowers) 1940 Proof Cent CA-7 Possible Use Dates: January 26th, September 30th, December 16th, December 23rd. Die Markers: Broken U in UNITED, strong coat detail. Figure One: Weak U in UNITED. This can appear to be full based on photographs, so ensure weakness is present. Figure Two: General detail is high. Note how the circled are has barely any detail missing, a very rare occurrence for 1936-42 proof cents. Description and Coins Possible: This is the only die that produced 1940 proof cameo cents. Overall contrast is not extreme, but noticeable. Detail and quality are high. There are likely less than twenty cameo coins in existence, with less being in collectible condition. Buyers are encouraged to choose a coin with deep mirrors and obvious contrast. Image: 1942 Proof Cent CA-8 Possible Use Dates: January 15th, February 4th, March 18th. Die Markers: Obverse frost fade on bust, reverse O marks in ONE. Figure One: Frost breaks are seen on Lincoln’s shoulder. These are the most consistent identifying characteristics of this die. Based on how early the coin was struck, these could appear more or less obvious. Figure Two: Marks are sometimes seen on the O in ONE. This is not a unique and consistent die characteristic, but rather more of a checkpoint to ensure the dies are correct. Description and Coins Possible: This is the most common Lincoln cent die that produced cameo coins 1936-1942. The die appears to have been chromium plated, which extended its life drastically. Since a large number of coins were struck, the overall look of the die shifts drastically. The chrome plating would flake and leave marks in the die fields, which dulled the mirrors. Two images for this die pair are below, showing this difference. Over 150 cameo coins are likely. Several Ultra Cameo coins are known Image: 1942 Proof Cent CA-9 Possible Use Dates: January 15th, February 4th, March 18th. Die Markers: Fully frosted shoulder. (Image courtesy of Great Collections) Figure One: Note how Lincoln’s shoulder appears to be fully frosted, with some slight brilliance. Description and Coins Possible: This appears to be the second die pair that produced 1942 proof cents. As die quality went up by 1942, die markers began to get scarce. The goal of the mint was to produce consistent coins, so having consistent dies was a target to reach. It is possible this die is a die state of CA-9, but it seems unlikely. Up to 40 cameo coins are likely. Image: (Second courtesy of Great Collections) NICKELS 1937 Proof Nickel CA-10 Use Date: January 6th. Die Markers: Die polish in the Indian’s hair, die polish above LIBERTY. Striation above second A in AMERICA. Die polish through CENTS. Figure One: Die polish runs through the Indian’s hair. This was likely caused by a brief final deburring of all dies before use. Since proof dies were only different from circulation dies in their final polish, these lines can appear on circulation strike coinage as well. Figure Two: Die polish above LIBERTY. Figure Three: Striation above the last A in AMERICA on the reverse. This is, surprisingly, the most obvious marker at most angles. Figure Four: Die polish runs through CENTS. This is most obvious between the uprights of the N. Description and Coins Possible: No known contrasted coins from second new die pair. Less than forty truly contrasted cameo coins are likely still extant today. Overall contrast is even on the obverse and reverse, though not approaching deep contrast. This is the only option for a collector seeking a contrasted example of the Buffalo nickel, and as such these coins are highly prized. Near cameo examples bring substantial premiums, so the collector is cautioned to choose a strongly contrasted coin. Image: 1938 Proof Nickel CA-11 Possible Use Dates: October 20th, 27th. November 2nd, 16th, 18th, 22nd, 23rd. December 8th, 29th. Die Markers: FS-402 Recut Ribbon. Die polish on Jefferson’s cheek. Figure One: Recut ribbon (FS-402). The FS-402 and FS-403 varieties are best distinguished by the FS-402 lacking recutting of LIBERTY. Also note the light die polish running across Jefferson’s cheek. Description and Coins Possible: Only known die pair. All coins have a highly contrasted obverse approaching deep cameo with weaker contrasted reverse. A PCGS PR67CAM example is an altered coin. Less than ten likely exist today, and it is very likely that most die pairs were overpolished for the year, resulting in the single cameo worthy die pair. Several star coins are known, presumably from the same die pair (this could not be verified). Only four distinct examples could be traced, and only two of those are in CAM holders. Image: A near cameo example was chosen to represent the die pair in high resolution. 