In The News Archive

July 06, 2008 -- Jim's Coins & Stamps of Madison, WI, announces its latest error coin auction. The sale includes hundreds of United States and foreign error coin and currency related items including some literature. Bidding closes on July 31. The online version of the auction can be downloaded from here: http://jimscoins.com/auction028.php. Future sales may be accessed from www.jimscoins.com. Persons wishing to subscribe to a hard copy version of the auctions may obtain more information via email at errorsale@sbcglobal.net or by phone at 608-233-2118.

Image courtesy of PCGS
This Van Allen pedigree 1888-O "Hot Lips" Dollar was hammered down at $25,300.

    May 30, 2008 -- Coins from Leroy Van Allen’s personal collection sold at Heritage’s Central States auction on April 18th, 2008 brought record prices. According to Michael S. Fey, Ph.D., President of Rare Coin Investments who assisted Mr. Van Allen with the sale, “Many, in the advanced Morgan Dollar collecting community, were shocked by the strength of the Van Allen pedigree, and the incredibly high prices his coins brought”.
    The finest known PCGS MS 60 DMPL 1888-0 VAM 4 “Hotlips” doubled die obverse brought $25,300, including Heritage’s 15% sale commission. A PCGS 62 PL 1878 8TF VAM 14.7 realized $13,800. A PCGS 64 1880 VAM 6 “8/7” realized $12,650. An ANACS 62 DMPL 1878 8TF VAM 9, designated as a presentation piece, the “First Morgan” dollar variety struck, brought $11,494. A late die state PCGS 62 1888-0 VAM 1B “Scarface” variety was bought for $8913, while a PCGS 40 1903-S VAM 2 “Small S” sold for $2990. A lone PCGS 64 1922 Peace dollar VAM 2A “Ear Ring” die break on obverse sold for $4025.
    VAM is an acronym for Leroy Van Allen and A. George Mallis who were first to catalog varieties of obverse and reverse dies, called die pairs, by a VAM number. VAM numbers are given along with photographs of each in the Comprehensive Catalog and Encyclopedia of Morgan & Peace Dollars (4th Ed) normally referred to as the VAM book.

March 10. 2008 -- The Ike Group proposes a three-tier die-clash rating system, illustrated with clashed Eisenhower dollars. They believe the system is applicable to any series with die-clashes and suggest its application may stimulate more interest in this area of collecting.

January 28, 2008 -- Whitman has just released their latest publication in the Red Book series that has a focus on a single denomination and type. This one is on Lincoln cents and contains a number of the more important varieties and a number of discussions on those varieties that should be of interest to many readers. Copies of the book can be found at most all major numismatic book outlets.

October 02, 2007 -- Charles Daughtrey has begun a new Lincoln cent counting project and would like to get the word out to as many collectors as possible. The details can be found at the project's website http://www.thecentproject.com/.

December 20, 2007 -- According to Mike Ellis: "To 'scope it out' implies many actions. The phrase smacks of two numismatic focal points: literally viewing and studying coins and related items through a scope and; much like the many popular television shows, invokes forensic studies and intensive research. Such is the scope of this column, pun intended." He then goes on the examine a 1917-S Type-1 Standing Liberty quarter struck on a Broken Planchet and other errors in his recent Numismatic News column.

This is Lot#2 in Jim's C&S auction described as a tri-level missing clad layer.

May 30, 2008 -- Jim's Coins & Stamps of Madison, WI, announces its latest error coin auction. The sale includes 614 United States and foreign error coin related items including some literature. Bidding closes on June 2. The online version of the auction can be downloaded from here:
http://jimscoins.com/auction027.php. Future sales may be accessed from www.jimscoins.com. Persons wishing to subscribe to a hard copy version of the auctions may obtain more information via email at errorsale@sbcglobal.net or by phone at 608-233-2118.

April 26, 2008 -- A new website, operated by Denny Polly of Denny's Coins & Mint Errors of Nevada, TX began operations this month. It contains Mint Error material for sale and a basic Mint Error Education page with pictorial examples and written descriptions that Denny hopes will help collectors understand some of the basic minting errors and how they are created. Polly, a long-time CONECA member, hopes it will also encourage other non-error collectors to become interested and join CONECA as a result. He describes his website as a "work in progress; it can be found at http://www.dennyscame.com.

