What is a Proof Coin?” and why are they often cheaper, when they look like the real deal?
Why would a proof coin be valued at a lower price, sometimes, by coin collectors than an uncirculated coin of the same denomination, date, and (sometimes) mint? Here are two possible reasons that this pricing discrepancy may sometimes occur; there may well be others: 1. Scarcer in uncirculated than in proof. Frequently, proof coins are kept by collectors – out of circulation and protected from wear or damage in their original cases – in high percentages relative to their original mintages. In contrast, with some dates, mints, and denominations of coins intended for circulation, nearly all of these coins may become slightly, or highly, circulated, and few uncirculated coins may still exist. The remaining uncirculated coins – and particularly coins in the higher MS- grades – thus may become prized by collectors. * Lower mintages. While most of the time proof coins are minted in smaller quantities than non-proof coins, there are some – uncommon – exceptions. In those cases, the uncirculat
