By Charles Morgan and Hubert Walker for CoinWeek Notes …..
(adj.)
“Prooflike” is a term used to describe a business-strike coin–especially Morgan and Peace silver dollars–in which all of the fields, and possibly the devices, reflect two to four inches of depth. These coins have a nearly mirrored finish and are the product of the first strikes off of a highly polished die. If the conditions are right, perhaps only the first few hundred strikes will exhibit this characteristic. The United States Mint makes no effort to separate these coins from the other, more typical business strikes, so Prooflike coins are often found with bag marks from coin-on-coin contact.
Because of the reflective finish on the coins surfaces, even minor abrasions are quite noticeable on Prooflike coins.
Business strikes with especially deeply reflective mirrors are referred to as “DMPL” or “Deep Mirror Prooflike”. PCGS grants this attribution only to coins that are in Mint State with reflectivity on both sides of the coin at between two and four inches away.
Prooflike and Deep Mirror Prooflike coins may sell for a premium, depending on the series.
Further Reading on Prooflike Coins
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