    April 13, 2008 -- Heritage is proud to be offering spectacular variety coins from the collection of Leroy Van Allen at our April 16-18 CSNS Signature Auction in Rosemont, IL. The selection from Van Allen's personal collection of Morgan & Peace dollar varieties, plus errors, represents, "Some of the rarest, most historic Morgan silver dollars known and should be considered national treasures," according to silver dollar specialist Michael S. Fey.
    Perhaps the most unusual offering from the Van Allen collection is a certified "Presentation Piece," one of the first twelve Morgan dollars struck on March 11, 1878 (VAM-9), accompanied by a handwritten certification by Walter Breen. Also included are spectacular examples of some of the best known Morgan varieties, including the "Hot Lips" 1888-O Doubled Die Obverse dollar in DMPL, an uncirculated 1888-O "Scarface" in late die state, and many other Top 100 Morgan dollar varieties.
    As is quickly learned by even novice collectors, VAM is the acronym for Leroy Van Allen and A. George Mallis, who were first to comprehensively catalog Morgan and Peace Dollar varieties, assigning VAM numbers to each die pair.

Selections from The Leroy Van Allen collection include:

This auction is open for bidding now at http://www.ha.com/Coins/?type=collect-coinnews-tem041108.

    April 12, 2008 -- Morgan and Peace dollar varieties and errors from the Leroy Van Allen collection will be auctioned by Rare Coin Investments (RCI) during the week of April 6th, in an RCI Lightning Sale to be conducted on E-Bay. Sales will be conducted under the E-Bay name RCIscoins with a 10% sales commission charged to all winning bids.
    Featured among the 30 coins to be auctioned is an original 1878 8TF VAM 9, the First Morgan struck, along with a chamois pouch in which the coin was housed and a handwritten note from 1878, “New Silver Dollar-Ric’d from the mint first day it opened to sell them enclosed in chamois this day August 5th, 1878.”
    Many of the coins to be auctioned are housed in PCGS holders with the Leroy Van Allen pedigree listed on the holder. These include such rarities as an 1887 VAM 1A Donkey Tail in PCGS 45, a 1923 VAM 1D Wisker Cheek in PCGS 62, a 1923 VAM 1A Wisker Jaw in PCGS 63, and a 1924 VAM 5A Broken Wing in PCGS 62. There will also be a group of spectacular errors ranging from Lincoln cents to Morgan and Peace silver dollars, all with the Van Allen pedigree on the PCGS holder. Among the highlights of the sale will be an ultra rare 1880 VAM 8 “8/7” Ears in ANACS 55.
    Another spectacular selection of Leroy Van Allen’s personal collection of Morgan & Peace silver dollar varieties and errors will also be auctioned by Heritage Auction Galleries at the Central States Show, Rosemont, IL from April 16-19th, 2008. Please visit http://www.heritagecoin.com for further information.
    According to Michael S. Fey, Ph.D., President of Rare Coin Investments (RCI) who is assisting Mr. Van Allen with the sale, “Some of these coins are rare, historic and one of a kind, and represent the best Mr. Van Allen found during a lifetime of collecting”.
    VAM is an acronym for Leroy Van Allen and A. George Mallis who were first to catalog varieties of obverse and reverse dies, called die pairs, by a VAM number. VAM numbers are given along with photographs of each in the Comprehensive Catalog and Encyclopedia of Morgan & Peace Dollars (4th Ed) normally referred to as the VAM book.
    For further information, please contact Michael S. Fey, Ph.D., at RCI, P.O. Box C, Ironia, NJ 07845 or call (973) 252-4000; FAX (973) 252-0481; E-Mail: Feyms@aol.com or at his website at http://www.rcicoins.com. A PDF file detailing the coins can be found here: http://rcicoins.com/spring2008/spring2008LVA.pdf

In The News ...
Double Edge Inscription On
George Washington "Golden" Dollar

April 12, 2007 -- Collectors continue to report finding errors on the 2007 George Washington Presidential dollars. While the inscriptionless, “smooth edge,” dollars are still being found by numerous searchers, some even rarer types are also appearing. Shawn Bell of Pennsylvania reports finding a Philadelphia specimen with a doubled edge inscription along the entire edge of the coin.