1939 Proof Nickel (REV 38) CA-12 Use Date: January 9th. Die Markers: Recut ribbon, minor frost break on cheek. Circular die scratches on bust. Figure One: Recut ribbon. Ensure that the recutting is an exact match. This feature generally remains unchanged for the entirety of the die’s life. Figure Two: Minor frost break on cheek. See full size image below for a better representation of the break. This appears to be an area where the acid dip of die cleanup did not reach during production. Figure Three: Circular die scratches are seen on the bust of Jefferson. This was likely caused by a brief final deburring of all dies before use. Since proof dies were only different from circulation dies in their final polish, these lines can appear on circulation strike coinage as well. Description and Coins Possible: This is the rarer of the two proof cameo variations of the 1939 nickel. This is somewhat ironic because it appears that the reverse of 1938 coinage represents about 93% of the surviving 1939 nickel population, but they account for nearly no cameos. Only one cameo has been certified for the reverse of 1938, and it is expected to have a very weakly frosted reverse. Less than ten contrasted coins are likely to currently exist. However, these coins show very strongly frosted obverses with full detail, and they are a good option for a contrasted 1939 nickel even if the reverse is lacking in contrast. This obverse die accounts for a large portion (seemingly around half) of Reverse of 1938 coinage, so it’s use date was likely January 9th (7,882 coins struck over die #36’s usage (63% of Reverse of 1938 coinage)) Image: A near cameo coin has been chosen to give a high resolution representation of the coin. 1939 Proof Nickel (REV 40) CA-13 Use Date: Unknown. Incomplete die data leaves no logical possible pairings. Die Markers: Reverse of 1940. Recut ribbon. Figure One: Reverse of 1940. Note the sharp end to the steps and strong clear steplines that are the key diagnostics. Figure Two: Recut ribbon. All 1939 Reverse of 1940 proof nickels have this same recutting. Description and Coins Possible: This is the more common 1939 cameo nickel, which is unexpected. Since the Reverse of 1940 proof nickels are quite scarce among the mintage, it would be unlikely that the one die pair used would produce cameos. Less than 15 contrasted coins likely still remain today. The coins appear to show a weakly contrasted obverse, and this obverse was also used on some Reverse of 1938 Proof coinage. As such, no logical die pairings can be used to match the date of use, as the die logs are incomplete. Image: 1940 Proof Nickel (REV 38) CA-14 Use Date: January 30th. Die Markers: Reverse of 1938. Obverse die polish along bust, recut ribbon. Figure One: Reverse of 1938. Note the wavy and indistinct steplines and the lack of a clear end to the steps. Figure Two: Die polish along the bust of Jefferson. These lines appear on all Reverse of 1938 coins. Figure Three: Recut ribbon. All 1940 Reverse of 1938 nickels share the same obverse die. Description and Coins Possible: Only 900 coins were struck with a leftover die from 1939, which is likely the source of Reverse of 1938 coins. Very few contrasted pieces were likely made, and even less currently exist. Five or so remaining seems to be a likely number. Contrast is limited, and cost is likely high if one is to come across a designated example. Buyers are encouraged to buy a non-designated example to provide a coin with contrast at a fraction of the cost. Image: A near cameo coin has been chosen to represent the die pair in high resolution. 