In The News Archive

    April 21, 2008 -- The Combined Organizations of Numismatic Error Collectors of America (CONECA) has planned its Errorama celebration in conjunction with the American Numismatic Association World's Fair of Money in Baltimore in July and August.
    CONECA members and their guests are invited to meet at Mother's Federal Hill Grille on Friday August 1 from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Mother's is located at 1113 S. Charles Street, within walking distance from the convention center. An awards banquet will feature great food and drink, a presentation by Chris Pilliod entitled "A Guide to Understanding Mint Errors", and drawings for prizes. CONECA Board member and Errorama chairman, Al Raddi, said he hopes to have 50 or more members and guests attend.
    More information can be found on the www.conecaonline.org web site. Reservations for the banquet set at $30 per person can be made by contacting Al Raddi at alraddi@aol.com.
    CONECA's plans at the ANA Convention also include a club table where members may gather to talk and share their finds. A general meeting is scheduled from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. Saturday August 2, at the convention center in Room 319r. A Cherrypicker's Award for the best error and/or variety found at the convention will be conferred in a meeting from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. in Room 318th on the same day.
                                                                                                                                                                             Submitted by Al Raddi.

    April 26, 2008 -- This year's ANA Summer Seminar offers the mainstay class The Modern Minting Process: Error and Varieties and two other related courses on the subject! The newest course, which also happens to be the first that will be offered this year, will be taught by CONECA past-president and 20^th Century Die Variety Attributer, James Wiles, and Coppercoins.com founder, author and attributer, Charles Daughtrey (Note: this course has been cancelled due to a lack of enrollees). The second class is also taught by James Wiles. The instructor for the third class is Lane Brunner, Ph.D., author and collector.
    Click here for additional details on the classes.
    Join your numismatic family for the 40th Annual ANA Summer Seminar, held on the campus of The Colorado College in beautiful Colorado Springs. Session I dates are Saturday, June 21, to Friday, June 27; session II, Saturday, June 28 to Friday, July 4, 2008.
    Contact the ANA at www.money.org to register!

February 27, 2008 -- In today's fast-paced world, amongst our youth, there seems to be dwindling interest in noble hobbies such as coin collecting. There just does not seem to be enough hours in the day for young people to sit down and appreciate a coin; what it represents, the history behind it and how it was made.
However, there are exceptions and one of them is nine year old Kelsey Russell. It seems that Kelsey has developed an interest in variety coins from watching her father, CONECA member, Kenneth Russell, (who is an avid cherrypicker-collector), and she has found two Jefferson five-cents "Ocean In View" reverse doubled dies. This alone is quite an accomplishment for anyone, more so for a person of Kelsey's age.
In view of this, CONECA feels that this interest should be encouraged and has decided to bestow Kelsey with a one-year honorary Young Numismatist Membership to our organization. Hopefully, we will see more of today's youth, like Kelsey, joining our ranks!
Submitted by BJ Neff

February 09, 2008 -- The Central Florida Coin Club will be conducting their semi-annual Coin and Money show from March 14th through March 16th, at the Central Florida Fairgrounds, 4603 W. Colonial Dr. (Rte. # 50), Orlando Florida. CONECA members will be in attendance, giving verbal attributions on error and variety coins at the club table. Members who renew their dues and folks that apply for new membership at the show, will receive a copy of "Master Hubs and Master Dies of the Lincoln Cent; 1909 to 2006" by BJ Neff on disc format as an added bonus. If you are in the neighborhood, make sure to stop by this excellent coin show.

February 1, 2008 -- Once again, Florida rolled out its finest weather for this event providing warm, sunlit days and mild, almost summer-like nights. Yes, we did have a little rain, however, not enough to interfere with the show or dampen the enthusiasm of the very large attendance.
From the beginning, on Wednesday afternoon (dealers and early birds), everyone seemed abuzz with the rising prices of precious metals and those who specialized in bullion, gold and silver coins were ecstatic with the sales made during the following days of the show.

January 28, 2008 -- CONECA Errorscope editor, Frank Leone, has penned a new error-variety book that documents all of the Major Die Breaks (Cuds) that were in the Sam Thurman collection. Many of these cuds were not shown in previous works produced by Arnie Margolis and Thurman. The book is an 8-1/2 x 11" soft cover, 48 pages in length featuring 157 Cuds ranging from early quarter dollars through the SBA dollar. Both the obverse and reverse of each coin is fully illustrated. Included is a listing number for each cud, a description, value and some of Thurman's notes. Future books for the smaller denominations are planned. Frank has donated 100 copies of the book to CONECA of which 100% of the sale price goes to the club's general fund. They may be order through Ken Potter by sending $15.00 plus $2.99 shipping to: P.O. Box 760232, Lathrup Village, Mi 48076. Make all checks payable to CONECA.

October 02, 2007 -- Arnold Margolis, publisher of Error Trends Magazine, has entered into an agreement that transferred all copyrights, materials, attribution system, and terminology used for The Cud Book, The Design Cud, and related Supplements to The Cud Book, to Frank Leone Rare Coins, Inc. Previous agreements with Sam Thurman transferred all of his ownership in the these materials to FLRC, Inc. Updated reference materials for cuds have been in progress for several years now and this transaction will allow for a more complete product. Any questions may be directed to Frank Leone, FLRC@AOL.COM

November 3, 2007 -- CONECA will be present at the next Florida United Numismatists (FUN) Show scheduled for January 10-13, 2008 and invites members and newcomers to stop by its table to chat and share their finds. CONECA members will be on hand to answer questions and aid collectors with verbal attributions of numismatic errors and varieties.