In The News ...
PCGS Designates "Up," "Down"
Presidential Dollars Edge Lettering

Photo © Ken Potter 2007
Close up of Edge-Lettering DOWN or what PCGS designates as "Position A"

Photo © Ken Potter 2007
Close up of Edge-Lettering UP or what PCGS designates as "Position B"

    April 27, 2007 -- Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) now is recognizing the "up" or "down" orientation of the edge lettering on Presidential Dollars. The different orientation is designated on the encapsulation insert as either Position "A" or "B."
    The company issued a guidance statement on April 24, 2007 about edge-lettered Presidential Dollars submitted for authentication and grading. Edge lettering that reads upside-down when the President's portrait faces up now is designated as Position A. Edge lettering that reads normally when the President's portrait faces up is Position B.
    "The United States Mint applies edge lettering to the Presidential Dollars in a separate process after the coins are struck by the obverse and reverse dies. Although the orientation of the lettering is expected to be random, the relative rarity of Positions A and B has not been determined. However, neither position is expected to be rare because of the large numbers of Presidential Dollars that have been -- and will be - produced," said Ron Guth President of PCGS, a division of Collectors Universe, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLCT).
    In the guidance statement, Guth said the decision by PCGS to recognize the orientation of the edge lettering on Presidential Dollars is based on three important factors.
    Demand: The orientation of Presidential Dollars edge lettering is a legitimate variety resulting from the minting process. Collectors have already begun collecting both positions and will continue to do so throughout the duration of the Presidential Dollar program.
    Consumer Protection: Alerts have been issued warning collectors that the orientation of the edge lettering on Presidential Dollars is random and is not an error in the minting process. PCGS will recognize the two positions in the PCGS Population Report. This way, consumers easily will be able to see the distribution of grades and populations over the two positions.
    Precedent: The recognition of edge lettering variants is rooted in numismatics. In U.S. coins, examples include variants in the edge lettering on 1793 Wreath Cents, 1809 Half Dollars, and others. In world coins, examples include variants of many coins from Belgium (where Position A and Position B have been designated for years).
    PCGS now is placing Position A or B designations on all new Presidential Dollar submissions at no extra charge. Collectors who want the designations placed on Presidential Dollars previously certified by PCGS may resubmit their coins under the Designation Review Service for a fee of $10 per coin plus applicable shipping charges.
    PCGS guidance is based on the best information available at the time the guidance is developed. At the company's discretion, PCGS may adjust guidance as new information becomes available.
    For additional information, contact Professional Coin Grading Service at (800) 477-8848 or online at www.PCGS.com.

Commercial News ...
PNG Experts Warn of
Altered, No Edge-Lettering Dollars

    March 21, 2007 -- The Professional Numismatists Guild (PNG), a nonprofit organization composed of the country’s top rare coin and paper money dealers, issued the following consumer protection advisory on March 21, 2007 about altered coins being sold as genuine errors.

    Some 2007-dated Presidential dollar coins, deliberately altered after leaving the United States Mint to remove the edge lettering including the motto, “In God We Trust,” are being offered to unsuspecting buyers in online auctions and at swap meets. The Mint mistakenly released for circulation thousands of genuine coins without the edge lettering, but the PNG cautions that worthless, fake versions now are appearing in the marketplace, especially Internet auctions.

    “The edge lettering on some perfectly-made coins is being intentionally removed in machine shops to fraudulently make the coins appear to have a plain edge without the date, without the mintmark and without the mottos, In God We Trust and E Pluribus Unum. It's the wild, wild West out there online, and it's probably going to get worse before it gets better,” said Fred Weinberg of Encino, California, a former President of the Professional Numismatists Guild and an internationally known expert on mis-struck coins.

    “You run the risk of paying $100 or more for an altered coin that’s only worth one dollar. Unless you know how to determine authenticity, the coin should be certified by a nationally-recognized authentication company or you should know the reputation of the professional dealer you're buying it from.”

    The normal weight of the George Washington dollar coins is 8.1 grams (125 grains) and the diameter is 26.5 millimeters. Any plain-edge coins that weigh less than 8 grams (123 grains) or with a diameter of 26 millimeters or less should be viewed with skepticism. They may have been deliberately trimmed to remove the edge lettering, according to the PNG.

    “The altered coins are deliberately machined down until the lettering on the edges disappears. It's also possible for the incused lettering to be filled in, then re-plated or re-colored, and then the altered coin is deceitfully sold as a genuine Mint-made error,” Weinberg explained.

    Weinberg also cautions consumers to be wary of sale pitches for so-called “upside-down” lettering errors.

    “The relationship is random between the edge lettering and the ‘heads’ side on the Presidential dollars. Some coins have the letters reading ‘up,’ and some are ‘upside-down’ when you view the front of the coin. These are not inverted-lettering errors, only a random method of placing the edge-lettering on the coins. Half the coins will have the letters up, and half will appear upside down.”

    Members of the Professional Numismatists Guild must adhere to a strict code of ethics in the buying and selling of rare coins and paper money. For additional information, contact the PNG at 3950 Concordia Lane, Fallbrook, California 92028. Phone: (760) 728-1300. Online: http://www.PNGdealers.com E-mail: info@PNGdealers.com.

