Owner Comments:
Total Graded: 36690
Total Prooflike: 757
Percentage PL: 2.0632%
The Sacagawea with PL designated on the holder is incredibly common (almost 13% of graded coins) – but nearly all of them are from the Millenium Coin and Currency set the mint released in 2000. The 2000D coin from this set was specially burnished, and nearly all of them have a prooflike finish. I prefer to ignore these coins for my purposes, as they were specially prepared and intended to be prooflike – to me, they qualify as special presentation pieces just a step below proofs. They do not have the mystery and charm of regular prooflikes – coins that were not intended to be special in any way. If the Millenium set coins are ignored, the true percentage of prooflike Sacagawea’s is about 2% - much closer to the percentage I would normally expect from a modern series.
The primary coin in this slot is a strong coin: a 68PL. This is not one of the burnished coins, and displays moderate reflectivity. There is an interesting starburst effect across the coin. The coin is well struck, and virtually free of blemishes.
I do also own one of the Millenium set coins. I wanted to see what the DPLs looked like, so I picked up one of the 67DPLs. It is an attractive presentation, of course – but since it was specially prepared, I don’t consider it for the purposes of my set. This coin has a very strong strike, with only minor weakness on the feathers. The devices are crisp and bold from this early die state. The marks are consistent with a 67, and luster is not present at all. This is what is expected from a DPL burnished coin – the brilliant mirrored surfaces preclude the cartwheel luster normally expected from a higher grade coin. The mirrors are the star on this coin – deep, crisp mirrors, so strong you could shave in them. (As a note: the DPL is very attractive, so I have chosen to show it in the pictures here.)