What does cameo mean on a proof coin?

Cameo is the contrast between the raised design and the flat background of a coin. On a classic proof, the design (the devices) is frosted white and the fields are mirror-like, so the portrait seems to float on black glass when you tilt it under a light. NGC calls this the cameo effect.

Not every proof has it. Wikipedia notes that not all proof coins show a cameo effect, and NGC uses no designation at all when a proof shows little or no contrast. Mints have since learned to produce it on purpose; the U.S. Mint, like many others, now sells coins made to show cameo contrast. On older coins it was less predictable: PCGS writes that cameo proofs from 1950 to 1970 are much rarer than non-cameos, and that it once marked them CA and DC.

One word of caution if you also collect paper money: proof means something different there. Our banknote glossary explains that a banknote proof is a trial impression pulled to check the plates, not a special finish.

What is the difference between Deep Cameo and Ultra Cameo?

Mostly the company on the label. PCGS and NGC each grade proofs on the 70-point scale, then add a word describing contrast. Their wording differs, and so do their abbreviations:

So a PCGS PR69DCAM and an NGC PF 69 Ultra Cameo are describing broadly the same kind of coin in two dialects. Note the prefix too: NGC writes PF for proof, while PCGS labels such as the PR69DCAM on our 1995 Chinese dinosaur coins use PR. A listing that says NGC PR70 is using PCGS shorthand for an NGC coin, so read the label itself.

Why does cameo contrast have to show on both sides?

Because the designation describes the coin, not its better half. PCGS requires frosted devices on both sides for Cameo, and deep, even frosting on both sides for Deep Cameo. NGC says the same for Cameo and Ultra Cameo: the contrast must appear on both sides. When PCGS extended the designations to certain Canadian coins, it spelled out the consequence: a coin with frosting on only one side receives no designation.

A cameo designation is a promise about both sides of the coin. One frosty side is not enough.

That is why two coins with the same grade can carry different labels. A PR69 coin with a softly frosted reverse stays plain PR69, while its neighbour with deep frost front and back earns PR69DCAM.

Can cameo contrast be improved after a coin is struck?

No. NGC is explicit: the degree of mirroring and frosting is imparted when the coin is struck. Professional conservation cannot change the contrast, and a coin whose contrast had been altered would be treated as having altered surfaces and would not be encapsulated. What conservation can sometimes do is remove residue that is hiding contrast already there.

Cameo and grade are also separate questions. The number (69, 70) describes condition; the designation describes contrast. A coin can be a flawless 70 with modest contrast, or a 69 with deep frost. Our primer on PCGS and NGC grading covers the numeric scale.

What should you check when buying a cameo proof?

1. Read the whole label. Confirm the grader, the prefix (PR at PCGS, PF at NGC) and the designation. A listing title is a summary; the label is the record.
2. Tilt it under one light. Hold the slab under a single lamp and rock it slowly. On a Deep Cameo or Ultra Cameo, the fields go dark and the devices stay frosty white on both sides.
3. Look for haze. Residue or toning can mute contrast. NGC notes that removing residue can reveal contrast, but nothing can add it.
4. Verify the certification. NGC's Cert Lookup reports a coin's date, denomination and grade from the label serial number.
5. Know the finish. Reverse proofs are a different look, frosted fields and mirror devices, and NGC does not give them Cameo or Ultra Cameo designations.

Planet Banknote holds proofs graded both ways: PCGS PR69 Deep Cameo examples of China's 1995 silver 10 yuan dinosaur coins, and NGC PF 70 Ultra Cameo silver issues from the Royal Mint. Set one of each side by side and the two vocabularies make sense at a glance. If you collect American silver, the Morgan and Peace dollar guide is a good next read.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Deep Cameo the same as Ultra Cameo?

In practice, yes: both name the strongest contrast tier on a proof coin. Deep Cameo (DCAM) is the PCGS term for deep, even frosting on the devices of both sides; Ultra Cameo (UC) is the NGC term for deeply mirrored fields and heavily frosted devices on both sides.

What does DCAM mean on a PCGS coin?

Deep Cameo. PCGS uses it for brilliant proofs that show deep, even frosting on the devices of both sides of the coin. A label such as PR69DCAM means a proof graded 69 with Deep Cameo contrast.

What does UC mean on an NGC coin?

Ultra Cameo. NGC uses it for proof coins whose fields are deeply mirrored and whose devices are heavily frosted, giving bold contrast on both sides. It follows the grade, as in PF 70 Ultra Cameo.

Does NGC charge extra for the Ultra Cameo designation?

No. NGC applies the Cameo and Ultra Cameo designations automatically to qualifying coins at no additional charge, and lists Proof, Proof Cameo and Proof Ultra Cameo on separate lines of its census.

Can a reverse proof coin be Ultra Cameo?

Not at NGC. NGC states that it does not offer Cameo or Ultra Cameo designations for reverse proofs, which have frosted fields and mirrored devices, the opposite of a traditional proof.

What is the difference between PR and PF on a coin label?

Both mean proof. NGC writes PF, as in PF 70 Ultra Cameo, while PCGS labels use PR, as in PR69DCAM. The prefix tells you which grader's conventions to read the rest of the label by.