Commercial News ...
PCGS Offers $10,000 for First
Sac Dollar with Edge Lettering

March 20, 2007 -- Professional Coin Grading Service of Newport Beach, California is offering a $10,000 reward for the first person who submits for verification a genuine, Sacagawea golden dollar coin mistakenly struck with the edge lettering intended for the new Presidential dollar coins.
The coins depicting Native American, Sacagawea, who assisted Lewis and Clark on their exploration of the Louisiana Purchase, are supposed to have smooth, plain edges. The new Presidential dollars have incuse edge lettering that includes the year of minting, a Mintmark and the mottos, In God We Trust and E Pluribus Unum.

"Ron Guth, PCGS President said, "Even with the Mint taking steps to carefully produce coins, valuable errors like these could happen. We've already seen, certified and graded some Presidential dollars that have no lettering on the edge. The United States Mint is still making the plain-edged Sacagawea dollars while also striking literally hundreds of millions of the Presidential coins. Sooner or later, we believe a Sacagawea coin will be erroneously made with lettering on the edge, or will be over-struck with the both the Sacagawea and Presidential designs on the same coin. We'll pay $10,000 just to be the first to authenticate them." PCGS also is offering a $2,500 finder's reward for the first blank Presidential dollar it receives where there is only the edge lettering but no design on the front or back.

"It's possible that a planchet intended for a Presidential dollar might only get struck for the lettering around the edge, and not go through the earlier 'heads and tails' part of the minting process," explained Guth. "We're asking the public, collectors and dealers to carefully look at their money. You could find a fortune in your pocket change if it's the 'right' dollar that's been made wrong."
Additional information is available from Professional Coin Grading Service at (800) 447-8848. E-mail: info@PCGS.com.

March 16, 2007 -- Some time ago I was talking to the English engraver who cut the CONECA Twentieth Anniversary medal die for the club. In passing he mentioned that he was cutting a die for an coin design that would actually be struck on a normally centered planchet but would look like an Off Center strike. Well, it seems that die was destined to become the obverse for Fred Weinberg's new advertising token (or what is often referred to as a store card). The store card is about 27 mm which is a bit larger than one of the new Washington dollars. Neato Fred!

In The News ...
J.T. Stanton New CEO of PCI Coin Grading Service

January 11, 2007 -- ROSSVILLE, GA—Noted numismatist J.T. Stanton has joined the team at PCI Coin Grading Service, Inc., as chief executive officer to focus the attention of the Chattanooga, Tennessee, suburban firm on collectors and the hobby.
“We are working to make PCI an even better player within the hobby, especially with respect to variety attributions,” says Brian Beardsley, who is PCI’s majority stockholder. “To do so, meant we needed someone with J.T.’s knowledge, experience and credentials to help lead us. With J.T. at the helm, there is no telling how far we can go.”

Stanton says, “I think this is a great opportunity for me and PCI. I feel my business and numismatic experiences provide the perfect background to take on this challenge. I look forward to working with the fine staff of PCI, getting to know the many loyal customers and advancing the services of PCI."
To better work for and with collectors, Stanton says one of his first tasks will be “overseeing dramatic improvements to PCI’s web site (http://www.pcicoins.com/), making the site more user friendly, more informative, more educational, and offering more services and products.”

A specialist in die variety and error coins, Stanton has been involved with numismatics since childhood, when he was introduced to coin collecting by a family friend. Working in a friend’s convenience store he found silver dollars, Walking Liberty halves, Mercury dimes and Indian Head cents that were still in circulation.

He is the co-author with Bill Fivaz of the Cherrypickers’ Guide to Rare Die Varieties and has authored numerous articles and videos. He also has served as an instructor at the American Numismatic Association’s (ANA) Summer Seminar for more than a decade.

Stanton has served on the boards of governors of ANA and the Combined Organizations of Numismatic Errors Collectors of America (CONECA), serving as president of CONECA from 1987-90.

J.T. is the recipient of numerous awards, including ANA’s Medal of Merit, Glenn Smedley, Adult Advisor and Presidential awards, CONECA’s Dr. Lyndon M. King Award, Krause Publications’ Numismatic Ambassador Award, and the sixth recipient of the Florida United Numismatists’ A.J. Vinci Memorial Award for Excellence in Numismatic Education (#6). Stanton also is a member of the CONECA Hall of Fame.