1940 Proof Nickel (REV 40) CA-15 Use Date: September 11th. Die Markers: Recut and weak ribbon, heavy reverse die polish across Monticello. Figure One: Recut and weak ribbon. Note the recut top of Jefferson’s hair ribbon and the lack of detail for the rest of the ribbon. Figure Two: Heavy die polish across Monticello. Note how the die polish goes under the devices. This is usually obvious even on a dark photo. Description and Coins Possible: This die pair usually shows the best contrast of the three 1940 Reverse of 1940 dies. It has even matched contrast with deep mirrors, while the other die pair has less contrast and weaker mirrors. Both die pairs produced nice coins, but collectors are encouraged to choose this die pair for their collections. Less than fifteen contrasted pieces are likely still in existence. Image: 1940 Proof Nickel (REV 40) CA-16 Use Date: October 7th. Die Markers: Recut ribbon. Die chips on reverse windows. Figure One: Recut ribbon. Note the intricacy and detail of the recutting. Figure Two: Die chips on top of the windows. This detail can separate CA-16 and CA-16A. Description and Coins Possible: This appears to be the earlier die state of CA-16A. Contrast is limited, and this die pair can be easily visually separated from CA-15 by a quick glance because mirror depth is lacking. Buyers are encouraged to buy a coin from this die pair if and only if one can be acquired for little to no premium over a brilliant piece. Less than ten contrasted coins are likely. Image: 1940 Proof Nickel (REV 40) CA-16A Use Date: October 23rd. Die Markers: Detached recut ribbon, die polish on obverse bust. Figure One: Detached recut ribbon. Note how the upper portion of the ribbon has been recut but the base of the recutting never attaches back to the ribbon. Figure Two: Die polish on Jefferson’s bust. Description and Coins Possible: This appears to be a reuse of CA-16’s obverse after a polish, recutting of the ribbon, and a new reverse. The ribbons between the two die pairs change little, and it seems extremely unlikely that an engraver could match the detail to such a degree as to render it nearly unnoticeable by hand. As such, this die has been cataloged as a subset of CA-16. If new evidence suggests this is its own die, the listing will be changed. Contrast is extremely limited on the obverse, and again buyers are encouraged to buy a coin from this die pair if and only if a coin can be bought for little to no premium. Less than five contrasted coins are likely. Image: A non-contrasted representative coin has been chosen to represent the die pair in high resolution. 1942 Proof Nickel (TYPE ONE) CA-18 Possible Use Dates: January 19th, February 5th, March 16th, May 5th. Die Markers: Die polish through ribbon, reverse die polish through Monticello. Figure One: Die polish through Jefferson's ribbon. Figure Two: Die polish through Monticello. The lines go in a circular pattern suggesting a brief touch up with a lap before final polish. Description and Coins Possible: This appears to be the only 1942 Type One die pair capable of producing cameo coins. The obverse is heavily contrasted while the reverse shows light contrast. Collectors usually prefer matched obverses and reverses, but there is no other option here. Less than ten contrasted coins are probably still in collector hands. The obverse of this pairing is only rivaled by the best 1942-P nickels. Image: 1942-P Proof Nickel (TYPE TWO) CA-19 Possible Use Dates: October 29th, December 17th, December 23rd, December 28th. Die Markers: Obverse die polish, reverse striation under MONTICELLO. Figure One: Obverse die polish. More die polish is found along the base of the bust. Figure Two: Striation along MONTICELLO. Note the thin silver line running through the T, under ICE, and through the first L. Description and Coins Possible: This is the best die pair for 1942 contrasted nickels. A single deep cameo coin has been certified from this die pair, and the die pair shows strong contrast. Buyers are encouraged to pick this die for type purposes or for their collections. Under thirty contrasted coins are likely still extant. Image: 1942-P Proof Nickel (TYPE TWO) CA-20 Possible Use Dates: October 29th, December 17th, December 23rd, December 28th. Die Markers: Recut ribbon. Figure One: Recut ribbon. This is extremely obvious and the most noticeable of every recut ribbon. It is of high quality and good detail. Description and Coins Possible: This is the second die pair that produced cameo coins for the 1942-P nickel. Contrast is weak, and only one coin has been certified from it, possibly in error. Buyers are advised heavily to buy a coin from CA-20. Image: A representative coin from the die pair has been chosen to represent it in high resolution. DIMES 1937 Proof Dime (Unverified) CA-21 Possible Use Dates: January 1st, January 11th, May 13th. Die Markers: Unverified. Description and Coins Possible: This is what appears to be the only 1937 proof