"Two previously unknown 1943 'copper' cents and two other wrong-planchet errors were recently certified by NGC." Pretty cool. I enjoyed the article until I got to the last paragraph: "This incredible group of coins was submitted to NGC by the family of former US Mint employee Albert Michael Pratt." Does that bother anyone else? Did he walk out with them? Are employees allowed to do that if they buy them, fill out paperwork, etc.? Or is he a collector on the side?
I read the article before seeing your comments. First thing I thought was "someone needs to have a chat with Mr. Pratt". In my personal opinion, knowing these were made and removed by a former mint employee greatly degrades the validity of it being a true error (the mint caught it, it can't be a mint error) and should thus degrade the value of the coin. For all we know, he did it on purpose and that makes me a little frustrated. This should get its own category of coins with abbreviation IMF (Intentional Mint Fraud). Maybe I'm overreacting
You're not overreacting at all. These pieces ought to be confiscated. I've had it with these "insider access discoveries". At least they're marked on the label. Makes them easier to confiscate.
I wonder what the rules were regarding these coins. I recall visiting the Denver Mint and re-reading/hearing about the gentleman who walked out with gold in his fake leg. I believe everything he snuck out was confiscated.
They wont be confiscated. As a mint employee, Mr. Pratt is/was a government employee. Government employees cant break the law Now if they were in the hands of the family of one Mr Israel Switt, they would have already been confiscated a long time ago.
1974-D aluminum cent. Confiscated. Same situation. Family member of a deceased mint employee. "The Mint is very pleased with the agreement, and we are very grateful to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in San Diego for its work and efforts in reaching this resolution. We look forward to displaying the coin appropriately as an important Mint heritage asset," said Rhett Jeppson, United States Mint Principal Deputy Director. "This agreement is not only good for the integrity of the coin collecting hobby but for the integrity of the government property and rule of law."
I got this email earlier and once again thought how odd it is that it seems many great rarities just so happen to come from former mint employees estates .
The most apt precedent is not the Switt/Langbord, but the Lawrence/McConnell precedent - the 1974-D aluminum cent.
Just because this family hid these away for 75 years, doesn't make them immune from confiscation. These coins should be in a museum and not in private hands, as they were intentionally pulled from the mint clandestinely and never circulated. Being the director of the mint does not grant you the perk to take home samples. Stealing is stealing even if it's "just pennies".
