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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 uscoinvalue devices (on the Franklin half, these 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 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 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 uscoinvalue to wear. Each devoted to it. Here is one final, very important similarly between the Morgan dollar series and the Cameo Proof series: In grading prooflike Morgan dollars, the two largest grading services in the nation, PCGS (Professional Coin Grading Service) and NGC (Numismatic Guaranty Corporation), offer two grades of prooflike for that series - "DMPL" (Deep Mirror Prooflike) - for the very earliest strikes off the business die, and a simple "PL" (Prooflike) - for the slightly later strikes. PCGS and NGC now offer a similar delineation for all proof coinage from the 1950 to 1970 era. As of early February, 1992, PCGS offers two cameo designations for early strike cameo proofs - "DCAM" (Deep Cameo - roughly equivalent to what we refer to as "ultra-heavy") - for those cameo proofs which were the very earliest strikes off the proof die, with the heaviest contrast, and a simple "CAM" uscoinvalue and uscoinvalue (Cameo) designation for those coins which were slightly later strikes, but which still possess significant cameo contrast. NGC instituted their own two-tier system similar to PCGS'' in the spring of 1995. With PCGS and NGC now involved, novices will for the first time have their coins recognized by the most widely used grading service in 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, "quality" is a primary consideration in one''s buying decision. Doing one''s best, being the best, uscoinvalue 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
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