Just read an article in the NY Times talking about stamps. They reprinted the famous "inverted Jenny" stamp for collectors, but intentionally made 100 sheets of them with the plane right side up. It got me to thinking about what I have always thought would be helpful. I think the US mint should produce varieties and put them into normal orders at random. Ideas would be an offmetal cent placed into a run of the mill proof set, maybe have a special reverse die crafted for ASE's and examples placed randomly, maybe send out a commemorative with an extra design element included, etc. The "fun" out of collecting is gone in many ways since you cannot find circulation finds like in the past. I think putting in fun little items like this would both increase excitement in US collecting, as well as boost sales of the US mint. What do you guys think?
While I do believe it would boost sales at the mint, I wouldn't think hardcore error collectors wouldn't pony up for the new errors as they would be intentional.
Well, I am not really trying to have the mint make true "errors", just random variety in their offerings.
Not errors, but it would be cool if they made a different reverse design and only made about 10,000-100,000 out of the billions made each year. Not only would it make it fun to search for them, but the rarity of them would make it worth big bucks to those the find them.
There is one President metal made 1933 that not error or die variety that a rare one to find or own. Designer /Engraver had US Mint stop sales .of his metal design her was expecting gold notes or coin. But as you know America came off the gold standard . Only 53? Metals sold before designer was mailed his payment with a check . Maddened by America changes of Gold standard he stopped production .
love this idea---only a fraction of coins minted in a certain denomination with a 'special' obv. or rev. would be cool. not for sale in /as rolls ordered from mint---not really in belief mint should 'sell' certain coinage; rather dumped into circulation as you suggested, would be like finding the extra special prize in the cracker jack box. but then if it wouldnt be making them money, they wouldnt bother doing it.....
Why not put designs from past store cards on the reverse of quarters? Die technology is so cheap now they can have dozens of reverses each year. Moxie, Ayers, Good for scent. Thaila's There's thousands of them. And don't even count them. Just pick a number. Seventeen. Okay run all presses for 17 minutes, bag 'em and ship 'em. Then rarity becomes mystery that will get people interested.
Sounds like a fun idea...reminds me of autographed baseball cards randomly inserted into packs. However, a big problem would be that high volume sellers will obtain large quantities to search leaving the small time collector out of luck. TC
I think the idea of intentional errors or varieties kind of defeats the purpose...these things are supposed to be mistakes that have somehow escaped the mint, and that is largely why people search for them and collect them.
Yeah, I thought about that. I simply do not know a way around it. If random is random, then if someone wanted to game the system and place large orders at the mint they would also get quite a few of these "varieties". But, individual collectors buying straight from the mint would also have the same percentage chance. I just thought something to "spice things up" a bit in modern collecting might be refreshing, other than the same boring, "I hope this coin might grade a 70" crud nowadays. I also think putting these varieties in circulation might be viable, but I would be worried that even more so there dealers would have friends locate these issues and buy them all up.
