2000 P Sacawajea

I have 8 Sacawajea 2000 P coins that were given to me by the US Mint in 1999 prior to their release for testing purposes in the vending industy. All of these coins have an indentation "dent" on the obverse in the exact same place on all coins, indicating a die error. I have not been able to find any information about this defect during my research. All of these coins also appear to have been treated to preven tarnishing because they still have the same appearance that they did when I received them 14 years ago. These coins in my opinion have a MS65 or better grade. I have attached a photo (not very good as I am not a photographer) for your review. Any information and can provide will be greatly appreciated.

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

First, can you tell me why the Mint would give them to you for testing? What industry did you represent?

Secondly, the so-called treatment for tarnishing took place in 2000-2001. How could they have been given to you in 1999 since the discoloration wasn't even an issue at that time.

Chris

 

Chris,
Thank you for your comments.

As I stated in my original post they were given to me for testing in the Vending Industry.

About the treatment I am just guessing due to the lack of discoloration on all 8 coins??

 

To my knowledge, the tarnishing issue was a big problem for nearly all coins that were handled in circulation.

Chris

 

Chris,
Setting aside the treatment issue and moving on to the defect in all 8 coins. Is this a new variant that has now just been discovered? I have looked through all the coin sites on the web and nothing is mentioned about this type of die defect.

Steve

 

Since they weren't "released" in 99, but given to you in 99, I wonder if they marked them in order to identify them in some way.

 

Can we get a look at the reverse and the edges of your coins?

 

Show us all 8 of them at the same time too.

 

Maybe someone else can see it, but I'd need a better, clearer close-up for these old eyes.

Chris

 

If PCGS or NGC will slab them with the notation, for testing, then it could be worth a bit

 

http://www.pcgs.com/News/Mint-Tries-Out-New-Dollar-Coin

supposedly indistinguishable

 

I will try (I am not a photographer) to get a picture of the reverse. The reverse is normal. All of the edges are plain no markings. I will send the picture later.

Steve

 

First off I made a mistake I only have 6 of these coins in my possession it slipped my mind that I sold 2 of the coins last year. I tried to take a photo of the reverse of the coins but due to the coins reflective properties I was unable to due so. I did take a picture of the six coins showing the obverse. Again due to the reflective properties only 3 coin show the defect as indicated by arrows on the pictures.

 

Here is the photo that I forgot to include in my last post.

 

I can't tell anything from that photo, sorry.

 

@Steve Koontz Can you get a pick of just one coin close up.

I'm pretty interested in these, at least from the context of where they came from and how it happened and what that mark is.

Do you have documentation of these being given to you in 1999?

Regarding your pics....


If you're using your phone I find that plenty of light over head is best, the closers to the light source the better. Try to brace your arm or hand to steady the shot. If you are using a camera, try to take a close up shot of the coin with the camera in macro mode. You can usually do this by setting it to the setting that has a little icon of a tulip like below.



This sets the camera to the best settings for a close up picture. Now days even phone cameras have a macro setting too.

It would be good to get 2 separate photos of two separate coins that way the mark can be compared side by side for location and match.

Also is this mark incused (impressed or stamped into the coin) or in relief (raised up from the field up like the letters and portrait). The answer to that could potentially help determine when the marks were made and whether or not its a mint error or something that's knows as PMD (post minting damage) which just means something done to the coin after the minting process.

 

how about a picture of the reverse . just curious if they have the tail markings of the "cheerios" dollars that were minted in 1999 too

 

Snowman,
No need for a picture of the reverse is not a "cheerios" Patern but thanks for asking.

 

The U.S. Mint announced Dec. 2, 1999, that it would lend sample 2000-dated Sacagawea dollar coins to "stakeholders" in both of these interest groups for testing purposes...Oh no! I think you have to give them back!

 

So, no more pics that may be better and that may give us info that could assist you???