TRIVIA: Do You Know?

Just how much do you know about U.S.A. coins? Which of the commemorative issues involving two denominations have the same design?
　
There is only one commemorative issue involving two denominations that have the same design on both sides:
　
That issue was minted as a memorial to Ulysses Grant and is dated 1922. The two coins (silver Half Dollar and gold Dollar) not only bear the same design on both sides, but they share another sameness, namely,
　
According to mint documents, Laura Gardin Fraser's design included a star in the field of the coin's obverse on both denominations. The star was placed above the "N" in GRANT. All early strike coins of both denominations bear that star. Later strikes don't.
　
4,256 silver Half Dollars exhibit star
67,405 silver Half Dollar are minus the star
　
Gold Dollars have an even split:
5,016 with star and 5,016 without star
　
1922 Grant Memorial Silver Half Dollar (Star):
　
(Goldberg Auctions photo)
　
http://images.goldbergauctions.com/php/lot_auc.php?site=1&sale=16&lot=806
　
1922 Grant Memorial Silver Half Dollar (No Star):
　
(coinpage.com photo)
　
http://www.coinpage.com/coin-image-2893.html
　
1922 Grant Memorial Gold Dollar (Star):
　
(Goldberg Auctions photo)
　
http://images.goldbergauctions.com/php/lot_auc.php?site=1&sale=41&lot=1842
　
1922 Grant Memorial Gold Dollar (No Star):
　
(earlycommemorativecoins.com photo)
　
http://earlycommemorativecoins.com/1922-grant-memorial-gold-dollar/
　
Hope you enjoyed reading about this trivia on the 1922 Grant Mermorial commemorative issues...
　
Clinker

 

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Thanks Clinker. I imagine the star is more valuable then. I have a small collection of early commems, including the Grant, and tonight when I get home, I'll be checking to see if I have a star!

 

Thanks for reading and commenting. Whether or not your Grant has a star, you're a Star on this Forum!

Clinker

 

Thank you for the post. I believe the star is incuse (inverse relief) on the field. I'm not an avid collector of the series but I recall hearing that some unscrupulous individuals were known to have punched a star into the coin to make it the more valuable type. Does anyone know if this is true or is it just an urban legend?

 

Hi collect89:

You are right the stars are incused in the field...

Clinker

 

I've heard of this also and read that one of the ways of detecting this "doctoring" is to look on the reverse of the coin for a slight bulge opposite of were the star would appear on the obverse.

Great trivia again Clinker!

 

Most "added" stars aren't incuse like the originals. Thanks for your input and comment...

Clinker

 

In honor of today (Clinker's birthday) I am hereby bumping this thread. A good read too.

 

Always an honor to read a 'Clinker' bump..........