is this coin a proof or business strike?????

[michael]

well do you think this coin is proof or biz strike

 

and most importantly

 

why???????????

[gmarguli]

I don't really know much about this series, but I'd say this is a business strike coin. I'm saying this because of what appears to be machine doubling which is more common on business strikes than proofs and also the bow on the reverse looks a little weak.

 

The coin looks prooflike, but given the really small mintage that is to be expected. It wouldn't surprise me if this was an MS coin struck with PF dies.

[truthteller]

Appears to be a proof. The denticles are clearly separated and square on the obverse. Not many proofs minted, under 100, however, the overall mintage is a tad under a 1000, making very high MS coins rare. I also believe this issue had quite a number of PL coins.

 

 

 

 

TRUTH

[James_OldeTowne]

Proof or business strike? It looks more like a hand-drawn picture to me! Is it just weird imaging or something?

 

James

[michael]

James_EarlyUS

Talkative?

 

 

Reged: Sep 12 2003

Posts: 864

Loc: St. Louis, MO Re: is this coin a proof or business strike?? [Re: michael]

#803379 - Tue May 03 2005 07:09 AM Edit Reply Quote Quick Reply

 

 

 

Proof or business strike? It looks more like a hand-drawn picture to me! Is it just weird imaging or something?

 

James

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

well for me

 

the coin is just so crisply struck and so deeply mirrored with little to no marks

and also the coin has this original orange gold coloration to it

 

 

but it is a real coin not a hand drawn picture

myself i think the image is not weird at all

 

or something......................

 

and i would ask you james, if you please

do not post to any more of my threads on the ngc boards

 

 

 

and actually looks much better in person and the coin in the photo in my opinion looks great to me

[michael]

truth and greg really great explainations

 

this coin is really deceptive and from the photo it is almost virtually impossible to tell business strike from proof but it is a mintstate business strike coin with ever so slight rub on the cheek an au-63!!

 

and even in person it is really deceptive

 

but if you happen to really specialize in three dollar gold and not many do

 

you can see from the top tips of the wreath the tips touch and this is an identifier for business strike coinage ONLY

 

whereas the proofs the top tips of the wreath do not touch AS there is a rather large gap between the wreath tips!!!!!

 

also if you look at the obverse of the coin and its die charactistics the obverse is a proof die was used to strike the 1881 proof three's and this obverse die then was saved and was used to strike 1883 business strike three's

 

and of course this being an early strike off of the dies it is a deceptively strongly heavy prooflike fully struck crisp business strike coin

 

and the obverse again was struck from a proof die!! and in person there is some slight frost on the obverse in the left field these coins most always have a weak bow knot as this is one of the highest points on the die but this weakness in the bow knot and hair curls/and top feathers on the bonnet on the obverse are due to the mint spacing the dies larger than normal and also with relapping of the dies many times more often than not only the bottom letters of the designers initals at the trunction of the neck where visible and the bow knot was weakened also due to this