For more information about PCI, visit them on the Web at PCIcoins.com, or contact J.T. Stanton via e-mail at jtstanton@pcicoins.com; or at PO Box 486, Rossville, GA 30741, phone 706-861-0200, fax 706-861-7009

January 11, 2007 -- Could a lowly Lincoln cent in your pocket be worth thousands of dollars? Absolutely! Error-variety coins with significant values are found every day in pockets, coin purses and coin jars across the nation! Well-known, error and variety coin specialists, Ken Potter and Brian Allan have teamed up to pen the book, Strike It Rich With Pocket Change to show you just how and where to find these coins. Intended to be an excellent source of information for the novice through advanced collector, it covers important die varieties and errors known on United States coins from cents through dollars. The emphasis is on coins with values ranging mostly from about $50.00 up to $125,000.00 that might still be found in pocket change. Released in the Fall of 2006 by Krause Publications of Iola, Wisconsin, it is the most in-depth work of its kind. It covers doubled dies, repunched mintmarks, over mintmarks, abraded die varieties (such as coins with missing designer’s initials), mismatched die combinations (commonly referred to as mules), counter clashes, transitional errors, die design changes, striking errors, planchet errors, etc.

The soft-cover, 6”x 9” digest size book spans 270 pages and is illustrated with over eight hundred high quality photos showing the reader where to look and what to look for on every single variety coin listed. It contains other important information including coin values, chapters on worthless forms of doubling often confused as valuable types, a cross reference to other listing numbers, coin grading, tools of the trade (magnifying glasses, scales, coin holders, etc), coin preservation, a treatment on minor varieties, a chapter on common myths associated with error-variety coins, how to buy and sell coins, finding States Quarter errors, terms and definitions, recommended reading, joining clubs and more!

The book is now available through major book stores or may be ordered directly from the Ken Potter by sending $16.99 per copy plus $3.65 shipping payable to: Ken Potter, P.O. Box 760232-YB, Lathrup Village, MI 48076. Potter will autograph the book upon request. More information on the book can be found here: http://koinpro.tripod.com/Books/StrikeItRichBookFS.htm

    January 11, 2007 -- Atlanta, Georgia – Whitman Publishing, LLC is proud to announce the release of the long-awaited latest edition of one of America’s most popular and frequently used coin books: The Cherrypickers’ Guide to Rare Die Varieties—Fourth Edition, Volume Two. This volume covers all United States series from silver half dimes through silver and modern dollars, all gold denominations, and classic commemoratives.
    This is the result of many years of cumulative research and finessing by the lead authors, Bill Fivaz and J.T. Stanton, in cooperation with many collectors, scholars, dealers, and others in the numismatic community. The book presents information unavailable in any other single source.
    By means of the Cherrypickers’ Guide the reader will be able to view “ordinary” coins, including those in modern series, and identify varieties with characteristics that make them rare and valuable. There are hundreds of instances in which an everyday Franklin half dollar, Washington quarter, Mercury or Roosevelt dime, Morgan silver dollar, gold dollar, commemorative, or other coin can multiply many times in value if it is of an interesting variety. Examples include repunched dates, doubled lettering, and other oddities typically distinguished under a low-power magnifying glass.
    Fivaz and Stanton give tips as to the first places to quickly look on a coin for identification, plus a guide to rarity, and market values in several levels. Accompanying each coin is a narrative relating to the significance of the variety.
    “This is a book for every coin collector and dealer,” said Whitman publisher Dennis Tucker. “It's essential to a numismatic library -- one of those books that quickly pays for itself with use.”
    New to this edition is a revised numbering system to simplify the complex system in use earlier. The new system uses digits denoting the denomination, the date, the mintmark (if applicable), then a three or four digit number, the last in a logical series. The system is easy to use. A complete cross reference is given with the old system, enabling collectors and dealers to bring their listings up to date.
    Bill Fivaz and J.T. Stanton are among the most familiar figures in numismatics, contributing much to the hobby, including in seminars, talks, displays, articles in numismatic publications, and more. Fivaz, a past governor of the American Numismatic Association, is a two-time recipient of the ANA Medal of Merit, and has won the Farran Zerbe Award, and other numismatic honors. He currently serves on the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee, and recently authored Whitman’s United States Gold Counterfeit Detection Guide. Stanton has served as a director and president of CONECA, and as a governor of the ANA. A respected instructor at the ANA’s Summer Seminars, he is the recipient of the Medal of Merit, the Glen Smedley Award, and many other numismatic distinctions.