For those who renew or apply for new membership at this show, a special incentive will be included; a CD of "Master Hubs & Master Dies of the Lincoln Cent; 1909 to 2006" by BJ Neff. There will be a blind give-away of variety and error coins valued from a few dollars and up including a few approaching $100.00, so stop on by and try your luck.

FUN is host of the nation's largest coin show, held annually at the beginning of each year in Orlando, Florida. Over 15,000 collectors and dealers from around the country and world converge in the sunny, mild climate for the first bellwether gathering of the year.

January 10-13, 2008
Orange County Convention Center
Hall NB, North Concourse
9400 Universal Blvd.
Orlando, Florida 32819
Show Hours
Thursday, January 10, 2008----10 AM to 6:30 PM
Friday, January 11, 2008----10 AM to 6:30 PM
Saturday, January 12, 2008----10 AM to 6:30 PM
Sunday, January 13, 2008----10 AM to 3:00 PM

Free Admission

For more information on hotel reservations, exhibiting, show schedule, etc.

August 24, 2007 -- CONECA's Errorscope Online Supplement#2 is now available for viewing! This document has the same look and feel as the current bimonthly printed Errorscope and is the second in a regular series that will made available as a PDF file on the CONECA website. It is edited by Errorscope editor, Frank Leone. It can be accessed here: CONECA Errorscope Online Supplement No.2. Thanks Frank!

July 19, 2007 -- CONECA has launched the Errorscope Online Supplement. This document will have the same look and feel as the current bimonthly printed Errorscope and will be made available as a PDF file on the CONECA website at regular intervals. The inaugural issue can be accessed here: CONECA Errorscope Online Supplement No.1. Thanks Frank!

Members who attended the club meeting included (left to right) – Eric von Klinger, Gary Smith, Robert Mills, James Carrol, Lee Gong, James Wiles, Mike Diamond, Al Raddi, John Roberts, and Jon Sullivan.

The fun started on Thursday August 9, 2007 as members gathered and renewed friendships at the CONECA table at the American Numismatic Association World’s Fair of Money in the Midwest Airline Center in Milwaukee, WI. Our club table was well equipped with a microscope, hand lenses, a good light, a micrometer, a spreading caliper, a magnet, a scale, reference books, and plenty of expertise to help convention goers identify their error and variety coins. We also had eye-catching photos of Indian Head cent errors supplied by the Fly-In Club, back copies of Errorscope and minor errors to give away, club shirts for sale, and club membership applications.

See The Rest Of The Story & Images Here

    August 2, 2007 - CONECA will be represented at the Central Florida Coin Club (CFCC) "Fall Show" this year!. It will be held at the Central Florida Fairgrounds, Building "C", Orlando, Florida, from September 7 through the 9, 2007.

    CONECA will be represented all three days at a special club table where representatives will offer verbal opinions on error and variety coins. There will be give-aways, including variety coins and back issues of ERRORSCOPE. For those who join or renew membership with CONECA at this event, the CD, Master Hubs & Master Dies of the Lincoln Cent; 1909 to 2006 by Robert "BJ" Neff, will be given as a special premium.

    For CONECA members, who wish to help represent our organization at this event, please contact the CONECA table coordinator, Robert "BJ" Neff at InNff@aol.com. More information can be found on the CFCC Fall coin show at the following web site: www.centralfloridacoinclub.org/

Dwain Harbers #1
1. 4 piece lot 1794 One Cent Struck Off Center, Gallery Mint Museum Reproduction and Bowtie clip token engraved by Mike Ellis for his family reunion, Donated by Mike Ellis. 1945 S Micro S Mercury Dime, Donated by Joe Rizdy. 1990 Lincoln Cent with heavy strikethrough on both obverse and reverse, wide AM variety, Donated by Eric Axtell. Est. Lot Retail Value $70.00.

Neal Burnett #2
2. 3 piece lot Brilliant Uncirculated 1948 Franklin Half Dollar with slag inclusion error and Uncirculated 1964 Australia 3 pence brockaged by three struck fragments. Mirror image, incuse images of parts of Elizabeth’s bust. Est. Retail Value $50.00. Donated by Mike Diamond. 1968 S Proof DDO Kennedy Half. Est. Lot Retail Value $85.00. Donated by Joe Rizdy.

Bruce Yaeger #3
3. 3 piece lot 1994 North American Bridge Championship, California Gray Whale reverse, 39 mm Bronze Medals Double Struck and Off -Center Struck, Donated by Ken Potter. 2003 Lincoln Cent, DDO-001, BU. Donated by BJ Neff. Est. Lot Retail Value $75.00

Marc Bravstein #4
4. 7 piece lot 1924 S Lincoln Cent, Goiter Neck, VG and 2002 P Mississippi Washington Quarter, BU, Improperly Annealed, Donated by Fred Weinberg. 1953 D Lincoln Cent RPM # 1, AU; 1954 D Lincoln Cent RPM # 1, BU; 1956 D Lincoln Cent RPM # 1, EF; 1943 Jefferson Nickel DDO, AU and 1954 S Jefferson Nickel RPM # 1, EF, Donated by Mike Ellis. Est. Lot Retail Value $80.00.

