louisiana state quarter

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packaging used for these earlier coins, it almost seems a miracle that any high quality cameos from the 1950 to 1970 era exist at all! The finest cameos, louisiana state quarter being early strikes off proof dies, are quite simply "the best of the best", for they are not only struck from proof dies, the finest possible dies, but are struck from those dies when they are in their most pristine, unworn state! there could not be a more striking difference between one of these first cameo strikes, and between a coin struck much later off the die - a brilliant proof. if one did not know better, one would think that the two coins were struck from two completely different dies! in a sense, they were. more correctly, they were both struck from the same die, but one coin was struck before that die had experienced the wearing effect of 100''s of tons of pressure of metal on metal, and one coin was struck after that die had experienced those wearing effects. the opportunity of owning scarce, attractive coins that also are the ultimate in quality for their era has a very special appeal to collectors. it also gives these coins tremendous "upside" potential, as it very hard to pay too much for coins that offer the collector the

involved "acid-dipping" the dies before they were polished. the solution used during the 1950 to 1970 period, a bath consisting of 5% nitric acid/95% water, was used to create an acid-etched appearance on the die. when the die was subsequently polished and buffed, the recessed portions of the die, the devices, retained their acid-etched cameo. the very first strikes off one of these new dies would possess a gorgeous, intense cameo effect very similar in quality to the proofs minted today. the raised portions of these early strikes, the devices state (on the franklin half, these quarter would be the bust of franklin, the lettering, and date on the obverse, and the liberty bell, eagle, and lettering on the reverse) would display a snow-white cameo effect that would stand in stark contrast to louisiana the deep-mirrored fields surrounding them. the flawless, jewel-like quality of the best of these cameos almost look like works of art rather than state mere coins! indeed, to most collectors, these coins are works of art! the frosted devices of these early cameo dies were quite delicate - one could easily scratch a bit of frost from the die with one''s fingernail, and were the first part of the die to wear. each

toned in iridescent shades of purple, plum, burgundy, green, orange, gold.....virtually every color of the rainbow, can sometimes be found on a single coin! the design of the franklin half, with the broad expanse of franklin''s bust on the obverse, and the liberty bell on the reverse, is an easy target for bagmarks or abrasion. a pristine franklin half, with a smooth, unblemished cheek of franklin on the obverse, and equally pristine liberty bell on the reverse, is a truly beautiful coin. on the other hand, the simplicity of these surfaces also serves to magnify, or hilight, the smallest bagmark! the cheek of franklin & the liberty bell make easy targets. the quality of the typical uncirculated franklin roll is quite low, with all 20 coins usually grading between ms 60 and ms 63. by comparison, if one had the good fortune to acquire an original roll of uncirculated walking liberty half dollars (the series immediately preceding the franklins, minted from 1916-1947) the general quality of the coins would likely quarter be quite high, louisiana with most coins grading ms 64 - ms 65. what about any hordes of gem bu franklins that have yet to surface? original unsearched bags of bu franklins? the last bag

Click HERE for access to the Internet's most reputable source for rare coins and proofs, along with other numismatic advice. We have extensive collections of both domestic and international coin currencies, and all the latest market information to keep you on top of the game.