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quality U.S. proofs and mint state Franklins in our inventory. The best thing about the exceptional proofs and mint state grading diamonds franklins we offer, is that we can sell them by simply telling the truth about their quality and rarity. we don''t need to give you a sales pitch. and we won''t. in numismatics, as in real estate, jewelry, or any other form of collectible, "quality" is a primary consideration in one''s buying decision. doing one''s best, being the best, owning the best.....is a basic human desire. certainly, without that instinct or drive, the human race would not have progressed as it has over the past 10,000 years. and so it is the desire of most every collector to own the highest quality issue available of whatever it is they are collecting. unfortunately, in most fields of collector interest, the very finest quality specimens are priced beyond the pocketbook of the average collector at today''s levels. there is only so much "beach-front" property available in real estate, and there are only so many coins in numismatics that offer the collector the opportunity of owning the best. however, while the most desirable beach-front property grading diamond in the u.s. is beyond the pocketbook of the average collector, for many dates which were considered fairly common in uncirculated condition, such as the 1879-o and 1880-o morgan dollar, were disclosed to be extremely scarce or rare in gem ms 65 uncirculated grade and gem ms 65 prooflike! with these disclosures by a respected expert in the field, the morgan dollar market bloomed almost overnight. by the early 1980''s, it was the single largest area of collector interest in u.s. numismatics, simply because it was disclosed that in addition to the other benefits of 1. beauty, 2. quality, and 4. low price, many dates in the series also enjoyed a high degree of 3. rarity, in higher grade. the 1950-1970 cameo proof series is currently positioned at the same point the morgan dollar market found itself in the mid-1970''s. like the morgan dollar market at that time, the current cameo proof market has been enjoying increasing popularity among collectors with each passing year, despite the birth of published information on the subject. the fact is, high grade cameo examples of many of the rarer cameo dates are so rare that few dealers have ever seen such coins. the cameo proof series, like the morgan dollar series, has been crying for a comprehensive book the nation. subsequent population reports emanating from pcgs will reveal how very scarce the majority of proof issues are in cameo. with the release of the cameo proof book, and with pcgs'' and ngc''s leap into this market, cameo dealers diamond grading worksheet and collectors will now have accurate, hard data with the release of these services'' grading grading reports to back up what we long-time cameo dealers and collectors have known for years - that exceptional cameo examples of many dates are extremely rare, and are truly among the best values in u.s. numismatics today. most collectors and dealers are very familiar with bu franklins. the majority of uncirculated bu franklin half dollars on the market are extremely baggy, and/or possess very heavy, unattractive brown or gray toning. these are ugly coins. the franklin design is a work of art in its simplicity. the bust of franklin on the obverse, and the famous liberty bell on the reverse, are beautiful when their surfaces are clear and unblemished! in addition, many franklins were issued by the mint in cardboard mint sets. the sulfur from these paper products often created grading some of the most beautifully toned coins in all of u.s. coinage! while rare, gem franklin halves
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