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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 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, pricevalueofoldcoin "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 in the U.S. is beyond the pocketbook of the average packaging used for these earlier coins, it almost seems a miracle that pricevalueofoldcoin any high quality cameos from the 1950 to 1970 era exist at all! The finest cameos, 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 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 and collectors will now have accurate, hard data with the release pricevalueofoldcoin of these services'' 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 pricevalueofoldcoin 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 some of the most beautifully toned coins in all of U.S. coinage! While rare, gem Franklin halves
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