Robert Ralston #5
5. 3 piece lot 1910 S Lincoln Cent RPM # 2, PCI slabbed EF, Donated by Paul Funaiole. 1965 Washington Quarter, BU, 5% Clip Planchet, Donated by Fred Weinberg. 1966 SMS Double Profile Kennedy Half. Donated by Joe Rizdy. Est. Lot Retail Value $100.00.

Robert Parlock #6
6. 4 piece lot 2004 Somali Dollar Silver/Red enameled Guitar, Double Struck and 2005 P West Virginia Washington Quarter, reverse Cud at 8:00, BU. Donated by Fred Weinberg. 1966 SMS Double Profile Kennedy Half and 1982 P Kennedy Half. No “F” Designers Initial. Donated by Joe Rizdy. Est. Lot Retail Value $80.00.

Keith Bock #7
7. 4 piece lot Sacramento Valley Coin Club, Twenty Fifth Anniversary bi-metallic General Mint Museum Token and 1794 Obverse, 1793 Reverse One Cent, Gallery Mint Museum reproduction. Approximately 20 minted. Donated by Mike Ellis. 2000, 756th Airlift Squadron, Andrews AFB Maryland, Y2K reverse, 39mm Bronze Medal and Steve Yzerman 39mm Bronze Hocky medal, Detroit Redwings Logo reverse, both Struck Off Center, Donated by Ken Potter. Est. Lot Retail Value $100.00.

Craig Keplinger #8
8. 4 piece lot Brilliant Uncirculated 1945 P Nickel struck through small fragment. Incuse “V” from FIVE in shallow recess and 1972 Lincoln Cent with one of the nine Doubled Dies, Circulated, AU 50, Donated by Mike Diamond. 2000 Air Force Academy, Eagle Reverse, 39mm Bronze Medal Off-Center Struck and Astronaut Hall of Fame, 30th anniversary of Apollo II mission, 39mm Bronze Medal Off-Center Struck. Est. Lot Retail Value $85.00. Donated by Ken Potter.

Blaine Coffey #9
9. 2 piece lot 2005 11pc Proof Set. 5 Cents has Die Crack from rim through LIBERTY and a small Die Crack on the reverse at “O” of “OF”, Donated by Fred Weinberg. 2004 Lincoln Cent, DDR-001, BU. Donated by BJ Neff. Est. Lot Retail Value $150.00

Autrey Lunsford #10
10. 1 piece lot 1971 S ICG Proof 64 Cameo RPM # 3, DDO-001 Lincoln cent. An extremely rare variety. Donated by Paul Funaiole. Est. Lot Value $550.00.+

May 20, 2007 -- Years after they made their original purchases, buyers of CONECA's 2003-issued Twentieth Anniversary Medal Five-Piece Sets began receiving a surprise gift in the mail. The gift was a canceled-die version of the club's Twentieth Anniversary medal that was broadstruck on a slightly oversize solid bronze planchet. It was sent out in mid-May with a letter of thanks from the club and an invitation for noncurrent members to rejoin. According to CONECA Medals Program Coordinator, Ken Potter, "these medals represent an alloy the club didn't originally strike, plus they feature the club's Twentieth Anniversary logo side struck with the die canceled with a large "X" across its face. Thus, they function as 'numismatic proof' that no more of the original pure silver or pure copper club medals can ever be made from this die again."

CONECA offered its Twentieth Anniversary sets in 2003 through about mid 2004. It included a normal strike and a double-strike in pure copper; and a normal strike, an off-center-strike and a double-strike in pure silver. They were 38.1 mm or the diameter of an original United States Morgan silver dollar and featured a Morgan dollar motif on the obverse struck by a die loaned to the club by the Royal Oak Mint who specializes in rare coin reproductions. Depending on the packaging option chosen, the price of the set ranged from abound $125.00 to $185.00. The medals were also offered individually with the final number of pieces distributed within all formats ranging from 64 pieces for the double-struck copper (which was a premium issue included only with the complete sets at no charge) to 150 pieces for the normal copper strike.

Potter said: "With the approval of the Board, I had the CONECA logo die canceled several years ago just in case at some point it fell into wrong hands. I then offered it to the club as a sort of traveling exhibit for the club's annual Errorama celebration, which is held in conjunction with the American Numismatic Association's Summer Convention every year. However, it just ended up sitting on my bookshelf for several years with me looking at it every so often and thinking what a great idea it would be to strike an inexpensive canceled-die version of the medal to give away to buyers of the sets. After all, the club did well on the sales of the medals and it seemed an appropriate gesture." Potter noted in the letter that accompanied the gift that the canceled-die medals were struck on: "39 mm golden-bronze planchets, an alloy we did not offer the medals in previously, and they were all Broadstruck by feeding them [the planchets] into the dies one at a time by hand without the benefit of a collar die." He also noted: "We have decided that we’d like to thank all of our most generous supporters who purchased complete sets by bestowing upon them an example of a medal struck from that canceled die. We think you will find this gift interesting as it is in itself is of very low mintage with only 70 pieces struck. This will allow us to give one per set purchased to all members plus have a half-dozen or so left over for presentation purposes."

