1968 S Washington 0

[pogohatesme]

Graded Proof 65 and slabbed by AGC. 

[JKK]

I can't even discern whether that is a proof, unfortunately. Doesn't look much like one, though I'm aware we are seeing it through badly scratched plastic.

Edit: I just remembered that the S probably does mean it is a proof; I think in those days they were only minting proofs at SF. Of course, PF-65 is a very rarefied grade. I'm guessing a reputable grading service would not confirm it.

Edited May 5, 2020 by JKK

[kbbpll]

1968-S has to be a proof (right?). Might be a coin you want to break out of the slab just to see what it really looks like...

[pogohatesme]

I decided to go ahead and crack the case. Here is a pic of the obverse. I don't really see anything with the naked eye, but with just the phone camera you can see those scratches. It appears to me as though it had been improperly cleaned previously. So the question now is in this shape, what would it do.to value?

[JKK]

That would drop the grade to PF-60, improperly cleaned. Not a circulated proof, probably, but with major field impairments. Unfortunate to see, even if a 68-S isn't a big ticket item. This looks like what we call whizzing, which is abrasive cleaning (sometimes lateral, sometimes circular).

At least cracking it out didn't do you any value damage.

[Just Bob]

Spend it. That will give someone else a chance to find it and post it on another coin chat board somewhere.