I figured the only way I would get a 1982 no mintmark dime would be to buy one. So I bought this one. I learned after I bought it that there are two types, one well struck and one not well struck. This obviously to me is not well struck (by the 2 on 1982). But it's mine , so....
Congrats! That's a great coin. 1982 is about when I started collecting coins as a kid. I still check all the dimes I get in change to see if any are the no mint mark 1982.
It's a beautiful specimen. These were actually made before the well struck coins so have less die wear. Apparently when one of the dies in a quad press was swapped out this die was reset to make better strikes but very soon after this they discovered the missing mint mark and took the die out of service. Normal procedure is to destroy the output of the bad die before it gets out. Mint records on this one though are incomplete if memory serves.
They were big news in 1983 when they were found among the dimes returned to the Sandusky banks by the Cedar Point Amusement Park. A few had been given out in change at the park in 1982 but they were not discovered and most were returned to the banks in a large shipment of $1000 bags. These were all the strong strike variety. Many of them ended up in three or four huge hoards and a few still exist in one of these hoards in all probability. Total mintage has been estimated at 10,000 but I believe this estimate is too low. I've seen specimens from pretty worn dies and have great confidence at least 100,000 were produced. It is entirely possible that almost allof the last strikes were caught and destroyed and only around 10,000 survive; almost all from the first 10,000 strikes. I packed up and headed for Sandusky the minute I heard of it with visions of bringing home numerous examples picked up on the cheap. I hoped to be the first in line when the coin shop opened. Imagine my surprise when there was not only no line but the coin shop didn't open until afternoon. The proprieter had no interest in selling quantiies but I sure caught one very lucky break. In those days no one cared much about quality and this went several times over for anything clad. I was able to choice out the finest example which was head and shoulders above the rest or anything I've seen since. There was a second specimen that would have been spectacular had the nicer example not been there which I still regret passing on. Ironically I saw this second example at a coin show some years later and foolishly passed again even though the price wasn't that much higher. On the weak strikes you should pay attention primarily to marking especially on the higher areas. These will all have planchet marking in the poorly struck areas. On the strong strikes look for strike and planchet marking. Clean examples of both of these aren't extremely difficult so it's a good idea to hold out for them. These are circulation issues so don't be expecting MS-70 or even MS-65. Numismatic News ran a few articles about these in consecutive issues in April, 1983. Very few escaped into general circulation because most were snapped up in the bags and from circulation in Sandusky but they are still found in lower grades on rare occasion. This shjows how little attention circulating coinage gets from people. The weak strikes appeared primarily in Pittsburg but there were a few in the Baltimore area and these did not get into circulation apparently. The strong strikes are slightly outnumbered by the weak ones.
Thanks for all the comments. This coin is really interesting, and I'm glad I got it. It was actually the FIRST slabbed coin I purchased. I got it off eBay, not knowing anything other than it was highly unlikely I would find an example in rolls, especially me being on the Denver side of the country. When I got it, I was disappointed, because I thought the area around the 2 and below the bust were yucky, and I thought no way could that be a MS65 I got. I contacted the seller (a coin dealer) and said a few things (being a newbie and not knowing better or appreciating things like I do now) and he said If I wasn't happy with it I could return it, but he looked at another one he had that was graded 65 and said it was much worse looking. I decided to keep this one, and I am glad I did, I have come to appreciate it, as well as in looking for dimes in rolls to appreciate the differences in strikes and to keep many things in mind in searching. I am learning much more about the Uncirculated grading also. I also looked up the info on the dime and how it got out, and there I think are only 15,000 or less examples of these. They were distributed mostly in Ohio and one other place I think. And they were snapped up quite quickly by some dealers. I'd have to re- research this, but the point is it's not likely to find them in circulation, and with a MS65 about 300.00 red book value, I feel this might go higher in the next 20 years. Could be wrong though.