August 13, 2006 -- As most folks know, there are several independent entities listing and attributing die varieties on modern coins besides CONECA. The result is that many die varieties end up with several different attribution numbers representing the entities that have listed them. Because varieties are most often listed sequentially in the order in which they are submitted, it means that one coin may be listed by CONECA DDR-01, #2 at another service and perhaps as #5 at yet another. When word came out that the Professional Coin Grading Service was going to attribute the 2005 Minnesota "Extra Tree" quarters by die-number, the various attributers recognized the importance of unifying to make sure that each variety bore the same number at all the services. As new varieties are reported they are placed on a private web page so that all attributers know what the number is. PCGS will also pull its numbers from this page, and for once, we will see unity in what each of those numbers represents! Each of the attributers has also agreed that any images needed by any of the attributers may be used free of restrictions. So for anybody who suggested we'd never be able to work together, this is just one more of several examples in recent years, of our group banding together for the advancement of a common cause.

June 29, 2006 -- Whether you are a serious buyer, a tire kicker or just an observer you'll want to take a look at the magnificent collection of Off Metal and Wrong Planchet Ike Dollars that can be viewed on the Mint Error News web site! According to MEN editor, Mike Byers, "the group of errors are excessively rare with only a few known. These are the ultimate off-metals that are coveted by serious collectors of major mint errors. They came out of an old time mint error collection that was assembled over 35 years ago." You can see the collection here: http://minterrornews.com/news-6-28-06-ike_off_metals.html

"Oh, No It Ain't ...!" #33
Most Overstrike Amusement Tokens
Are NOT Errors
by Ken Potter -- NLG

Photo by Geoff Noe/ ©Ken Potter 1987/Token courtesy of Ken Potter

March 12, 2006 -- So you’ve run into a dealer or an auction with an Amusement token of one flavor or another that is marked on the holder as being a rare overstrike error. The piece appears to be of a vintage dating back into the 1940s or maybe earlier and perhaps it is worth the $30 or $40 price tag on the holder. Or is it? Is it even an error? Read on and learn and then you be the judge.

"Oh, No It Ain't ...!" #32
Fake Silver Dime Blanks Still Plague Hobby
by Ken Potter -- NLG

Click On Picture To See Larger View
Photo © Ken Potter 2004

February 26, 2006 -- Back in the late 1980s, the marketplace became flooded with hundreds of alleged silver dime blanks and planchets that boasted major errors. The bulk of the pieces turned up virtually overnight and were implied to have escaped from the U.S. Mint. In The Error Shuttle Coin Magazine #15, (issued in the summer of 1989), this author exposed these pieces as being of a silver content lower than that of a 90% silver dime blank and thus as being something far less significant than what they were being touted as. In terms of dollars and cents the fraud was rather insignificant but it terms of the number of dealers who were deceived by the supplier of the blanks and the number of pieces involved, it was large! It was also a major embarrassment to an entire industry that had been so blinded by greed that it failed to heed the old axiom: if it sounds too good to be true -- it probably is.

"Oh, No It Ain't ...!!" #31
"Spooned Coins" Fool Many Newcomers
by Ken Potter -- NLG

September 12, 2004 -- One of the more exotic alterations that almost all errorists will encounter at some point in their travels is what I refer to as a "Spooned Coin" (for lack of anything better to call them at this point.) Robert "Murphy" Tingle of New Albany, Indiana sent in images of one to share with readers. He affectionately refers to it as his "elephant man cent." He was told it was made, "after minting by the process called spooning. It is smaller than a normal cent ... and the edge is very smooth and rounded, as if tapped many times by a spoon."
In fact, that is pretty much the standard explanation given by most specialists as to how coins with this configuration are created. As the story goes, in the days of WWI ...

Click On Picture To See Enlargement

May 7, 2005 -- Chris Venna shares a fake Double Strike on a genuine 1967 Kennedy half dollar. It is one of several variations that are made by hammering or squeezing in a vise, stacks of two or more coins between leather or wood. This would be a more complicated type that would involve stacking and restacking some of the coins with new coins at least twice to arrive at this effect.

"Oh, No It Ain't ...!!" #30
A Fake Incomplete Clip Fools The Experts!
by Ken Potter -- NLG

Photo courtesy of Mike Diamond
Is it an Incomplete Clip Or Not?

August 2004 / Installment #30 -- According to, Mike Diamond, who submitted this coin, it was one of the first "error" coins he ever purchased. Find out why he decided it was a fake!

March 11, 2004 / Installment #27 -- Obviously, it doesn't take much to figure out these items are not what they might appear to be at first glance -- or they wouldn't be in this column. So just what are they? The answer is really simple, yet coins like these frequently puzzle folks when they are encountered in circulation or rolls ...

