Inverted Mintmark?

Hey Guys
I have a 1945-S Quarter that the mintmark looks funny---I would call it an inverted MM but wanted to know what ya'll thought---it just looks like it was punched into the die up-side-down :whistle:
Here are some photos---I took them with the light at the wrong place and it makes it look like the S is smeared---but its not--it was jus the way the light hit the coin.

Speedy

 

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Hey Speedy,

Have you looked at other 45's to see if there is a difference?

 

Speedy,
I would have to agree, the S- mint mark does look inverted that picture looks good to me others may see something else.

"THE FRANK GROUP"

 

At this time I don't have another one of this date to look at---I'm working on a AU/BU Washington set so extras don't come offen
I got this one on ebay at a heck of a price....I think it was $25 and one was selling on Heritage for $86!!!!

Speedy

 

Im ot sure i see it? Is the mint mark raised? Or punched in?

 

Nathan,
It looks like to me the S is up side down.

Bruce.

 

Yeah i saw that. but i thought was just the picture. Sorry about that.

 

The mintmarkis raised.

Speedy

 

very nice

 

Speedy...If you check Breen's book, he talks about two varieties of S mint marks for the 45-S, knob-tailed and trumpet-tailed (photos 1 and 2). I don't think your mint mark looks like either, but if I take a photo of the knob-tailed S upside down (photo 3), I think it looks like your photos. Maybe you have a inverted mint mark. Does anybody have James Wiles book, The Washington Quarter Dollar Book, Volume 3 1945 - 1949, maybe he talks about it.

Larry Nienaber

 

Speedy:
Nice catch. Inverted Mintmarks are the most difficult finds to get acknowledged. I discovered the 1909 S Barber Half dollar with inverted mintmark, now in the latest CherryPicker's Guide (without credit).
I agree with you on the possible inverted MM, the third photo is probably the best to see it.
I would suggest sending it to Con World, Clearing House. He is pretty good at getting the right people to check it out.
But, you HAVE to write first.
Congratulations, I think. Nice find.
Now, I have to go and check all of my 1945 S's.
:thumb:

 

Speedy,

From examining thousands of Mintmarks and from all of the examples and pictures that I have seen, I would say that yours is definitely an Inverted Mintmark! Great find! Definitely worth submission.


Frank

 

Thanks Frank and The Other Frank
I have James Wiles first book but that doesn't talk about this date--I need to get them all.
Thanks for ya'll thoughts and such---I hadn't even thought about looking in Breen.
I might try to send it to someone and see what they think----its in a NGC slab.

Thanks again ya'll!

Speedy

 

I've been in contact with Mr Wiles---and he said that there is an Inverted MM for that date---I'm sending him the coin for his viewing and for him to tell me for sure what it is.
He said that sometimes the knob-tailed S gets confused as an Inverted MM....but he said that there is also a DD for this date so even if its not an Inverted MM its worth sending it to him.

I'll try to let ya'll know what he says when he gets it.

Spencer

 

Speedy,

It sounds like your coin is a promising candidate for an Inverted Mintmark! We can't wait to hear the outcome!

If my memory serves me correctly, there was new Inverted Mintmark Variety highlighted on Coneca's website fairly recently. I will check when I get time as it takes so long for the website to load on my dial-up connection.


Frank

 

James said that there was a new 1946-S Inverted MM found just a few weeks ago so that might be the one you remember seeing.

Speedy

 

James just emailed and said that my coin is normal and not an Inverted MM.....he said that it is the Knob-Tailed S that get confused with the Inverted MM.

I'm going to write this up and maybe send it in to CONECA for their mag....you know---showing a normal MM and a photo of the Inverted MM---along with the story.

Speedy

 

For ya'll reading this thread and for ya'll that are members of CONECA I just sent my article off to the editor---it has detailed photos and some tips on how to tell a normal 1945-S MM from an Inverted Mintmark from that date---it also has something that is pretty cool and I'm glad that Mr Wiles let me add it into the article.

Speedy

 

I believe that you in fact appear to have an inverted S mintmark. Looking at the coneca website I see the 46 s cent that is claimed to be inverted. It looks like a similar style mintmark as on this quarter. However, It appears to me that the cent they claim to be inverted is probably not. The othe rcomparison coin shown as normal appears to my eye to be the inverted. I would think that common sense and a good eye would dictate which is which. The S mintmarks balance is off. Look at the Breen photos and notice the shapes of the ends of the esses. Your coins S certainly appears inverted. For that matter, I have an NGC67 1945s rainbow monster and the M.M. is clear. Had it for years. This coins S does not display the dents shown on your coins S and as such it clearly appears to be the knob s as shown in breen photos. Only upside down. All to whom I have shown coin thought that the mintmark was inverted. So do I. Keep your coin. I would. LMK... Good luck.. Oldtimer

 

Oldtimer
Welcome to CoinTalk---and thanks for posting!
Do you by any chance have a photo of your coin?...an up close of the MM??
Maybe the 2 varieties that Wiles has looked at are both Inverted and there is yet another Normal variety out there...

Speedy