Potter also revealed that the club actually struck 105 pure copper double-strike medals and 100 of each of the pure silver off-center and double-strike medals (along with 100 normal strikes in silver that sold out). While overages of the silver error types were returned to the Minting facility and melted, they would not accept the remaining copper pieces for melt since that Mint buys its copper strip prefab. Potter said, "We were stuck with an overage of 41 double-strike coppers and nothing we could do with them since we had already decided that the number extant would be equal to the number distributed at the time sales were ended, with any overage destroyed for all silver versions and double strike coppers (only the normal copper strike continued to be offered). So we eventually returned the copper double-strikes to the Mint to have a third strike applied to them as a broadstruck-centered-flip-over-strike with the canceled die, creating a very interesting concoction. These will be used as awards for all members submitting articles that appear in the club's journal, Errorscope and/or the club's website (www.conecaonline.org) during the next literary awards year that will tentatively run from May 2007 through April 2008. Based on the current number of writers we now average per year, we assume this will allow anybody who wants one to get one and it might encourage a few more members to write." He said that more details on CONECA's current literary awards program would be forthcoming.

May 19, 2007 -- Fellow CONECA members: www.varietyvista.com is CONECA's new online center for all things related to 20th (and 21st) Century United States die die varieties! This is the fastest, most convenient place to find the latest research and photos.

Why did we create www.varietyvista.com? In the four years since our last attribution guides were published, James Wiles, CONECA's 20th Century US Die Variety Attributer, had to write and rewrite one book four times in varying formats. Yet the book remains unpublished! According to Wiles, the frequent changes and complications of technology caused the frequent rewrites and hampered publication. The printed page has become expensive and dated. However, the limitations in size, layout, and color inherent to the printed page are not present to internet publishing. So he sought a new method to bring to you the best presentation of the best variety research available.

One result of these efforts is www.varietyvista.com. Here you will find a website filled with high-quality, high-magnification photos of the most sought-after and newest die varieties. Check it out today and check it out often. We are in the beginning stages of what promises to be the premier reference for die variety collectors. The site is continually expanding as we post both new and older varieties.

Another result of these efforts is the electronic attribution guide -- what is referred to an E-Book, or a website on CD. The Top 100 Lincoln Cent RPMs & OMMs E-Book by Wiles is in production and will be available for shipping in June 2007. Watch for additional information on www.varietyvista.com. Collectors wishing to gain more information about the new CONECA site may contact Wiles at jameswiles@sbcglobal.net.

April 9, 2007 -- The Combined Organizations of Numismatic Error Collectors of America (CONECA) will hold its annual Errorama celebration in conjunction with the American Numismatic Association's, ANA World's Fair of Money® to be held at the Midwest Airlines Center, Milwaukee, WI, Wednesday through Sunday, August 8 - 12. Information on exhibiting, airline travel, etc., can be found on the ANA Website here: ANA Convention Plans. To date, CONECA's formal plans are scheduled to run from Friday through Sunday August 10 - 12, though one can certainly expect to find plenty of error-variety coins and error-variety friends by attending as early as the Wednesday kickoff of the convention.

CONECA members and their guests are invited to meet at Mader's Restaurant on Friday August 10 from 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM for an Awards Banquet were speakers are planned, awards will be presented and a Winner's Windfall Raffle will be held -- not to mention some fine German food to be served for all to enjoy! Mader's Restaurant is located within walking distance of the convention center at 12037-41 N. Old World Third St. More information can be obtained from them by phone at (414) 271-3377 or on their website at: www.madersrestaurant.com. CONECA Board Member, Al Raddi, who is Errorma Chairperson this year, made arrangements for the banquet and hopes to have 40 or more members and guests in attendance. A flyer that details all the plans for the banquet can be found here: CONECA Errorama Awards Banquet or you may make reservations for the banquet at $30.00 per person attending by contacting him at: Al Raddi, P.O. Box 322, Trinidad, CA 95570-0322 or by phone at 707-677-0233 or email at AlRaddi@aol.com.

CONECA's plans also include, a club table where members may gather to share their finds, meet new error-variety collectors and renew ties with old friends. A general meeting will take place in Room 101-C of the convention center from 9:00 AM to 10:30 AM on Saturday August 11 while a Cherrypicker's Award for the best errors and varieties found at the convention will be held later Saturday evening in the same room from 3:00 PM to 4:30 PM.

The ANA will make hotel reservations at three hotels near the convention site - the Hilton Milwaukee City Center (the host hotel), the Hyatt Regency Milwaukee, and the Holiday Inn City Center. Go to www.money.org; click on Numismatic Events; and select ANA Conventions to get to the hotel reservation form. Rates run from $119 to $150 plus taxes per night for a single/double. Many of these rooms may already be booked so it is important to call for reservations as soon as possible.

Editors Note: A check of available rooms for the three hotels noted above indicates that they were all booked up as of April 9. Persons not already booked may want to look elsewhere for lodging or check later with these hotels for any cancellations that might become available.

    May 16,2006 -- CONECA will be represented at the inaugural Florida United Numismatists (FUN) "Summer Fun" coin show this year! It will be held at the Palm Beach County Convention Center, West Palm Beach, Florida, from July 12 through 14, 2007. Although this show will not be as large as FUN's traditional winter shows, it will still have many of the same worldwide coin and paper money dealers (350 dealer tables in all) who are present at the annual winter shows held in January. If you are in the area, stop in and enjoy this new event!

    CONECA will be represented all three days at a special club table where representatives will offer verbal opinions on error and variety coins. There will also be give-aways including variety coins donated by CONECA member Joe Rizdy of Chicago, CONECA Elongated Cents donated to the club by master elongated cent roller, Ray Dillard of Michigan, and samples issues of the club journal, Errorscope. For those who join or renew membership with CONECA at this show, the CD, Master Hubs & Master Dies of the Lincoln Cent; 1909 to 2006 by Robert "BJ" Neff, will be given as a special premium.

