2013 US Mint Limited Edition Silver Proof Set

[Merlin8971]

I just received two (2) 2013 UNITED STATES MINT LIMITED EDITION SILVER PROOF SETS. As I was inspecting them the Obverses all had deep cameo MIRROR Proof quality. When I turned the set over, lo and behold the fields on ALL the coins are "Orange Peel" texture. The Eagle, the Kennedy, the 5 national parks quarters, and the Roosevelt dime all had the "Orange Peel" texture on them.

This makes no sense to me. How is it possible that all those different dies would have the same pitting, assuming that is what it is?

Just ignore the tint on the individual coins, I turned off the flash.

The "Orange Peel" on the silver eagle is most noticeable on the right side at the banner to the second A in America. The "Orange Peel" completely covers the fields.

[wavysteps]

That is a bit unusual since "orange peel" is attributed to late stage dies as a form of die deterioration. I would expect that maybe one or two of the proofs to have this affect, but mostly all of them is a seemingly rare occurrence.

[Merlin8971]

I agree

I agree that one might expect one coin may have "Orange Peel," but certainly NOT a Proof coin, let alone all denominations of two full sets. It is really strange.

I question whether the US Mint has a quality control problem or an intentional textured surface. Is it possible the dies were not stored properly and rust on the die would cause the "Orange Peel" issue?

These coins are very obviously NOT what one would expect from a "Limited Edition Proof set" let alone two sets. How could the US Mint put out proof coins that look as though the dies were deteriated so much? No maginfication is needed to see the textured surfaces. That would mean that all the denominations would have been in a deteriated die state. Curiously, the Eagle, Kennedy, and Roosevelt show the "Orange Peel" on the reverse dies, whereas the National Park quarters actually have the "Orange Peel" texture on the Obverse side of the coins.

Now I wonder how many sets were shipped with such poor quality as compared to what the coins SHOULD look like.

Would this be considered a mint error worthy of keeping? Doubtful, in my opinion. It is just very odd.

[mpara]

This might be a dumb question, but have you tried removing them from the plastic? The texture you are seeing might be the matte finish of the plastic cover.

Why do the regular proof sets come in hard plastic lenses while the limited addition sets come in bubbled sheet plastic?

[mpara]

Of course that would explain why the obverse of the quarters but the reverse of the dime, half, and eagle seem textured. You can also see the texture around the edges of the photos where there is no coin.

[wavysteps]

I hadn't thought of that, texture from the plastic. Reminds me when a lot of people started looking at their windshields and saw myriads of time holes and such. They had not been seen before since most people were looking through their windshield and not at them.

[Merlin8971]

The Limited Edition set IS in a plastic lens not in bubble plastic. And nope, it is on the coins, not the lens.

[Merlin8971]

Correction

Wavysteps was correct. Good eye. I opened the lens again and found a thin plastic blister sheet that holds the coins that I did not see previously and sure enough it is the plastic blister sheet that has the "Orange Peel" texture and not the coins themselves. Thanks for solving the mystery wavysteps.

[mpara]

Wavysteps was correct. Good eye. I opened the lens again and found a thin plastic blister sheet that holds the coins that I did not see previously and sure enough it is the plastic blister sheet that has the "Orange Peel" texture and not the coins themselves. Thanks for solving the mystery wavysteps.

Dude. That was me. My first clue was the fact that you were only seeing the texture on the sides of the coins that face down in the display box. Then when I looked closely at the pics, I could see the stipple pattern of the matte film even where there was no coin behind it. Incidentally, you typically can't see the "orange-peel" effect of a LDS with the naked eye. It would just have a satin finish look to it.

[Merlin8971]

mpara

My mistake. I thought you were speaking of the bubble wrapped plastic one would find in older mint sets. You are correct also about the "Orange Peel" on the plastic blister sheet enclosed in the lens. Sorry.