Definition: A different collar was used with the reeding being spaced further apart than the normal 1921-P issue.
The below image shows the normal reeding found on the 1921-P Morgan dollar coin (on top) compared to the infrequent reeding which is the bottom coin (indicated by the red arrow).
Image is courtesy of VAMworld.
Definition: The United States of America declaration of war against the Axis Powers in January of 1942 called for critical war materials to be stockpiled. One of those materials — nickel — was used in the making of the Jefferson five-cent piece. On March 27, 1942, with authorization from Congress, the material composition of the five-cent piece was changed from 75% copper / 25% nickel to 56% copper/ 35% silver / 9%manganese.
In October of 1942 this new alloy was first used in the striking of nickels. Along with this change of composition, the mintmark was made larger and placed on the reverse of the coin over Monticello. For the first time the “P” mintmark was used to designate coins struck at the Philadelphia Mint.
The Denver Mint had completed its allotted run of nickels before the change had been made. In 1942, the San Francisco and the Philadelphia Mints were the only mints to strike the new alloy Jefferson nickels, nicknamed “War nickels”.
With the Philadelphia mint striking both new and old-alloy nickels, two versions appear from that mint in that year; one without a mintmark and the other with the P-mintmark on the reverse of the coin.
The above images show the location of the mintmark above Monticello on the “war nickels”. The mintmark in prior years had been placed to the right of Monticello, with the exception of coins struck by the Philadelphia mint which did not have a mintmark.
Images are courtesy of Heritage Auctions.
Definition: A repunched date is produced when a numeral (or several numerals) is punched more than once into a working die, with movement of the punch or die between impacts. On the coin, this results in two overlapping numbers of the same type. A repunched date always involves the same numerals. If different numerals are involved, then we call it an overdate.
Repunched dates should not be confused with doubled dies, re-engraved dates, or misplaced dates.
For U.S. coins, the era of repunched dates ended in 1908. Beginning in 1909, the date was placed on the master hub or the master die. As a result, any claims of repunched dates later than 1908 must be greeted with extreme skepticism.
The 1956-D Lincoln cent pictured above is believed by some to have a partially tilted, extra 5 beneath the normal 5. Those who suspect this is a repunched date argue that it is a fouled-up master die was re-used as a working die. While this is possible, it seems unlikely. The horizontal bar seems unaccountably thin, while the vertical bar terminates abruptly and has an unexplained dimple at its base. Skeptics argue that this is a simulacrum produced by two accidental die gouges or die dents.
Definition: A repunched date is produced when a numeral (or several numerals) is punched more than once into a working die, with movement of the punch or die between impacts. On the coin, this results in two overlapping numbers of the same type. A repunched date always involves the same numerals. If different numerals are involved, then we call it an overdate.
Repunched dates should not be confused with doubled dies, re-engraved dates, or misplaced dates.
For U.S. coins, the era of repunched dates ended in 1908. Beginning in 1909, the date was placed on the master hub or the master die. As a result, any claims of repunched dates later than 1908 must be greeted with extreme skepticism.
The 1957-D Lincoln cent seen in the image above has a diagonal bar to the left of the top of the 7 digit in the date. Similar in nature to the 1956-D Lincoln cent with “repunched” 5 digit, an argument could be made that a mis- engraved or mis-punched master die was used as a working die. While this is possible, it seems highly unlikely.
A more feasible scenario is that the anomaly is a die dent or gouge.
The photo used is a facsimile.
Definition: An overdate affects a single working die. An overdate is created when one numeral is punched over a different numeral. If the second punch involves the same numeral, we call it a repunched date.
Overdates should not be confused with repunched dates, doubled dies, re-engraved dates, or misplaced dates. They should also not be confused with Class III double dies (design hub doubling). The latter also can result in overlapping, dissimilar numbers, but the process is entirely different. Class III doubled dies that result in overlapping, dissimilar numbers are sometimes called overdates, but this is not correct.
For U.S. coins, the overdate era ended in 1908. Beginning in 1909, the date was placed on the master hub or the master die. As a result, any claims of overdates later than 1908 must be greeted with extreme skepticism.