    For members who wish to help, CONECA could use some volunteers to man the table during the course of the three-day event. If you are interested, please contact the CONECA table coordinator, Robert "BJ" Neff at InNff@aol.com. More information on the "Summer Fun" show can be found at the FUN website by going here: http://www.funtopics.org/coin_show.html.

PRESIDENT              MIKE DIAMOND            105
VICE-PRESIDENT        MARK LIGHTERMAN         103
TREASURER               JIM CHECKOVICH           103
SECRETARY               JAMES WILES               108

BOARD SEATS
SEAT # 1                PAUL FUNAIOLE             104
SEAT # 2                FRANK LEONE               106
SEAT # 3                JOE RIZDY                    83
SEAT # 3                JON SULLIVAN                 44
SEAT # 4                SEAN REYNOLDS           104
SEAT # 5                KEN POTTER               105
SEAT # 6                DAVE BOWMAN           104
SEAT # 7                RICH SCHEMMER          105
SEAT # 8                AL RADDI                    105
AT LARGE SEAT         MICHAEL S. TURRINI          96

Submitted by Mike Diamond

    September 07, 2006 -- I had a splendid time in Denver at the ANA World’s Fair of Money. Many hobby luminaries gathered and I spent many enjoyable moments with the likes of Mike Ellis, Charles Daughtrey, Lee Gong, J.T. Stanton, Bill Fivaz, and Chuck Wishon. Folks liked to gather at Fred Weinberg’s table to reminisce and, of course, look at mind-boggling errors. There I met the venerable L.G. (“Long Gone”) Davenport, one of the early pioneers of the hobby and a past president of NECA.
In addition to Fred Weinberg, Jon Sullivan and James Essence had tables set up during the two days I was in attendance. They each had a wide assortment of intriguing errors.
    There was a CONECA meeting at which I was able to recruit a number of board candidates. We also had a fruitful discussion of the direction the club should take after the upcoming elections.
I purchased a few neat errors including a triple-struck foldover strike that cried out to me from Fred Weinberg’s coin case. Fred was also the source of an interesting weak strike combination error that featured a very weak, perfectly centered first strike and a strong off-center second strike. From Jon Sullivan.
    I purchased an extreme example of a rolled-thin cent that weighed only 1.53 grams (vs. the normal 3.1 grams).
    One of the show’s highlights was the release of the long awaited second volume of the 4th edition of The Cherrypickers’ Guide to Rare Die Varieties. Published by Whitman, it is a stellar achievement.
Submitted by Mike Diamond

June 29, 2006 -- Due to scheduling problems, plans for a CONECA club table at the ANA Show have been cancelled. The general meeting is also cancelled. Board member Mike Diamond will be at the convention to represent the club as will be other members. You can page Diamond if he is needed.

June 13, 2006 -- Wow! What a milestone! It's one that we all hope to reach! Alan Herbert has turned 80 years young today! We were going to post a recent picture of him but the most recent image your webmaster had was one that goes back to the mid-1980s at an Errorama! So instead I reached back ever further, and with the permission of Lonesome John Devine (current owner of the now defunct Error-Variety News), dug up the above image of Alan from a biographical sketch created by cartoonist, Sam P. Rodin. Ok! OK! It's over 25 years old but I think you'll all enjoy this look back. Click on the picture or HERE to see the entire sketch. For those of you who want to wish him a Happy Birthday personally, you can send it to: Answerman2@aol.com

SEE: How The US Makes Coins & Currency
History Channel TODAY Saturday, July 1 @ 7pm ET/PT

July 01, 2006 -- If you missed this History Channel's show on the US Mint before you don't want to miss it again! And if you have seen it before, you certainly want to see it again! How does America make money--literally? The History Channel visits the United States Mint and the Bureau of Printing and Engraving to see the secretive government facilities where our legal tender is generated. With a storied past as tantalizing as the wealth they create, these facilities can spit out fortunes in an hour and keep our economy flowing. Don't miss it Saturday, July 1 @ 7pm ET/PT

April 23, 2006 -- Don Barkheimer of Texas visited the CONECA website a week ago and became fascinated with the image of the Philadelphia Mint Counting Room shown below. He's a fellow that sees things that others do not! He went in and took a closer look and this is what he saw (see above). Ok Ok -- so that is not exactly that way it was! Fred and Syd did not really visit the Mint in 1894! What Don did was go down the page and copy of the image of Fred Weinberg and Syd Kass at the ANA and cloned them into this image! Neato!

April 15, 2006 -- Fred Weinberg of Fred Weinberg & Co., sent in the above image a couple months ago to share with members. With tax-day just two days away, which most folks know is April 17th this year, I thought the timing was just right to show this image of the U.S. Mint's counting room in the Philadelphia Mint back in 1894. The caption on the back of this image is: "PA. Phila. U.S. Mint Coiners Counting Room. $100,000 in Gold Displayed" Newly Minted Double Eagles (From Original Glass Negative, owned by Fred Weinberg). At today's gold prices that is just a bit shy of Three Million Dollars! Now, can you imagine the numismatic value of those coins if they still existed today! By the way, you really do need to click on the above image to get the full impact of this scene. We have cropped out the monster-size scale with weights and much of the room in order to fit the image on the home page. Check it out!

