What does it mean when coin dealers say proof?
The term proof is used to describe the “finish” on a coin, medal, or token. The process usually involves multiple strikes with specially prepared dies. The simple way to tell whether an item is proof or not: you take something like a pen or pencil and place it near the fields or flat surfaces of the item, if the image of that pen or pencil appears almost clear as if you are looking at it in a mirror, then the coin is most likely a proof coin.
