Mint reverses direction with Proof surface finishing

By Paul Gilkes

Published: May 21, 2016, 4 AM

The U.S. Mint heralded a whole new generation of coin finishes in 2006 with the Reverse Proof on the silver American Eagle dollar.

Original images courtesy of Heritage Auctions.

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The Reverse Proof 2006-P American Eagle silver dollar, introducing the new finish, was sold in a three-coin set to mark the 20th anniversary of the American Eagle silver bullion coin series.

Images courtesy of Heritage Auction.

The three-coin American Eagle 20th Anniversary Gold Coin Set included a Reverse Proof 2006-W 1-ounce $50 gold coin, left; a regular 2006-W gold Proof Eagle, center; and 2006-W Burnished Uncirculated coin, right.

Image courtesy of Heritage Auctions.

The 20th Anniversary gold Eagles were offered in a special presentation box.

Image courtesy of Heritage Auctions.

Despite having its product maximum increased to 50,000 sets, the John F. Kennedy Coin and Chronicles set with a Reverse Proof 2015-P Kennedy Presidential dollar also recorded a sellout.

Images courtesy of U.S. Mint.

The Harry S. Truman Coin and Chronicles set containing a Reverse Proof 2015-P Harry S. Truman Presidential dollar sold out of its 17,000 maximum product authorization in less than 15 minutes June 30, 2015.

Images courtesy of U.S. Mint.

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A Reverse Proof 2012-S American Eagle silver dollar was struck as part of a two-coin set marking the current San Francisco Mint facility’s 75th anniversary.

Images courtesy of Heritage Auctions.

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The West Point Mint struck a 1-ounce gold Reverse Proof American Buffalo in 2013 bearing the facility’s W Mint mark.

Images courtesy of Heritage Auctions.

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The Reverse Proof 2014-W Kennedy half dollar was part of a four-coin set of .900 fine silver half dollars struck in four finishes at four different Mints to mark the series’ 50th anniversary.

Images courtesy of Heritage Auctions.

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Reverse Proof issues continued in 2015 with a Roosevelt dime struck at the Philadelphia Mint for inclusion in a March of Dimes silver set.

Original images courtesy of U.S. Mint.

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A limited-edition set issued in conjunction with the March of Dimes commemorative silver dollar program in 2015 included a Reverse Proof 2015-W Roosevelt dime struck in .900 fine silver.

Images courtesy of U.S. Mint.

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The 75th anniversary of the West Point Mint, first opened as a silver bullion depository in 1938, was marked in 2013 with a two-coin set that included a Reverse Proof silver American Eagle.

Images courtesy of Heritage Auctions.

This is the second part of a feature story about finishes used on U.S. coins, which first appeared in the June 6, 2016, Monthly issue of Coin World:

Early in the 20th century, the U.S. Mint experimented with variations on Proof finishes, including some matte finishes. However, from 1858 when Proof coin sales began in earnest and to the 1970s, Proof coins, in general, bore a Brilliant Proof finish, having little or no distinction between the mirrored finish on the raised devices and in the flat fields.

Cameo Proofs, with their contrasting frosted devices and mirrored fields, were generally a happy by-product resulting from the first strikes of fresh dies, with the frosted devices of the dies gradually losing their frost after multiple strikes. In 1978, however, Frosted or Cameo Proofs became the Mint’s standard Proof finish — until the 21st century and the introduction of the Reverse Proof finish in 2006.

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A Reverse Proof coin is as the name implies. Instead of the standard Cameo Proof finish — frosted devices against mirrored fields — the Reverse Proof is just the opposite — mirrored devices against frosted fields.

The U.S. Mint produced its first Reverse Proof coins in 2006 to mark the 20th anniversary of the 1986 introduction of the American Eagle gold and silver coins.

The Reverse Proof 2006-P American Eagle silver dollar was offered only in a limited-edition three-coin set that also included a Cameo Proof 2006-W American Eagle silver dollar and an Uncirculated 2006-W American Eagle silver dollar (as referenced earlier).

The three-coin sets, limited to a release of 250,000 sets, were offered at $100 per set by the U.S. Mint.

Recently completed eBay sales recorded $455 paid for a set still sealed in its shipping box; $575 for a set in its original U.S. Mint packaging; and $800 for a set graded and encapsulated by Numismatic Guaranty Corp.: Proof 70 Ultra Cameo for the Cameo Proof coin; Proof 70 for the Reverse Proof piece; and Mint State 70 for the Burnished Uncirculated coin.

In addition to the silver set, the Mint produced gold sets celebrating the 2006 anniversary.

The 20th Anniversary American Eagle three-coin gold set comprises a 2006-W Reverse Proof, a Proof and a Burnished Uncirculated 1-ounce gold coin. Limited to a production of 10,000 sets, each set was offered at $2,610.

In a recent eBay auction, a buyer paid $6,100 for a three-coin gold set with all three coins graded and encapsulated by NGC — Proof 70 Ultra Cameo for the Cameo Proof, Proof 70 for the Reverse Proof coin, and Mint State 70 for the Uncirculated coin.

Another eBay sale closed at $7,995 for the three coins graded and encapsulated by Professional Coin Grading Service under its First Strike program — MS-70 for the Uncirculated coin, Proof 70 for the Reverse Proof coin, and Proof 70 Deep Cameo for the Cameo Proof piece.

Also issued by the U.S. Mint for the gold and silver American Eagle 20th Anniversary was a two-coin gold and silver set containing simply Uncirculated examples of each coin. The set was limited to a product maximum of 20,000, at $850 per set.

A recently completed eBay auction recorded a sale price of $1,311 for an intact two-coin set still in its original U.S. Mint presentation box.