Proof coins found metal detecting??

would be very hard to tell unless a recent drop.
 

Hidden caches do have have either proof or at least the best condition coins that they could get hold of. Natural thing for the miser mentality to keep the best and spend the worn.
 

I never have, but I woulkd suspect the same as when finding multiple Mercs or Buffs in a coin drawer: someone robbed a coin collector or otherwise received a bunch of coins not knowing or caring their above-face value.

Show-and-tell items lost in schoolyards are occasionally real surprises. Old pocket watches, military medals, etc. And that's where you might find a lost proof coin.

My brother and I used to get mint sets in our stockings from Santa. ;)
 

Proof coins and proof sets from the mint come in a holder. It is hard for me to imagine someone taking a proof coin out of the holder to do something with it - like put it in their pocket??? They are in the holder to keep them in proof condition.

There are probably a few out there somewhere just because it's not impossible but they are hard to lose when they are in a holder of some sort. I would say your chances of winning the lottery are much, much better than finding a proof coin in the ground.

Daryl
 

The old mint-issued proofs from the first part of this century, as well as the presentation pieces/proof strikes from the 19th century were not issued in any sort of mint holder. I highly doubt that one would end up underground (unless it was in a cache, as mentioned above), and I especially doubt that someone who recovered such a coin would spare it the "spit-cleaning" or other destructive action to which MDists on this site frequently subject their silver coin finds.

Buckleboy
 

Thanks BuckleBoy for reminding me they made proof coins before my time. I would expect that quite a few of those have been found. They just weren't in proof condition anymore. Just like any other item, I am sure some of those proof coins were given as gifts. Some to children to supposedly save for later. Kids being kids, they probably played with them and they wound up lost or maybe spent. I am also sure that during the depression some of the proof coins people had got into general circulation. We just don't know they were proofs because now they look like crap. Or is it crape? ;D

Geez, gotta get my brain back to thinking like I live in the US. I've been searching 16th and 17th century places too long. This crap is too old, it rots your brain.

Daryl the corrected
 

No problem Daryl.

Cheers and Happy Hunting!

-Buckleboy
 

I agree with Daryl. Unless they are protected somehow, they wouldn't be considered proof coins if they were blemished...at least I don't think they would :-\
 

They'd still be a proof strike (vs. a business strike) but would be in circulated condition. There is a difference in the way they polish and prepare the dies (and the blanks/planchents, I believe). Some proof strikes are worth less than good condition business strikes. Less proof strikes, but everyone keeps them and they survive in good condition. The business strikes get issued and worn.
 

Charlie is right. They use new, highly polished dies and highly polished and extremely clean planchets, as well as hard multiple strikes. The results are, hopefully, a "frosty' relief against a perfectly polished background. When everything works, the coins are almost magical. The relief seems to float over the surface. Play with them, put them in the ground, and they go south in a hurry. An expert may be able to tell that the coin was once a proof by looking at the surface and how the scratches look but it no longer holds the true "proof" status. It would be a proof coin in a grade less than MS-60. Sort of a circulated proof. It would be interesting to see how they would actually grade one if someone found it and had it slabbed.

Daryl
 

You mean it was proof.Some kid took it from a collection and lost it, is the only thing I can think of.
 

Exactly. Or it could have been spent in an emergency during the depression, stolen and spent, or a number of things to put it into circulation and have it lost and wind up in the ground.

Daryl
 

I'm not holding my breath expecting to find any while detecting. LOL
luvsdux
 

Daryl,

The breaking of proof sets is almost a tradition with some collectors. Granted the actual collection has a complete proof set, but there is room in some coin books and albums for the individual proof coins as well. Breaking these sets is a pretty common practice by dealers as well as collectors, The individual proof coins can be more valuable than an entire set. For example the 1970 Proof Set with a level date cent. The cent alone is worth more than the normal Proof set.

OD
 

Cool. Learn something new everyday. I've never done much collecting with the proofs, just reading. Never could afford them as a kid so I just never got into that mode.

Thanks,

Daryl
 

Proofs will be broken from the cases to put togeather a certain collection.
 

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