Diagnostics for proof 1876 II/II trade dollars

[shirohniichan]

As a general rule I don't collect proofs, so I don't know much about proof trade dollars.

 

Does anyone know what the diagnostics are for a proof 1876 with type II obverse and reverse?

 

I have one that has been polished and want to make sure it's a business strike and not the more common proof.

 

Help!

[crypto79-migration]

What is the detail grade level of the coin? strong AU? AU, EF?

 

In my opinion the business strike coins were made from one set of re-purposed proof dies which was very common for the Trade series and most dates are know with MS coin struck with proof dies and it is where a lot of the great Business strike rarities come from like the

1875p type 1/1

1876p type 1/2 4 finger

1876p type 2/2

 

Because they use the same dies you will have to resort to strike diagnostics such as the stars, headdress, eagles legs and rims ect. The first place I would look on an AU coin is the headdress and if you can count the beads it is a proof. also the rims and reeding should still be decent tells even on a polished coin. That said for you to get even impaired BS money the coin would have to be a slam dunk, I suspect the specialist world will consider it a Proof until proven other wise but in a strange twist the TPG's will probably call it a BS coin to avoid calling it a proof. The reason being that the groups will assume the less valuable of the two for their ruling. Because the TPG don't really play the hub type game and think that a proof 76 is a more valuable designation they often air on the side of caution. I see lots of impaired proofs labeled with BS cert numbers in GEN/detail holders.

 

I would love to see a picture of it.

[shirohniichan]

Thanks! I'll see if I can upload a photo or two.

 

The only II/II I saw good photos of at auction was prooflike, but it was offered as a business strike. I've yet to see a chopmarked II/II.

[shirohniichan]

 

[shirohniichan]

 

Please pardon the crappy photos.

[crypto79-migration]

That is IMO a proof by a factor of about 95% positive.

The relief, stars, head, eagle's legs, the liberty scroll, volume of the wheat, rim's and the letters all say impaired proof. Still a very cool coin worth many hundreds of dollars, north of 300-500$ in a NCS/anacs old/PCGS holder that says proof. What does the ANACS say?

 

[shirohniichan]

Crud.

 

It's in an ANACS holder as "AU Details, Plugged, Polished, Net VF-20." I was hoping it was a circulation strike as I don't collect proofs. I'd searched years before finding one purported to be a business strike that I wasn't outbid on.