October 16, 2004 -- The subject coin appears to have started out as a normal silver dime blank. It then acquired a heavy sintered coating of copper from cent blanks while stuck in an annealing oven. The blank was then run through the upset mill (to raise the rims) and was later struck by cent dies. However before making this call, we'd like feedback from readers that may be able reaffirm our findings or add other thoughts or information to the equation. Note: Fred Weinberg had determined the coin to be a heavy copper wash on a Cuban planchet. More later as we get the details.

March 25, 2005 -- As a long time dealer and collector of numismatic coinage (41+years), and ANA LM , And CONECA LM , I am saddened by the new so-called "FIRST STRIKE" label being attached to bullion coinage minted before a certain time limit being marketed and sold as "first strikes". This is a very bad precedent to fool around with, in my opinion. I beg all advertisers to clearly distance your coin descriptions, and to stop using this new and unusual method to create this new marketing tool from confusing an already confused Public about grading in general. Actually this type of labeling should not even be "a grade". An early striking of coins by new dies made anytime during the year are usually proof-like in appearance on both sides and should be the only coins that can truly be labeled FIRST IMPRESSIONS OR STRIKES! Usually only a handful of coins struck from newly made new dies put into service will be deeply proof-like in appearance. Also those properly described proof-like business strikes can come from dies put into service as many times as there are new dies made throughout any time of that year. This is my person thoughts and I wish others would "speak" on this subject. Pro or Con, this subject would make a good forum for PUBLIC thought. It is also possible to have just one side of a coin be considered a first strike from a newly, put into service die, that replace a previously damaged die side as long as the finished die produces some proof-like examples and is so described as a first impression from new dies THAT IS PROOF-LIKE IN APPEARANCE.
What comes into "play" here is that if all the dies used to produce bullion coinage are sandblasted so that there is no such thing as PL surfaces, then none of the coinage now called "first strikes" from those types of working dies should be able to be advertised as first strikes unless all advertisers put a disclaimer into their ad's "DO NOT CONFUSE OUR "FIRST STRIKES" LABELING TO MEAN THAT OUR COINS WERE STRUCK FROM DIES NEWLY PRESSED INTO SERVICE, WITH FIRST STRIKES FROM NEW DIES, BUT THAT OUR FIRST STRIKES CAN BE PROVEN (RECEIVED) TO HAVE BEEN MINTED IN THE FIRST 30 (or less) DAYS OF THERE BEING MINTED! CONFUSED ALREADY????????? I wish no harm to befall sellers of this marketing tool, but better talk now then make things worse in the future. Name withheld.
Editor's Note: It should be noted that this is not a "new" label just now being applied to early releases of bullion coinage. Certain dealers have been doing it for years. This, of course, does not make it right.

Image Courtesy Of Heritage Galleries & Auctioneers
Here is the first page of the collection

    December 19, 2005 -- Dallas, Texas: Heritage Galleries & Auctioneers (HG&A) will offer a unique and complete collection of off-center Lincoln cents, possibly only one of its kind in existence, at their official January 3-7, 2006 Florida United Numismatists Signature Auction.
http://www.heritagecoins.com/common/prlink.php?Sale_No=394&Lot_ID_No=312001&type=prte-pr121205c
    "This grouping of 95 coins, complete by year and mintmark from 1959 through 2004 (no 2004-D), was compiled by a dedicated East Coast collector whose interest in off-center cents began in the sixties at a time when there was no complete reference on the subject," said Jim Stoutjesdyk, Vice-President for HG&A. "Some older references claimed that certain dates did not exist minted off-center; however, with a lot of perseverance and a few lucky breaks, this set was completed."
    "The consignor of this eclectic collection considers himself fortunate," Stoutjesdyk said, "because many dealers do not know the rarity of some dates minted off-center. For example, he was able to purchase the 1960-P for $30, although he would gladly have paid in the hundreds."
    "Although some error collectors collect by grade," Stoutjesdyk continued, "other factors are usually more important to the specialist. While many of the coins in this collection are uncirculated, this set was put together with a focus on how much off-center the coin was, the direction of the strike from the planchet, and the appearance of the coin."
    "Heritage is known for handling some of the finest Registry Set collections," said Stoutjesdyk. "While this collection hardly qualifies as a Registry Set, it contains pieces that are far more rare and difficult to acquire."
    "The reaction of the Heritage numismatists who viewed this collection speaks volumes about the uniqueness of this set," commented Stoutjesdyk. "The years of patience, persistence, and dedication to collecting by the owner of this set were immediately apparent to everyone on our staff. Viewing this set really rekindled the collecting spirit in all of us at Heritage."
    For more information about Heritage’s auctions, and a complete record of prices realized, along with full-color, enlargeable photos of each lot, please visit our Permanent Auction Archives at www.HeritageGalleries.com.
    To reserve your copy of any Heritage auction catalog, please contact Nicole Jewell at 1-800-872-6467, ext. 272, or visit HeritageGalleries.com to order by email.

