... Archie.

I fully understand the differences between regular issue and proof coins (I collected coins for the better part of 25 years and still occasionally examine new additions to my brother's collection -- he is a high end slabbed coin collector).

What I don't understand is this:

>> Because they are not the same coin.
>> One is Mint State (MS) the other is Proof (PR).

Never have. And I'm not asking you to try to explain the inexplicable! I probably have read, heard and considered all the explanations supporting your point. They just make no sense to me.

The proof "version" of any coin is the exact same design, with the same date/mint mark (assuming a regular version was produced -- I understand that in a few cases, proofs have been produced of coins for which no regular issue version was made), produced by the same manufacturer (the U.S. government).

Call it whatever you want, a "proof" is, IMO, still nothing more than a better "condition" version of the same coin.

And I sincerely hope that we never have the equivalent of "mint state" and "proof" in our hobby.

----- jim o\-S