cameo dime, possibly certified in error. Several die pairs show what appears to be appreciable contrast, but not enough to be cameo. It is also possible that this coin is from a die pair that struck less than 100 coins, which would explain why it is the sole survivor. At this time, the images are not good enough to be certain. Image: Image: 1939 Proof Dime CA-22 Possible Use Dates: January 10th, March 21st, December 1st, December 13th. Die Markers: Obverse die scratches, strong reverse ribbon and E PLURIBUS UNUM. Figure One: Obverse die polish. Note the two indicated areas, as these are the most obvious markers of the obverse of this die pair. The second circled section of scratches frequently appears even on zoomed out images. Figure Two: Fully connected ribbon of the fasces. This is a good checkpoint to distinguish teh two cameo die pairs. Ensure that the ribbon is fully connected. Figure Three: Strong E PLURIBUS UNUM. Note the two circled area that are the major points of distinction from other die pairs. Description and Coins Possible: This is the best die pair for 1939 cameo proof dimes. SOme NGC star cameo coins have been authenticated, attesting to the strong contrast of early strikes from this die. In addition to the markers above, this die pair commonly has a slight clockwise rotation of the reverse die, which is common for coins of this era but may be useful in authentication. Buyers are encouraged to select a high quality example of a cameo from this die for their collections. Twenty to thirty cameo coins are likely, although this die appears with slightly less frequency than the other 1939 cameo dime die pair. Image: 1939 Proof Dime CA-23 Possible Use Dates: January 10th, March 21st, December 1st, December 13th. Die Markers: Weak connection of reverse ribbon, weak E PLURIBUS UNUM, major reverse striation. Figure One: Weak connection between the ribbon and fasces. Ensure that there is visible weakness in the connection. Figure Two: Weak E PLURIBUS UNUM. Note the weak S and M that are the key points of weakness. Figure Three: Major reverse striation spanning nearly the entire right field of the reverse. This can only be seen at certain angles and is not obvious in many images. Description and Coins Possible: This is the more weakly contrasted 1939 cameo proof die. However, contrast is strong and many dimes from this die pair reside in cameo holders. There are likely twenty to thirty contrasted pieces from this die pair in existence. Buyers are encouraged to seek out a near cameo piece from this die pair, as they seem to be slightly more prevalent than coins from CA-22. Image: 1940 Proof Dime (Unverified) CA-24 Possible Use Dates: January 31st, February 20th, April 16th, October 9th, December 12th. Die Markers: Slight reverse die rotation. See full image, note obverse is not centered in the holder. Description and Coins Possible: This appears to be one of the few 1940 proof dimes certified as cameo. Several other coins from this die pair have been noticed, but none are designated as cameo. Buyers are encouraged to look elsewhere for a nice cameo proof dime. If a 1940 is needed, choose an example that isn’t designated as a cameo. Image: 1941 Proof Dime (Unverified) CA-25 Possible Use Dates: January 23rd, February 3rd, March 11th. Die Markers: Unverified. Description and Coins Possible: This is what appears to be the only 1941 proof cameo dime, possibly certified in error. Contrast is likely to be limited, and finding a good example of a contrasted piece is likely to be a challenge. Image: 1942 Proof Dime CA-26 Possible Use Dates: January 20th, February 2nd, July 20th. Die Markers: Non-split bands. Figure One: Completed Bands. This is unusual for a proof, as the pressure that was used in the medal press is more than enough to complete the design and split them. As such, the cause was likely die damage or grease filling the die. As this is very obvious, no further markers are necessary. Description and Coins Possible: This is the first die that produced cameo coins for 1942. Both dies appear equal in contrast quality, so the choice of a die pair is not much of an issue. This die shows a very obvious reverse die rotation, which can be used to quickly identify it. About 15 or less cameo coins are likely. Contrast is strong and mirrors are deep. Image: 1942 Proof Dime CA-27 Possible Use Dates: January 20th, February 2nd, July 20th. Die Markers: Die line