Kennedy half face not frosted

[BronerskyFamilyTrust]

Hello everyone,

 

My uncle just passed recently. We are in the process of researching and selling off his massive coin collection.  We came across this set of Kennedy half dollars.  My question is, why is the 1968 Kennedy face not frosted like the rest of the coins in this collection? If I understand correctly, most of these are Deep cameo, gem quality.. But if you look at the 1968 the face its different. Why? is this an error or what? Yes I am new to all this ;).  Thank you in advance for your help.

 

[casman]

Only the first so many coins struck off new dies will have a dcam or cam, frosted look.  After awhile, the remaining coins will have a brilliant finish.  

In later years, improved technology and minting procedures and they're all dcams.

[Just Bob]

First off, welcome to the forum, and please accept our condolences for the passing of your uncle.

A little info on your coins: most are proof coins, minted for collectors with a special process, using polished planchets (coin blanks) and specially prepared dies. The surface (fields) of the die are polished, while the features have the frosty appearance that you see in your coins. As casman has said, the pressure of striking quickly "smooths" the frosty surfaces, leaving later minted coins with more of a shiny finish. Consequently, the cameo appearance is more highly prized among collectors. As Casman also pointed out, modern proofs are almost all cameo or deep cameo, due to the current method of manufacture. So, as you can see, the 68 is actually less desirable to most collectors. (Still a really nice coin, though. )

The 65, 66, and 67 halves are not proof coins. The mint did not produce proofs those years, putting out Special Mint Sets instead. While not equal in quality to proofs, most were still distinctive in appearance. 65  and 66 cameos are not common, at least in the Roosevelt series that I collect, and 67 cameos are not all that easy to find, either. Your 67 is quite a nice coin.

Good luck with your research and sale, and feel free to ask for more assistance from the forum. There is also a marketplace forum here, should.you choose to sell on the boards. And be careful, the collecting bug can bite with very little warning.

[Conder101]

Before 1973 the mint did not go to any special length to make sure that the proof coins had a frosted cameo appearance. Consequently cameos before 1973 are unusual. Cameos in the 60s and earlier are very unusual. So your 1968 is normal, the 1969 next to it is not normal.

[BronerskyFamilyTrust]

Thank you all for your help. My next question is, We have over 10,000 coins that we need to research.. I don't know where to begin searching.  Bought the Mega red 3rd edition, only to find , not all coins are in there.  There is a coin show in Vegas this week, where I can get coins graded... I have no idea what coins to bring to grade.  There are Peace Dollars,(we noticed early on my uncle was removing proof and mint sets and putting them elsewhere! which even i know not to open mint sealed sets.. and there is a 1922 or 23 peace dollar that looks like it has a satin finish? many sets of uncirculated coins, 2 sets of roosevelt dimes, tons of quarters pennies, gold coins, 50 $ double eagles (that are dated 1984) a miniature gold coin, some with the roman numerals others with regular numeric dates.. presidential sets, US territory sets.. the list goes on and on.  So what would you recommend on where to start?

[Bobsr]

With over 10,000 coins to search, You are going to be at it for a good long while. I would recommend 2 approach's .

1. Contact a trusted local dealer and have him view everything. Realizing they have to make a profit on their sales and a reasonable return for you would be somewhere around half of retail. I realize this may be difficult as you don't have a personal relationship with anyone locally but your family member did. See if you can identify them.

2. There are several large auction houses that will handle everything for you. The most noteworthy is Stacks & Bowers. You will have to have an amount of trust for them as they are well known in the Industry and very respected. They charge a buyers premium on what they sell so you can expect to lose about 20% of  the realized sell but I would think that would be offset by the higher prices paid. If it were my family and my collection, I would suggest to them this approach.

Sorry for your loss of your loved one. I hope for the best for you. 

Bob Sr CEO Fieldtechs

[casman]

This is a serious undertaking requiring a tremendous amount of knowledge.  

I would first seperate everything.  Keep similiar coins / sets together.  Then once divided and inventoried provide more info on exactly what you have.  Tons of pennies and uncirc sets, territories, presidential etc type stuff depending is not in high demand and quite possibly may have little value.  The gold eagles are generally considered bullion items again depending on exactly what you have.  No way should you sell off those items for 50 percent.  There's really just not enough info.

[BronerskyFamilyTrust]

Thank you everyone.  Your input is invaluable.  I just told my Dad today that we need to separate the coins.  Inventory and then research.  Thanks casman we were thinking alike.   I was going to go to Vegas, to get some of these graded. But decided it probably best to get everything cataloged first.  What I am curious about, as I have a few books on coins and been researching a great deal on errors, varieties, thats about as far as i know what to look for.  

I am seeing that even though I have a couple of books, they do not include all coins, all mint errors.  Is there a website that someone can recommend that has lists of all the error/variety and not sure if there are other types coins, that I should be looking for?? I am finding websites but nothing all encompassing.

 

best regards, and thank you all again for your condolences and wealth of knowledge. 

 

Pauline