-1964D SMS Specimens- Are they a more than likely possible?

[ngcmember2018]

Well, it matches the reverse designer initials and the front die marker as far as diagnostics go for SP/SMS coin descriptions. And it looks much different than the business strike coins from the same unc roll.  The finish is smoother, and the strike has a different relief.  

[Alex in PA.]

Thanks for the very nice pictures.  I can't contribute much but I did send in a 1964 Proof Set I bought in the early days of Ebay.

Came back NGC PF 66 (.50)  PF 67 (.25)   PF 67 (.10)   PF 68 (.05)   PF 68 RD (.01) (NCS).

[Mohawk]

On 10/3/2018 at 6:21 PM, ngcmember2018 said:

Well, it matches the reverse designer initials and the front die marker as far as diagnostics go for SP/SMS coin descriptions. And it looks much different than the business strike coins from the same unc roll.  The finish is smoother, and the strike has a different relief.  

I cannot comment on the diagnostics as I do not have the coin in hand but there is actually very little discernible difference between most 1965 SMS coins and well made and well preserved business strikes of the same year.....and the 1964 SMS coins that have been attributed are similar in appearance to the 1965 SMS coins.  MS coins can have many different appearances based on the quality of the planchets, the quality of the dies and what stage the die is in its life.  I myself have seen some very nice 1964 and and 1965 coins that indeed look like they could be SMS coins which have all turned out the be business strikes upon closer inspection.  It's a hard call to make sometimes with 1965 coins.  It's possible that you do have a business strike made from the same dies as the 1964 SMS coins......it is known that Philadelphia did use proof dies which were no longer acceptable for proof coinage to strike business strikes, so I could see that being a possibility.  However, if the question here is whether or not your coin is a 1964 SMS, I would say it is not.

[ngcmember2018]

It may not be.  The lot of silver also consisted of 21 Roosevelt unc rolls 1959, and 1962.  Both plain. Plastic rolls with screw caps still had the scotch tape (which had turned brown) around the cap preventing opening..  They wanted $75 per roll.  They had never been opened. Thanks for your reply.  It’s good to be informed of such things.  I do wish you could hold the coin in hand, though.  Sigh.

[t-arc]

For now, so-called "1964 SMS" pieces, are more the product of a bologna factory than of truth.

RWB sure doth like his bologna, he uses this word frequently in posts.

But I agree with what he says here.