through eye. Figure One: A die chip and line appear near Liberty’s eye. This was likely damage to the working die during production. This is also fairly obvious, so no further markers are necessary. Description and Coins Possible: This is the second die pair that produced cameo coins for 1942. Contrast is strong and obvious, and this is a great choice for a type set or just a contrasted Mercury dime. Less than 15 contrasted coins are likely. Image: HALF DOLLARS 1938 Proof Half Dollar CA-28 Use Date: December 27th. Die Markers: Weak U in TRUST. Strong solar rays, very weak AW. Third from left solar ray has a “broken top” where the ray was partially polished away. Figure One: Weak AW. Note how barely any part of the monogram still exists. This is an important marker of this die, make sure that the monogram is barely visible. Figure Two: Weak U in TRUST. Figure Three: “Broken Top” of the third from left ray. Part of the ray remains visible for high quality coins, but fades as the die wore. Description and Coins Possible: This appears to be the only die that produced cameo coins for the denomination and year. 1938 is usually the second best option for cameo proof half dollars of this era. Less than ten contrasted coins are likely to exist in collectible condition today. Multiple collectors who have viewed one such cameo proof have stated that the coin is near deep cameo contrast. This could not be verified, but based on images and the number of near cameo examples it does seem likely. Image: 1939 Proof Half Dollar CA-29 Use Date: February 6th. Die Markers: Weak upright of D in GOD. Weak RU in TRUST. Fourth from left solar ray is polished short. Strong AW, full eagle wings. Die wear “starburst” is present in the obverse and reverse fields. Figure One: Weak fourth from left solar ray. This has been polished from the die, though it is interesting similar areas of relief seem unaffected. Figure Two: Weak D in GOD and U in TRUST Figure Three: Full eagle wings. Note how a section of the wing appears behind the eagle’s head, this is an extreme low point on the die and this die pair is the only proof die that ever left this part of the die visibly intact with detail. Figure Four: Full AW. The reverse die maintained an exceptionally high level of detail while still showing contrast. The AW was among the first parts of the die to be polished away, as it was raised on the die. Description and Coins Possible: This die pair shows particularly weak contrast. Buyers are encouraged from avoiding any designated cameo proof from it. Mirrors are likely to be weak, and the sun appears to have minor frost. Very few designated proofs will likely ever exist, but up to twenty contrasted coins from the die pair are expected to still be in collector hands. Coins from this die pair and state are a good option for the collector who wishes to own a high quality example of a proof Walking Liberty half dollar and is highly suggested for type collectors. Since many near cameo coins have no designation, the knowledgeable collector can buy one such proof for the same price as a coin with no contrast. Image: 1942 Proof Half Dollar CA-30 Use Date: February 11th. Die Markers: Exceptional detail, strong IN GOD WE TRUST and complete AW. Roger Burdette’s book states this as a doubled die obverse, this was unable to be verified. Figure One: Note the full AW monogram. This is an especially important diagnostic of this die pair, the AW must be complete and strong. Figure Two: Note strong detail of IN GOD WE TRUST, and the full solar rays. Description and Coins Possible: This die produced the best cameo proof Walking Liberty half dollars. Buyers are encouraged to select a coin from this die pair for their collection if they seek a designated cameo coin. The combination of high detail quality and exceptional contrast leave little to be desired. Less than 25 contrasted coins likely currently exist from this die pair. Image:

Of course. But many specialists prefer some originality over a dipped white coin.

Maybe, maybe not. I personally wouldn't see a difference in the OP coin and yours - except that yours might still turn due to the dip it received. I'm confident that the OP coin won't be turning. Specialists often prefer something original like this: If you want to call it crusty and hazy, go for it! I'll buy it for double a blast white coin in the same grade. Cameos are the exception, but they always are.

