|
Images courtesy of Byers
Numismatic Corp.
Notes (from the Byers
Numismatic Corp. website, August 6, 2002):
Six months ago, Coin World
reported a front page story regarding the discovery of State Quarters that
were struck on experimental planchets. The article in the November 26,
2001 issue of Coin World describes, in detail, the four types of
composition of these experimental planchets. The article also described
the "tell tale" signs to determine if you have discovered a
State Quarter on an experimental planchet in circulation.
These experimental State
Quarters have sold for as high as $10,000 each, depending on which state,
the coin's condition and which type of experimental composition was used.
To date, there are approximately 15 known State Quarters on experimental
planchets. All five states in the 1999 series (DE, PA, CT, GA and NJ) have
been discovered.
Now...Three SBA Dollars
struck on experimental planchets have been discovered!
These are the same type of planchets that were used when the 1999
Experimental State Quarters were struck.
One of these has the color
of the Sacagawea Dollar but does not have the copper center core. Another
has a slight "green" color and has the copper center core. The
third piece has a slight "green" color but does not have copper
center core. Here are some of the "tell tale" signs to determine
if you have found a SBA Dollar on an experimental planchet in circulation.
WEIGHT - The weight of ALL
of these discovered so far is UNDERWEIGHT - varying from 7.3 grams to 7.6
grams.
SIZE - It is slightly
THINNER than a regular SBA Dollar, due to the lighter planchet.
COLOR - So far, the pieces
discovered are either the same "color" of the Sacagawea Dollar,
or have a slight "green" color to them.
LOOK - The edge is slightly
rough and may have a higher rim around part of the edge.
EDGE - Some of these do NOT
have the center COPPER CORE.
STRIKE - None discovered so
far are proof-like in the fields.
REEDING - Some of these have
incomplete reeding.
LINT MARKS - One of these
has several lint marks on both the obverse and reverse.
In a recent Freedom of
Information Act (FOIA) request for copies of any reports and test results,
the Department of the Treasury acknowledged that "the U.S. Mint
conducted engineering and metallurgical tests as part of its development
of an alloy for the Golden Dollar", but would not release any
information.
PCGS has authenticated all
three known pieces to date. The specimen photographed here is a SBA Dollar
with a slight "green" color and a copper center core.
Significant examples:
PCGS MS-67 (illustrated
above). Sold by Byers Numismatic Corp. in August 2002 for $15,000.00
Sources and/or
recommended reading:
"The PCGS Population
Report, April 2002" by The
Professional Coin Grading Service
|
