Thanks for the lead.

Cali,

Wow! Great article. I’ve been throwing back BU Kennedy halves for decades and I always put back the PLs – mostly from mint sets. Maybe it is time to revisit them. I know everyone doesn’t care about the statehood quarters, but I have a bunch of statehood PLs that I thought were MS-68s because of the PL finish. These came from mint wrapped roll sets purchased from the mint 5 times a year for 10 years. Maybe my OCD paid off.

Cheers

A quick thought–email Stack’s Bowers Galleries. They enjoy the scarce/rare coin market–and can get you what you want.

Do any of these auctions have rare but not super-rare coins? I’d love to pick up 1838 & 1861 Dahlonega & Charlotte Half-Eagles. My potential source, who wrote a book on the Dahlonega Mint, has disappeared. Can anyone recommend a reputable dealer?

That confederate cent has me intrigued. I’m tempted to throw down a bid but I suspect the coin could fetch a cool half mil. Tempting but ultimately it would cost twice the value of my current collection. Must … resist … temptation.

http://www.dmrarecoins.com/DMPL-Kennedy-Half-Dollars.php

PS Apparently all PL or DMPL Kennedy’s, are not created equal! LOL

You both ended up saying the same thing more or less. One said it early, and one said it later(and both in agreement in general). Thank goodness.

The other comments in between the two comments above– I’m going to respectfully discard and shove them down the rabbit hole–Never to be opened again–But that’s just me..Thank You…

PS: My coin, highlighted in the link below–the coin we’re discussing is stunning in person. I give E1 credit for it’s very existence in my collection. The striations on this example are faint/weak compared to others–but they’re there. Also note the reflectivity of the die brushing/polishing lines in the Fields. They are very similar to the Field die polishing done on the SMS coins of 1965-67…
Cali, If there were ever a coin that you can add to your collection–it would be this one–Even in PL they are really nice…
Rick
https://www.pcgs.com/coinfacts/coin/2014-s-50c-enhanced-silver-50th-anniversary-set-dmpl/535117/70

https://www.coinnews.net/2014/10/24/2014-s-enhanced-uncirculated-kennedy-half-dollar-laser-treatments/

PS I’ve got zero doubts that the “Heavy Laser Frosting”(polishing) is our culprit.

Cali,

In closing, I myself have concluded that the 45° striations on the device were intended by design and LASER generated at varying intensities. The fields of the coin were intended by design to be wire brushed. Some of these strikes were not wire brushed – hence DPLs. Most likely, the earliest strikes may have been first article production pieces used to adjust the process as needed to attain the desired brushed finish density.

Also, I have never been to the Granite Lady in San Francisco. That is a bucket list item for me. I’ve been to the Philadelphia Mint decades ago. All I remember is coins flying through shoots, bags of coins on fork lifts, and the NOISE! Oh, and the gift shop. I’ve also been to the Carson City Mint (Museum) in Nevada about ten years back. That was primitive. Saw some early lead-screw hand cranked coin presses there. So, I find the manufacturing technology of coins very interesting and would like to see it again before I kick.

Cheers