While the coin is attractive, specialists in this series actually prefer older holders. It shows the coin is stable. We also know that the coins are often under graded, and will pay a premium for the coins in the older holders to account for this. While this coin does appear to have some frost, it is not nearly enough to consider a crack out for. It is probably in the two 20% of 1942 halves for frost, but only the top 2-3% or so actually get a premium. Coins like this aren't common, but they aren't super hard to find. IMO, I think the best course of action would be polishing up the old holder and leaving it as it is, saving the fees for a different coin.

Merry Christmas!

It's nearly impossible to grade proofs from photos, and with a scratched slab it's even more of a guessing game. However, I saw this particular coin listed on Ebay a few days ago and I think it looks good for the grade from what I can see.

Merry Christmas all! I finally made a purchase today that completed a search that holds a special place in my heart - it was this search that brought me into classic US numismatics, and fueled my passion for hunting down coins that perhaps don't have much attention paid to them and researching those pieces. 1942-1936 proofs, particularly cameos, have held a special place in collecting for me. They’ve been my specialty for as long as I’ve been seriously collecting (about five years now), and I’ve rarely branched from them. When I do, it’s usually into the surrounding proofs realm where I still know what I’m doing. There’s so much to know about these coins and they finally seem to be getting a lot more attention recently. However, there’s a lot of exceptional proofs that go entirely unnoticed, and some truly rare proofs in this series go for an astonishingly low amount of money. The following coin is one such proof, and one that took me five years to hunt down. Here it is: A PR64 1942 quarter. Pretty boring, huh? Nope! (Ok maybe ) Some of you already know why just with a quick glance. My pictures simply don't do it enough justice, the obverse is nearly fully frosted and the viewer's left wing of the eagle has decent contrast. There's an image of another 1942 lower down in the thread where I mention that coin is very similar to this coin, so take both images, combine them, and you'd have an idea of the coin in hand. Cameo 1936-42 proofs are exceedingly scarce, with most current populations under 300 coins for any date/denomination combo. Most combos have under five known. Quite a few date/denomination pairs have no cameos known. Something sticks out quite quickly when looking at current populations of 1936-42 proofs in cameo - not a single Washington quarter has ever gained the designation. Not one. Zero. Zilch. Nada. Here’s the even bigger point - for those coins that don’t have any cameos known, you can usually find multiple near cameo examples that just missed the designation, and when standards change they probably will get the designation. Not for Washington quarters - except 1942. While there are really nice quarters out there with exceptional obverses or reverses only (1938), no other year shows contrast on both the obverse and reverse, at least from what I’ve seen. Here’s why - when producing the dies for these coins, the mint had some trouble with polishing. The dies for the 1909-16 redesigns had a basined field - that is the fields of the dies were curved. This is why the mint elected to do matte proofs for the cents and nickels of 09-16, and sandblast and satin proof gold for those years. They simply couldn’t polish the dies without ruining them. By the time 1936 rolled around and the mint decided to give proofs another shot, this was mostly fixed and the die curvature was minimal, or at least to the point where they could polish dies without ruining them. However, the dies were still curved enough that when they were polished, the low point satin frost and detail created by the die production process was almost certainly going to be abraded away. The fields were the high points on the die, and the areas that were most similar in relief to the field were those most impacted. For most coins, these areas were limited. Lincoln cents had the fewest low relief points, and therefore the most cameos 1936-42. Then came Jefferson nickels, Mercury dimes, and Walking Liberty halves. In last place is the Washington quarter. Almost half of the entire reverse is similar in relief to the field. The wings and tail feathers of the eagle were almost always abraded away on the initial polish, and upon repolish the situation only got worse. Simply finding a coin with full tail feathers on the reverse is really difficult. Finding one with any contrast at all on the reverse is a major accomplishment, especially on the wings. As I mentioned before, there are Washingtons with nice contrast on one side - but it’s usually only that one side. There’s an exceptional 1938 owned by @NorCalJack that has a monster obverse, but the reverse simply isn’t comparable