Proof or Business Strike?

Bolivia 1 Boliviano 1951 KM 184

https://www.ngccoin.com/price-guide/world/bolivia-boliviano-km-184-1951-cuid-9083-duid-33554

https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces2126.html

Obverse and Reverse taken under different lighting with coins from the same material and period for comparison-




It looks like a proof to me in terms of the finish and quality of the strike. I used to have the equivalent regular issue of the same date which would have made an even better comparison but I swapped it /: No, it's not cleaned / polished, it's already getting a nice patina and has no hairlines. Am I seeing what I want to see or is it truly a proof?

If so, this would be a major find as there were only 10 specimens minted and no clear picture of how many of those survive today. Now clearly a coin from Bolivia wouldn't carry the same premium that a 1933 Penny would, or even a US coin with a mintage in the thousands. However it would be a big enough achievement to get my name in the coin papers!

When the opportunity presents itself I will submit it for certification, it's one of those rare circumstances where the TPGs can offer a worthwhile service.

Thoughts please.

It is difficult to be certain from the images provided, but the rims do not look proof to me

Rims you say? You'll have to explain that one to me Chris, I'm not sure what you are referring to. If there is something significant re. the rims I'll get some pics when he sun comes up.

Hi Phil,

The rims on Proof coin tend to have very sharp edges, where business strikes tend to have more rounded shoulders,

What a perfect excuse to use my new USB microscope courtesy of a most kind fellow member.

I think that as Bolivia is not a fount of talent in coin design or striking that a railroad rim on an issue from the fifties might not be a diagnostic of proofness...it looks extremely well struck and "proofy" to me from the pic you posted. Have you considered that maybe it is an early die strike or set up piece? Definately worth sending off...very cool find! Local shop or flea market?

I do not think it is proof.
The rim is damaged (the bootom side next to the stars)
Scratches between the A and the date
It seems to be cleaned.
More like nearly UNC.

But it is a niceclear coin!!!

It was an 10c find in a local junk bin, my first though was "hey cool, a proof. I'll be having that". So at best it would be an impaired proof having suffered an ungodly amount of churning before I got to it.

I don't believe it is a cleaned coin, although I guess it's a possibility. Actually given the relative mintage numbers of 10 and 10,000,000 it's a million to one odds against being a proof. But it would be nice.

I have found coins in junk bins that have a three digit catalog value (if graded correctly), so it is possible to find some real treasures from a collection dump, but a coin with a mintage of 10? I would personally not even consider it possible. But I guess perhaps stranger things have (very rarely) happened!

The saddest part of all is that K&M only quote a price of $200 for it which seems awfully low. At some point, when the occasional opportunity of a cheap or even free submission arises I'll get it checked out. Y'all can be sure I'll be letting you know if it does turn out to be a proof!

I was surprised by that $200, too. I would have expected that every one of those ten proof coins has been carefully guarded and collected since it came off the press. Theoretically, it might be possible to identify the owner of each one. But who knows? Maybe once the dies were approved, the proofs were just handed out to employees of the mint, who then spent them at the grocery down the corner at their lunch break.