The Presidential Dollars

I got a chance to wander through my 2010 North American Coins today (9/18/09)
and reviewed some coins:

Variety 1 and Variety 2 Indian Head Cents
Wide rim (far date) and narrow rim (close date) SBA Dollars
A few filled S AND CLEAR S coin varieties.

It seems to me, in the future, there will be a Variety 1 and 2 for every Presidential Dollar (they, too, are not errors):

Variety 1: Obverse oriented edge lettering
Variety 2: Reverse oriented edge lettering

What do you think?

Clinker

 

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Yes, but since it is random, and about 50% end up with the edge lettering one way and 50% the other, it is really a big deal? I don't think so, but that is my opinion.

bob

 

when i save a couple i try and just get a couple of each.

 

Hi bobbeth87...

Thanks for your opinion :high5:

Clinker

 

Hi randygeki...

I only have one of each P, D & S, But got to wondering (1935-S [birthyear] Peace Dollars with 3 or 4 rays)

Clinker

 

I don't think the edge lettering direction will become a variety unless the series ever becomes popular with collectors. It is true that it is a variety not an error...and that it is random so 50% will be upright verse upside down. But, they are minting so many of these coins that I don't think it will matter. Again, if the series ever becomes popular maybe then...but I just don't see it happening.

 

Camaro DMD:

Thanks for your input, but just because a mint spokes person says the strikings are 50-50 doesn't make it so (my opinion)...Of course the monetary difference may only be a few cents. Like you point out we will have to wait and see how popular the series becomes.

Clinker

 

I don't think the edge lettering orientation is going to count for much. Just my humble two cents......

 

For me, the only time the edge lettering matters is when it is doubled or missing altogether.

I don't get into the Position A or Position B (as PCGS designates them) or even the weak edge lettering examples. Just not that special to me.

 

It has nothing to do with what a mint spokesperson says...but how the coins are produced. The rim is impressed after the coin as already been struck and the coins randomly fall into the collar that puts the rim letter on. So, there is a 50% a coin will fall any given way.

My thought about this goes back to the popularity of the series and the mintage. There are so many coins being produced and they just aren't being collected that much by serious collectors (or so it seems). I suppose, technically this is a variety and those who really love this series (of which I'm sure there are some) might want to collect all those as well. But, I don't see this becoming a "main stream variety" that the majority of collectors consider as part of a complete set.

 

That just about says it all, very well stated.

 

Thanks to all of you who read and especially you who gave your opinion....

Clinker

 

Early date large cent collectors don't which way is up on their coins, neither do bust half or early dollar collectors. I can't see why the President dollar collectors would care either.

 

But PCGS designates on the slab Position A and B! Surely they wouldn't do that unless it was important and there was collector demand? Are you saying they are just trying to market and hype? Not PCGS!

 

physics-fan3

:thumb: Thumbs up for reading and love your sarcasm...

Clinker

 

I have always thought of a "variety" as something that was specific to a certain die pair. An anomaly on an obverse or reverse die...not a result of the manufacturing process of an entire series. I know this isn't a "techinical" or "official" definition of a variety...but I wonder if a lot of collector's think of varieties in this way and thus won't really look at rim lettering in the same way.

 

CamaroDMD:

I'm sure variety collectors have different opinions about what a variety is. Their collections will vary. Some will contain coins no other collection has and will be void of coins other collections hold.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this...

Clinker

 

I highly doubt that those presidential coins will ever be worth much even in the error types. There are just way to many people hoarding them which means there will always be a pile of them in the highest grades available. No one that I know spends them, many that ever did gave up trying due to all the resentments about thier usage. Maybe in the far distant future they may be worth collecting but for now I really don't see collecting them at all. I do not have even one of those baby dollars in my collection nor do accept nor spend them.
Just my opinion based on what happened to the Hobby of US Postage stamps, Beanie BAbies, Hot Wheel Cars, Baseball/Football cards. Mass production and extensive hoarding made all those hobbies fail monitarily. Still of course many still collect those too but sure not what it used to be.

 

Hi, again, Just Carl:

Time will prove you right or wrong. Remember that admonition adage, "I'm glad I did,' instead of "I wish I did." :vanish:

Clinker

 

I think that he is right just because of thew quantity being hoarded. It has happened in the past. Look at the 1883 No Cents Liberty Head Nickel. They are very common in high grades because they were hoarded when they first came out. People thought the discontinuing of the "No Cents" was going to make them valuable so a ton were were saved. As a result, the "Cents" version wasn't saved and it is worth a substantial premium in MS grades despite a mintage 3x that of the "No Cents." Another example is the 1950-D Jefferson Nickel. It was known at the time to be a low mint issue so people saved them. Today, they are more common in MS than lower grades. The Barr $1 note is another example of the same thing.

When I look at these dollars, it reminds me of the Bicentennial Quarters. Those things were hoarded like mad and minted in the 100 millions. Today even MS examples are barely worth more than fave value. I think the same fate is in store for the Presidential series.