in terms of contrast. And that’s one of the finest contrasted 36-42 quarters out there! When I say these things just don’t really pop up ever, I mean it. I’ve searched like a madman for a 1942 quarter with some contrast that can be called close to cameo. I’ve seen photos of exactly four, one being the present coin. Three come from the same die pair, the other from a different die pair. I had the opportunity to purchase two of these coins, one when I had just started specializing in these proofs five years ago. $100 was a lot to spend, and I passed. Luckily I saved the pictures of it. It was in a PCGS OGH 65 I think, it was a while ago this one came up for sale. . . . . This coin is one of the three from the same die pair, and I’d say that it is from the later end of that die pair’s ability to produce coins with contrast. The haze on the left wing aids the contrast, but if it was removed the effect would be much less on the reverse. The thing to notice is the black mirrors - one rarely EVER sees these on proof quarters, and almost never on both sides. When coupled with any contrast at all the coin is just simply rare. Black mirrors aren’t actually “black”, but rather just how deeply mirrored silver appears to the eye. A regular 36-42 Proof 25c would show light grey mirrors, like this coin. . . The other two contrasted coins I've seen are very similar, both showing decent obverse contrast and weak reverse contrast. Here they are: . . And this NGC PF67 example owned by @cameonut2011. This coin appears very similar to my example, down to very slight details. They are hard to photograph! This is the finest contrasted example that I'm aware of. . . Coin #3 (PCGS PR65 with the slab shot) is from a different die pair than the other three, and try as I might I can’t find another example. This one appears to be the best contrasted, but the images also appear to be accentuating the contrast. There are two instances in 1942 where proof die pairs struck only 8 and 30 coins (one surviving would make sense), but both of these instances wouldn’t likely produce a coin of that contrast caliber. In case you’re wondering how I’m telling die pairs apart - look at the eagle’s left (viewer’s right) wing. There are recut wing feathers, and the second recut wing feather is a different length between the dies. That’s all I found (I could have missed a few or not have good enough pictures to determine for sure if I would call a proof a near cameo, but I'm almost certain there are under ten known currently). Here’s the big kicker - for those that I saw with prices, they went for the same or less than a proof without contrast. I imagine the big reason why is because they are relatively unknown - very few people have ever mentioned seeing one such coin and very very few actually seek them out/look for them. If more people knew of the rarity of these coins I expect they’d be worth multiples of what they currently go for. They're not exceptional near cameos - they're actually easy to miss if you aren't looking for them. But if you try to find one you'll notice just how hard they are to find. Compared to every other cameo 1936-42 proof they'll be the least noticeable. Part of it is because they aren't really cameos, but the other part is they're just not as spectacular. But they are just as rare, if not more so. So I spent years looking for one - I got close two times, but not close enough. When this little near gem popped up - I knew. The journey was over. I’d found one. And I couldn't be more happy with the coin! Here’s my lesson from this to anyone who cares to hear it - no matter what plastic this coin was in, I was buying it. I didn’t care what the label said, what stickers were on it, or what on earth the TPG was because it wouldn't matter. Sometimes collecting is finding your path - and a lot of times you’ve got to make it yourself without any help. I got a R7-R7+ (from what I know) coin that many people wouldn’t pay a second thought to today, let alone know it’s an R7-R7+, and I got it for a very reasonable price. It’s all down to you sometimes to know what someone else doesn’t. That's what makes the hobby fun - there's something for everyone if we step back and look for it! Merry Christmas! I hope you enjoyed my ramble!

Awesome, thanks for the info! I've seen more than a few of these cloth threads on proofs, so I wanted to check since I saw no mention of it in your book. Probably way to minor to mention anyways - better suited for FMTM!

Just making sure @RWB sees this.

Here: The difference should be obvious.

Which are inherently inferior to those struck from frosted and new dies. They have weaker detail. The lack of contrast makes it harder to see the design in full. Regardless of what you argue, no one sided cameo will ever match up to a two sided one, no matter what the label says.

Very few collectors will choose a mirrored proof over an Ultra Cameo if they are offered at the same price. They are simply not as attractive, rare, detailed, desirable, or better.