I've heard that there are two varieties, a "High Leaf", and a "Low Leaf". If you look at the pictures below, you will see that there appears to be an "Extra Leaf" on the corn design. Look at the lower-left of the corn husks.
That would be the one - and boy howdy is it causing a ruckus ! There has been an article about that coin in every issue of Coin World for the past month.
Howdy Gray - you have few of these coins with the extra leaf ? Cool ! But it might pay you to be sure - in higher grades, MS66/67 they are selling for up to $1,000 each. But they are not an error - they are a variety.
I think the difference is that a variety is intentional, but I'll leave that distinction to those more knowledgeable than I. Have any WI varieties been found outside of Tucson? ~neuron
Sometimes the difference is a fine line - other times it is not. Consider for example the St. Gaudens $20 gold - there is the variety with the motto and the other variety without the motto. There are coins with large legends, and small legends. There is the 1960 small date cent and the 1960 large date cent. These are all varieties. Typically a variety is a coin of the same date and mint mark but with something different about it than the other coins of the same date & mint mark. But whatever it is that is different - was intended to be there. With an error - it is something on the coin that was not intended to be there - it happened by accident or mistake.
The US Mint has a long, long history of intentional varieties. Many of them are quite famous and today they are some of the most valuable coins on the market. Yes - it has now been reported that they have turned up in San Antonio,Texas. Which of course is not far from Tucson.
just curious, i understand there was a decline in the interest of the state quarter program in the past couple of years. is there a chance that the "variety" of this quarter could have been a way to stimulate the interest again? i don't mean to cause a debate, but if this variety starts popping up in different parts of the country, then it would appear that way to me. but then again, maybe not. it would be interesting to see variations of the rest of the states appear as did this quarter.
Looking for the quarter I found one that has perhaps damage or an error. Can anyone tell me what it is and if it may be worth anything? It appears betweet the cow and the ear of corn. To the human eye it looks like two small upside down Ds in the pick it looks more like two carrots simular to >>.
The marks you see are known as bag marks. They occur when something strikes the coin after it is struck leaving an impression in the coin. Your coin is quite ordinary.
I doubt that. The value of these, is in the aftermarket circles. The Mint doesn't reap any benefits from newfound "varieties". Of course, anything is possible, and promotional campaigns can become pretty creative sometimes.
ebay auction Here is a link to one that just sold on ebay for $380. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=3957527472&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT
The coins have sold in a wide range so far. From $1500 for a slabbed MS68 example to around $100 for a raw example.
thanks for posting that link jody, i wonder how long it will be before this becomes widely known and if this will affect prices.
Ya know, based on what I know of him, I have to wonder if Mr. Potter would have a different opinion if he had been one of those involved in discovering the coins
I am in NY and I have a wisconsin quarter that is normal. They say that in order to make about 1,500 you have to have one normal one and one with a high leaf and the other with a low leaf.