Help with Franklin

[Dwaine]

I am following an auction of the following coin. The thing that I don't understand is why this is not in a cameo or ultra cameo holder.

 

[MunkyMan95]

The reverse has frost breaks on the top of the bell.

[James_OldeTowne]

I think the reverse is essentially non-cameo, but the image was juiced to make it appear somewhat so.

 

I have one coin in an NGC PF-68* holder. The obverse is a mind-blowing no-question UCAM, while the reverse is as lacking of a cameo as a coin can get. Talk about split personality one-sided UCAM! I suspect the coin in question is similar.

[Dwaine]

Wow, that is odd. Thanks for the info

[TomB]

I have to agree with the others and state the reverse certainly appears to lack cameo contrast. A coin such as this would likely get a * designation from NGC today.

[physics-fan3.14]

Yes, I agree. The reverse is essentially not cameoed. The obverse, however, displays a very nice repolished cameo. According to Rick Tomaska, the initial pickling of the dies produced the nicest cameos, but when that began to wear off, the mint would repolish the dies (often with a brush) to bring the cameo back out. You can tell this by the numerous parallel lines that show up on Franklin's head. Just something interesting.

[SkyMan]

One sided cameo contrast Franklins are by definition easier to find than 2 sided (well, this ain't necessarily so, but let's not confuse the arguement right now). Actually, if what you are putting together is a date set of Franklins with cameo contrast this sort of a strike is a very "wallet friendly" way to go about it. Finding 14 Frankies with nice obverse contrast and one with breathtaking reverse cameo is a whole lot cheaper than going the whole cameo/ultracameo route, and as long as you just look at one side of your holder it looks just as nice.

[James_OldeTowne]

One sided cameo contrast Franklins are by definition easier to find than 2 sided (well, this ain't necessarily so, but let's not confuse the arguement right now). Actually, if what you are putting together is a date set of Franklins with cameo contrast this sort of a strike is a very "wallet friendly" way to go about it. Finding 14 Frankies with nice obverse contrast and one with breathtaking reverse cameo is a whole lot cheaper than going the whole cameo/ultracameo route, and as long as you just look at one side of your holder it looks just as nice.

This is an exceptionally good point, and one I'm happy to quote. In fact, this is how I'm assembling my run of proof sets from 1936-1969. I'm buying one-sided Frankie CAMs, since they are really only trivially more expensive than non-cams.

 

On a separte, but somewhat related topic, I have thought for a long time that the grading services should include an "PCAM" designation - Partial CAMeo. It would pertain to coins like the one-sided cameos, as well as coins with significant contrast, but not enough to deserve a CAM (or higher) designation. I think they would sell for a small premium over brilliant proofs, but not for the big jumps for CAMs.

[Dwaine]

Well, now that the auction is over it was graded by NGC as PF67*. Won it for $60.00.

[robec1347]

Well, now that the auction is over it was graded by NGC as PF67*. Won it for $60.00.

 

That's a beauty Dwaine. Congrats.

[SkyMan]

Good going Dwaine, it looks real pretty!