November 27, 2005 -- If you don't know Ray Dillard -- well ya just aint been around that long! But to make a long story short, amongst his long list of accomplishments, which we do not have room to list here, he is the fellow that travels from coast to cost and often sets up an elongated cent rolling machine so that clubs can pass them out at the door. Ray, who is the current President of the Flying Eagle Coin club in Flint, Michigan recently asked me to do a presentation (slide show/question answer session) on error-variety coins for the club. My fiancé and I met at his home so that we could all ride together to the meeting. After arriving we decided to take a detour to a storage area where he keeps his large array of roller dies (which contain the impressions for four different elongates on each die) stored on shelves all around one of his rolling machines. It was an amazing lot of dies that could only represent a lifetime of rolling! He then dug out a die that he had purchased within a group from the estate of one of his colleges who had passed several years ago. It contained the incuse reversed impression of the CONECA Logo from which elongates had been rolled a number of years ago! Ray suggested if we ever wanted any just to let him know and he'd roll whatever we need. Well, before I knew it, two weeks later was the Michigan State Numismatic Society Fall Convention (November 25-27) and as I approached Ray at his set up I was greeted with a bag of 100 CONECA Logo elongates for which he refused any payment.
So what do we do with them? Well past ANA President John Wilson, who was standing there suggested using them for our YN Program and it sounded like an excellent idea. So here it is! Any CONECA member that wants one gets it for any donation to the YN fund plus a SASE (I recommend $1 or more BUT donate what you want). YN's get one free for a SASE. It's that simple! While I will probably transfer these over to Joe Rizdy, (who is CONECA's Youth Director) sometime in the future, for now you can send the request to me at the the following address: Ken Potter, P.O. Box 760232, Att: CONECA Elongate Offer, Lathrup Village, MI 48076.

ANA Summer 2005 (Errorama) Report ...
Longtime Errorists Show Up!
by Fred Weinberg
Photos by Sara Weinberg

|
Click On Image For Enlarged View
From left to right:
Jim Layman, John Devine, Fred Weinberg, Peggy Devine

August 08, 2005 -- The CONECA table was upstairs, and although I did stop by a few times when I was upstairs (judging, the talk, and especially looking at the Mint's never-before-seen log books!), I didn't spend more than a minute or two each time. However, the table was always manned and seemed to be nicely organized with handouts available, etc.
Editors Note: Fred also met up with several old-time errorists while at the show and his daughter Sara took pictures of them with him at the Fred Weinberg & Co. table on the main bourse. Errorama was at the American Numismatic Association's, 114th Anniversary "World's Fair Of Money" Convention held in San Francisco on July 27-31, 2005.

Click On Image For Enlarged View
Syd Kass, Fred Weinberg, Bill Fivaz, Xan Chamberlain, Alan Herbert, and Lee Gong

August 30, 2005 -- Fred Weinberg came up with yet another photo of errorists at the 114th Anniversary ANA. This photo was taken at the Numismatic Theatre.

Congratulations to all who won!
Thanks to all who purchased chances!
Thanks to who contributed prizes!
Thanks to Paul Funaiole for running the raffle!

November 13, 2005 -- Some say there was no Errorama this year at the ANA and others say there was. Your webmaster wasn't there so I cannot comment much other than to say it was my understanding that officicially we did have a very low key event this year which was still an Errorama in name. CONECA President, Mike Ellis', At Random Column in July/August 2005 issue of the ErrorScope implies there was an Errorama when he states "there was not much of an Erroram this year ... but we were represented by Lee Gong and company who did his usual stellar job of promoting the club ..." Since our president suggests there was an Errorama (though it admittedly may have not been up to its usual standards since there was no board meeting, general membership meeting, banquet or awards ceremonies) I will record it as an Errorama here. Interestingly, I heard from others (including Lonesome John Devine and Mike Chambers) who seemed to enjoy the event immensely call-it-what-you-want. There was no mention of missing a CONECA banquet or awards ceremonies, etc. From what I gathered, they enjoyed meeting old friends and making new acquaintances more than they missed some of the organized events. It makes one wonder by who's yardstick we measure the success of an event?

August 22, 2004 -- While most folks probably do not use error-variety coin checklists or published classifications as a framework as to what to collect -- just assembling collections based solely on what they prefer -- there are some that enjoy collecting with the aid of a checklist or by classifications created in books such as Alan Herbert's, Official Price Guide To Mint Errors or the list offered in the CONECA Glossary. The idea behind this approach is that the collector assembles a collection with an attempt to own one of each classification no matter how minor or how major it is. CONECA member Mike Diamond has devised a list that folks may want to look over and use as a check list. It can be found here: Mike Diamond's Error-Variety Checklist. He will update it from time to time.

November 13, 2005 -- CONECA Member Mike Byers wrote to tell us that he has a glossary to error coins on his website that can be found here:
http://mikebyers.com/glossary.html

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.