This 1958-D Lincoln cent was once thought to be an overdate. A cluster of die gouges or die dents formed a pattern that resembles a partial 7 beneath the terminal 8.
There is still an air of mystery surrounding this unique transitional coin. Many feel that this is counterfeit coin. However, the U.S. Mint has confirmed it to be a genuine cent.
The coin was discovered in Walnut Creek, California and originally sold for $1,200 in 1996.
CONCLUSIONS:
“Although the submitted 1959-D Lincoln Cent exhibits the wheat reverse, instead of the Mint specified memorial reverse, the submitted coin exhibits physical characteristics, such as device detail, metal flow, die polish, thickness, diameter, mass and composition, consistent with genuine 1958/59 Lincoln cents. Further, the submitted Lincoln/wheat cent does not exhibit any indications of alterations to the date or evidence of edge alteration, indicating that the submitted coin was a result of combining two genuine coins. Additionally, no characteristics associated with counterfeit coins, such as tool marks, file marks, raised metal or unusual oxidation (“toning”) were observed.”
“In the absence of any evidence that the submitted 1959-D Lincoln/wheat cent is not consistent with having been manufactured by the US Mint, the coin was determined to be a genuine mule (transitional) cent.”
This is a temporal mule that’s also a transitional mule. This bimetallic planchet was found in a 1992 St. Petersburg mint set. The planchet was supposed to carry a 50 roubles design bearing the date 1992. While it carries the proper design for this denomination, it shows the date 1993. The 1993, 50 roubles is supposed to be struck on a solid aluminum-bronze planchet.
Someone at the St. Petersburg mint evidently grabbed from storage a reverse die intended for use the following year.
We suspect this was accidental. The die was then used to strike the proper planchet for 1992. Around 50 similar errors are known from other St. Petersburg mint sets released the same year.
Definition: In the early part of the year 2000, the U. S. Mint inserted newly minted 2000(P) Lincoln cents and 2000-P Sacagawea dollar coins into “Cheerios” cereal boxes. This promotion by the government was to make the public aware of the new golden dollar coin and involved over 10 million boxes of cereal. Out of the 10 million boxes, approximately 5,500 contained the 2000-P Sacagawea dollar coin which is now labeled as the “Cheerios” dollar.
It was later discovered that many of these “Cheerios” dollars were struck from a different master die than the normal 2000-P Sacagawea dollar coins. The difference can be seen in the tail feathers of the eagle on the reverse of the coin. The “Cheerios” dollar has enhanced feathers, while the normal dollar coin does not. See images below.
Tom DeLorey surmises that the Mint’s engraving department was still in the process of refining the Sacagawea dies and was not aware that the 5,500 sent to General Mills for packaging were struck with the enhanced tail feather dies. DeLorey further speculates that a small percentage of these coins were sent back to the Mint due to spoilage and then replaced by more recently struck Sacagawea coins without the enhanced tail feathers.
This meant that two types of dollars ended up inside Cheerios boxes; one type with the enhanced tail feathers and the other type without the enhanced tail feathers. The enhanced tail feather version is considered to be a prototype by collectors.
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2000-P Sacagawea dollar with enhanced tail feathers. |
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2000-P Sacagawea dollar without enhanced tail feathers. |
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Enhanced tail feathers |
Without enhanced tail feathers |
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Images are courtesy of Heritage Auctions. |
A 100 pesos planchet is larger (25 mm) than a 10 pesos planchet (21 mm). This bi-metallic planchet was struck by solid denomination dies. Undoubtedly, it was intentionally made.
Definition: A matte or “frosted” finish was applied to design elements that should have had a smooth, mirror-like finish.
The 2007-W ¼, ½, and 1 ounce platinum proof coins can be found with the word FREEDOM on the reverse with and without frosting.To date, 21 specimens of the 1/4 and 1/2 ounce platinum proofs have been found with the word FREEDOM frosted (see bottom image below). Twelve specimens of the 1 ounce platinum proof coin have been found with the word FREEDOM frosted. The normal proof coins do not have the word FREEDOM frosted (see top image below).
Images are courtesy of Heritage Auctions.