December 19, 2005 -- Mint Error News Magazine 2006 Special Edition is now online! You can download a PDF copy of it here: http://minterrornews.com Give it some time to load because it is 240 pages. If you are on the mailing list your copy will be mailed soon. Also, Mint Error News Magazine recently placed the error article content of every issue in one place. See the index here: http://minterrornews.com/contentlist.html

Many of you know L.G. Davenport, one of the movers and shakers in the early days of NECA and later on, CONECA. L.G. has commissioned the majority of his error collection to the American Numismatic Rarities' "Prescott Collection" auction that will go under the hammer in Orlando on January 3, 2006 at the FUN convention. The errors are all PCGS slabbed and consist of some incredible pieces (off-metals, etc.). I thought members might like to have a "heads-up" on this important sale so you could bid or at least request a catalog from ANR. ANR's address is: P.O. Box 1804, Wolfeboro, NH 03894. Phone: (866) 811-1804, and e-mail: auction@anrcoins.com.

October 09. 2004 -- Are doubled-die coins being struck? Recent reports of discoveries have prompted the U.S. Mint to examine the question.

August 14, 2004 -- An exciting collection of nineteenth and twentieth century error coins will be offered in Heritage's official ANA Signature Auction taking place in Pittsburgh, August 18-21 at the ANA's World's Fair of Money. Several dozen unusual error coins have been assembled by numismatist Larry Rausch. Over two dozen of the lots can be seen illustrated on the Heritage site and run the gamut from a 25% Off Center 1857 Flying Eagle cent through an Off Center 1883-O Morgan dollar.

Click Picture For More Images
Stock photo shown - may or may not be of one of the exact coins offered in the sale
Photo © Ken Potter 2000 / Coin courtesy of Steve Pellegrini

July 16, 2004 -- According to Heritage Galleries & Auctioneer in their July 16 Heritage Connections e-newsletter, a pair of popular "Superbird" proof 1952 quarters will be placed under the auctioneer's hammer at Pittsburgh Signature Auction. Heritage is the official auctioneer of the 2004 American Numismatic Association's "World's Fair of Money" convention, to be held in Pittsburgh the week of August 16 to 21. Heritage details the history of the coin and notes that Bill Fivaz states it will be going into the second volume of the 4th edition of The Cherrypickers' Guide To Rare Die Varieties and that ANACS and NGC are now attributing the variety on their holders. The 1952 proof "Superbird" quarter, which exhibits what appears to be an "S" on the eagle's breast, is presumed by some to be the result of accidental or deliberate "touch-up" in that area when an engraver went in to work on the die to strengthen up wing feather outlines. Evidence of this strengthening can be seen in enlargement photos assessable by clicking on the image above.

Dec. 20, 2003 -- Heritage Numismatic Auctions' latest online newsletter, Heritage Connections, offers an interesting discussion on the pros and cons of a 1928 Standing Liberty quarter that was possibly struck within the Mint on an underweight cent planchet (or fragment thereof) with the obverse die exhibiting "odd, abnormal die cracks." To see images and the complete story go here: Seldom seen selections: 1928 Quarter Struck on a Cent Planchet

    July 18, 2003 -- CONECA Member, Eric von Klinger, (more widely known as the current editor of Coin World's, Collectors' Clearinghouse column and author of many other error-variety related coin articles), takes a close look at the three die pairs known for 1922 "No D" cents and explains why "Die Pair 2" is the variety that "brings big money." In his article, 1922 'Plain' Cent Not Quick To Catch On; Confusion Ruled, in the July 28, 2003 issue of CW, page 16, he shows photos of all three die pairs detailing the diagnostics of each variety-error.
     He also gives the reader an interesting historical perspective of the variety and examines the so-called "Weak D" or "Broken D" varieties.
    This is must reading for anybody seriously considering the purchase of a 1922 "No D" cent that is not already familiar with the diagnostics.

Opinions expressed in articles or other features posted on the CONECA web site do not necessarily represent official CONECA policy or those of it's officers. The act of submitting material shall constitute an expressed warranty by the contributor that the material is original; if not, the source and permission must be provided.

In The News ... J.T. Stanton New CEO of PCI Coin Grading Service

In The News ...
J.T. Stanton New CEO of PCI Coin Grading Service