Can you guys help me with this? I just broke this out of the roll and was looking for errors or anything different before I spent them and I found this. I had to see it with a magnifying glass but it is very interesting. Maybe if anyone has any ideas of what letters are printed here? An "S" maybe? Also is it worth anything? Maybe some thoughts on whether I should add it to my error collection or sell it? Maybe sell it and buy silver?:smile This photo is three different angles/photos put into one photo. I hope it works. Thanks Guys. From down south, Juan
Probably just a contact mark from the surface of another coin during transport, but I would keep it anyway.
I did not know that coins pressing against one another would make such a mark, if that were so wouldn't we see a lot more of them? I am not saying your wrong, but it just seems strange.
I did not know that coins pressing against one another would make such a mark, if that were so wouldn't we see a lot more of them? I am not saying your wrong, but it just seems strange.
After blowing up the pic, I can see xtra stars in the top pic. It may be worth sending to Wexler and have him have a looksy...
Interesting! I have no idea what it could be either. Is it my imagination. or is what looks like an "S" raised? Chris
John Wexler is an error and variety specialist who has authored and co-authored books on these subjects. Chris http://doubleddie.com/
I have hundreds of the gold color dollar coins with these extra raised letters. some experts thinks this is where the coins bang together but I totally disagree with them because it takes too much force to do this. I did a experiment and I know what I'm saying. Maybe just maybe the mint may have used the struck coins to force the other struck coins out of the edge lettering maching. This has always been my opinion . like I said I have looked thru thousands and thousands of the dollar coins trying to find errors and I saved every extra letter edge coin I found. I'm wanting to get rid of them rather than to try to tell someone that thinks they know it all anything..
Well I am one of those who don't know anything at all. Thank you for taking the time to tell me about what you have learned. I sent an email to John Wexley and he said because it isn't a "double die" it isn't something he gets into but he gave me an email of a guy (Mike Diamond of Coin World) who does and said to send to him and tell him that he (Wexley) sent me. So I don't know, maybe I will but you have already answered my question, so thanks again. Juan
I found a article just now by K Potter and darn if he don't agree with my way of thinking about this subject. All of the other experts that i know have said their opinion is this is done PMD by the coins being banged together and I always disagreed with them. Potter has come up with my old original opinion but we need to still learn more about the raised up extra letters to be certain about what really caused this. click on this link to see Potters article , it is very helpful. http://www.collect.com/Categories/Article/Numismatics/Van_Buren_Error_122309/L0
It seems to me that the article fortifies the "some experts thinks this is where the coins bang together" theory except that the "banging" is occuring in the edge lettering machine. As for trying to do this "banging" on your own, it's very difficult since the primary ingredient is missing. That ingredient is heat since the coins are annealed prior to minting to "soften" the receiving blanks for the coin image. The minting process itself generates heat so these coins are quite hot while being minted and while receiving the edge lettering. I think I banged my thumb with a hammer trying to smack two of these coins together to get an extra letter to show up. At any rate, these extra letters, which are in relief instead of incuse (as the actual lettering is) on the edges are the end result of two coins coming together somewhere in the minting process. Whether its the Schuler Edge Lettering machine or the bagging operation is unimportant IMO as neither situation actually creates a variety. A COOL coin yes, but a variety no. Many have been bought and sold for this unusual characteristic due to not knowing what it is but I doubt that any real premium should be associated with it. Remember folks, edge lettering is not new by any means and was used on early american coinage such as Flowing Hari, Draped Bust and Capped Bust Half Dollars. The edge lettering errors we see today on the golden dollars existed on those coins as well.