Feb. 25, 2004 -- As many of you have heard, I have been appointed as the numismatic representative to the CCAC (Citizen's Coinage Advisory Committee), the organization that makes recommendations to the Sec. of the Treasury on all new coin designs. I attended my first meeting last week, and am excited about providing input for the decisions in this particular venue of our hobby. At that meeting, I was asked to make a presentation at the next meeting in April in Washington. The subject is of my choice, so because there are several Mint personnel attending the meetings, I thought it would be a great opportunity to provide them with a list of "What Collectors Want From the Mint". In order to do this, however, I'll need as much feedback as I can get from collectors, dealers and hobby enthusiasts. I'm asking as many as I can to provide me with ideas, suggestions, both pro and con, on the subject. Here are a few subjects you may want tocomment on, and I'm sure you can come up with plenty more. All ideas, etc. will be compiled and presented, and this offers a rather unique opportunity to get the Mint's ear on things we're concerned with.
*Better communication (examples?)
*Better Service (examples?)
*More design changes (on what coins?)
*More Commemoratives? Less? (now 2 per yr.)
*Packaging issues or suggestions
*Timing issues (+or-): announcing new
issues, delivering orders, etc.)
*Making material available to coin clubs
*Thoughts on the $1 coin?
*Discontinuance of the $1 bill? 50c?
*Keep the Cent?
*Resurrect old coin designs for circulating coinage? (which ones?)
*Teddy Roosevelt on a coin?
*Change dies more frequently to avoid coins being struck by word or eroded dies?

Would you please e-mail me your ideas as soon as you can so I can pull my presentation together? Thanks very much for your help on this.

Sincerely,
Bill Fivaz
Contact Bill by email at: FEEV@webtv.net

    September 26, 2004 -- A friend of mine recently told me it appeared I was having a lot of trouble tooting my own horn. He knew the Numismatic Literary Guild had bestowed upon me, the NLG Award for the best article (or series or articles) on coins in a numismatic newspaper. In my absence, Dave Harper, Managing Editor of Numismatic News, accepted it for me at the American Numismatic Association convention this past August. When he advised me that I had won it and that he was sending it on to me, I was completely surprised and I might add, delighted.
    Getting back to my friend, he told me that word of the award belonged on my web site and he alluded to it belonging on the CONECA web site too because the subject of the series related to error-variety coins. So here it is!
    I'd like to thank Dave Harper at Numismatic News for finding my series on the recent Spiked Head finds on proof coins, worthy enough for him to submit to the NLG for consideration! I'd also like to thank those at the NLG who did the judging and decided to bestow this prestigious honor upon me for doing so. And to Mike Bozyinski of the Royal Oak Mint -- thanks for giving me the kick needed to toot my horn!
Sincerely,
Ken Potter
CONECA Webmaster

CONECA Proudly Announces the ...
"I Love Error & Variety Coins"
Six-Color Enameled Bronze
"Challenge Coins"
All Profits Go To The YN Fund

Click On Picture For Enlarged Image
These Will Be Available At The CONECA Table At ANA!
(or order below)

     July 17, 2004 -- The Combined Organizations Of Numismatic Error Collectors Of America announces the minting of a six-color enameled bronze "Challenge Coin" type of medal that features the CONECA logo on the obverse and the legend "I Love Error & Variety Coins" on the reverse. These attractive pieces were die-struck, antiqued, enameled and then coated with a heavy layer of lacquer to protect the finish.
    The reverse was designed after a well-received button that CONECA sold a number of years ago (through the Errorscope and at Errorama) for members to wear at coin shows and conventions to let dealers know they were interested in error coins. The original button said "I Love Error Coins" (with a heart in place of the word LOVE) and actually did have a tendency of attracting the attention of dealers who could at times be caught hurrying down an isle yelling to a passing errorist: "I have error coins for sale." This story may sound funny but it is absolutely true!
    We've taken that button design and combined it with our new color logo to create the club's first "Challenge Coin!" In fact, as an interesting tidbit of numismatic history in the making, we may be the fist coin club to make one! Historically, a "Challenge Coin" is a type of medal (most often colorized) that you are "required" to carry with you and be able to present upon being challenged by anybody within your "group" in accordance with a very colorful set of rules. Originally, they were restricted to the military but today, many of the Mints producing these market them to entities that use them solely for commemorative or presentation purposes. Consider ours whatever you want but for the record -- I'll be carrying mine with me!
     The "Challenge Coin" has been specifically approved by the board to help breathe new life into our Young Numismatist Program by directing all profits from the sales of this medal to the YN Fund with a focus on sending YNs to future ANA Summer Seminars. (We also feel that the "Challenge Coin" tradition might catch on and be some fun -- see more detailed history via the link below.)
    It's been a few years since we sent any YNs to the ANA Summer Seminar but we firmly believe that the future of CONECA is in our youth and that such a program is worth revitalizing. We hope that you will help with a small donation in the form of a purchase of these medals (also see the buttons for sale below) and have some fun!   It'll be good for the hobby and you'll love the "Challenge Coin" too!

Members Share ...
Remembering Dr. Berry
by Neil Osina

Dr. Berry at Errorama 1971--he took first place at many major shows around the country

August 23, 2005 -- How many of you remember Dr. Berry? Today, his collection of dollar errors resides in the ANA Museum in Colorado Springs, CO. For many years he resisted buying errors, but I got him started. I opened up my store in 1964 and it was a hole in the wall, a tiny place next to an Unemployment office. He owned the building I rented from him which was two doors away from his dental office in 1964-66. He told me I could pay the rent in coins of my own choice. I gave him the wholesale prices. My rent was only $75.00 a month! He had collected some regular older coins at first. I would continue to show him major error coins which he always played down but within two years he went gung-ho on dollar errors -- mostly Ikes.

We need more remembrances on members and
events (past and present) like this one!
Members -- Please submit!!!

April 09, 2004 -- CONECA has added new books to the CONECA Store starting with Alan Herbert's, Official Price Guide To Mint Errors and PCGS's Official Guide To Coin Grading And Counterfeit Detection. To order or to obtain details on either of the books click on the link below.

March 22, 2004 -- If you haven't visited CONECA's "Other Sites" links page lately you may want to check it out as it is constantly updated to include new links and changes to existing links. Four of the newer links to be added are: The 1883/2 Shield Nickel Webpages, Martin's Error Coin Cabinet (World Errors & Varieties), Attila Coins (Euro Errors) and Israel Error Coins. We think you'll find any of these newer sites interesting and educational. Additionally, we have investigated and updated some dead-links for sites that have new homes (URLs). If you tried getting into a site several months ago and found the link dead -- give it another try. Additionally, if you find a dead-link -- let us know and we'll try to update it.

    Feb. 21, 2004 -- The long awaited Top100 list of Jefferson nickel varieties has finally been compiled by CONECA’s 20th Century Die Variety Attributer/Lister, James Wiles and Jefferson nickel specialist (and CONECA member) Jason Taylor. It is expected that Jefferson nickel variety enthusiasts will be delighted to compete with each other in assembling complete sets.
    Careful consideration was taken when selecting the coins to assure collectors that the most significant varieties got on the list. Several "sub-sets" can also be assembled from the list such as Doubled Die and RPM combinations, a Fivaz-Stanton (Cherrypickers' Guide) set, and date and Mint mark sets.
    The online Jefferson nickel variety master listings will soon include "Top-100" designations in the descriptions similar to the Lincoln cents which already have them incorporated into the listings.
    October 23, 2004 -- Page updated to include images of many of the RPMs.

New To The Web Site...
The CONECA Top 100
Lincoln Cent RPMs Fully Illustrated!
by James Wiles

June 03, 2004 -- CONECA is continuing its effort to bring more variety information to the web site in the form of the Top 100 variety format! The first publication delivered to me for uploading to the CONECA web site is a fully illustrated listing of the Top 100 Lincoln Cent RPMs. Its debut was at the ANA Convention last summer where its author, James Wiles, presented it as one of his slide show programs to the public. It highlights repunched mint marks ranging from the 1909-S/S RPM-001 to the 1989-D/D RPM-009. I'm pretty excited about this work as it at last offers folks that collect by CONECA numbers a template of sorts highlighting the best RPMs for those who don't want to be bothered with the hundreds of minor varieties but like to think of their collection as "complete." Now they can aim for a complete set of the TOP 100. The feature is now ready for viewing!

June 26, 2004 -- Finally, we found the time to do the counts so we could figure out what the total mintages are (actually the number of pieces extant after melting the overage) on the CONECA 20th Anniversary Medals. They are as follows:

CONECA will be present at the next FUN show scheduled for January 8-11, 2004 and invites its members and newcomers to stop by its table and chat and/or share finds!

The Florida United Numismatists is host of the nation's largest coin show, held annually at the beginning of January in Orlando, Florida. Over 15,000 collectors and dealers from around the U.S. and the world converge in the sunny climate for the first bellwether gathering of the year. The next show will be held:

Orange County Convention Center/Civic Center
9800 International Drive, Orlando, Florida

The Citation of
Paul Funaiole
for the
2004 Lyndon King Award
Speech by James Wiles, Ph.D. - CONECA President
August 2004

The Citation of
Ken Potter
for the
2003 Lyndon King Award
Speech by James Wiles, Ph.D. - CONECA President
August 2003

The Citation of
Timothy Wissert
for the
2002 Lyndon King Award
Speech by James Wiles, Ph.D. - CONECA President
August 2003

Timothy has been a CONECA member for about 5 years or so. He got off to a rocky start, teetering between us and NCADD but finally settled on CONECA for his main service to the hobby. For those who haven't met Timothy, he has become IMHO, CONECA's ace cherrypicker. It took him a couple of years to hone his eyes to telling the difference between hub doubling and the many types of false doubling prevalent on our coinage. But, over the last 5 years he has sent me multiple hundreds of coins for attribution. Indeed a close inspection of the Master Listing will reveal that Timothy has reported a tremendous number of coins for listing. Our ability to rebuild the CONECA Master Listing of 20^th Century Doubled Dies in 2002 was due in large part to Timothy's cherrypicking and willingness to support the club by sending in his coins for attribution. Timothy's generosity in sharing his finds with the club have qualified him as CONECA's most outstanding member for 2002.

The Lyndon King Award is about short-term service to CONECA above and beyond the call of duty. Timothy did not have to send his coins in to be attributed against the club's files. He could have sold them, as do many others, as unattributed or inaccurately attributed varieties. But he chose the harder and more determined route. He sent in his coins and he paid the attribution fees as well. Many members only want information from us without having to pay for it or without having to give back. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining, every coin I see helps the files become that much more accurate and complete. What distinguishes Timothy from the others, is that he kept coming back, year after year and with handfuls of coins each time. He understood our need and took pains to help us out. If Timothy had not shared his coins, our files would still be in shambles. Some may say they are just doubled dies and RPMs, but variety collecting is at least half of what makes CONECA the club it is. Timothy portrays the kind of member who gives as much if not more than he receives. He is being honored for that attitude. It is this kind of attitude that will make the future of this club as glorious as its past. Timothy is an excellent model for the Lyndon King Award. Dr. King himself, held no leadership position, but he gave more than he received.

Timothy on behalf of CONECA I present you this plaque as the 2002 recipient of the Lyndon King Award. Congratulations and Thank you.

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.