So you think you know your coins?

You missed several, see my earlier answer.

The answer for silver is wrong. The first silver coin struck was the 1794 dollar and it had six pointed stars, then the half dollar of the same year. The 1794 half dimes were not struck until 1795.

True, but it still isn't Independence Hall, more properly known as the Pennsylvania State House. And it isn't a building so my comment about the Ike is correct. (At the time of the Bicentennial the Liberty Bell had been moved from Independence Hall to the Liberty Bell Pavilion, then in 2003 it was moved to its current location in the Liberty Bell Center.)

 

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I accept Condor101's addition to the answer for #2 and correction for the answer to #6.

I didn't forsee that there would be some problem in interpretation of the term "series" in question #10, and now that I think about it, maybe I don't even know what I meant.

My initial thought was that a series would be defined by the combination of a specific obverse and reverse design. Thus, you could look at a coin 5 feet away and determine exactly what "series" it was. A "flying Eagle" cent would be similar in composition and size to the first Lincoln cents, but could be instantly recognized as being different. Any change in the elements of the design would be a different series.

This might leave open the designation of the 1976 quarters, halves and dollars, since they each have a different and distinct reverse design. In my mind I considered those to be excluded as commeratives, since they commerate a specific event.

Then there are the various 19th century silver coins with or without rays, arrows, mottos, etc. Should these be considered different series?

If we are to accept any difference in the design to be definitive, then I think we're talking about types rather than series.

Now, if we determine the definition of series to equate to denomination there are again problems. The large one cent coins are certainly different from the small one cent coins. The three cent silver coins came in three varieties; does that mean there are three series? Is the 1943 steel cent a different series different from the 1909 through 1958 cents?

In the end, I accept that there is no real definitive answer to what exactly denotes a "series" and will accept any answer to #10 as correct - but I still think my answer is more right. To me, a series is a general design. Any major design change denotes a new series (except that the 1976s are still commeratives.)

:rolling: Comments?

 

So were the Washington quarter and the Lincoln cent (both wheat and memorial). However, my biggest problem with that is that if they were the commemoratives, what were the regular circulating coin? If they are commemoratives, then we made 0 circulating quarters, halves, and dollars in 1976!?

 

So they made 0 regular mintage coins. Regardless of the semantics, what other time has a short term commemorative (or stick what ever words you want here to describe the bicentennial coinage) entirely replaced the regular circulating coinage.

 

Good point, considering that the Columbian Exposition Half Dollar were used as collateral by the banks funding the exposition and many of them were unceremoniously dumped into circulation.

 

That is why I used the term "short term". I do not consider 67 years "short term".

 

The point of this is "What constitutes a series?" which got transposed into "Are the bicentennial coins just commemoratives?" My point is that since there were no other coinage made, they should be a separate series. And, BTW, when the 1932 quarter got no competition, I would say that it became a separate series - even if they then returned to the SLQ thereafter but not if they had made them that year.

 

This is exactly what the Whitman Red Book says. However, it also points out that commemoratives are also sold at prices greater than the piece's face value. I don't think that was the case with the Lincolns or Washingtons.

PCGS additionally refers to commemoratives as Legal Tender Non Circulating; they have a face value and are sold at a premium to fund special events but aren't used for general commerce.

 

You are doing a good job of making my case. So why are the bicentennial coins excluded?

 

I offered the Whitman reference simply to provide additional information for discussion, not to prove or disprove a point.

The original premise of the quiz excluded commemoratives.
Whitman's definitions are not necessarily the same as mine.
I deem the bicentennial coins to be part of the regular quarter/half/dollar series.

 

Therefore, there was not a major design change for the bicentennial coinage?

 

Rather than continuing to go around in circles, I'll let you have the bicentennials as separate series. And each of the 10+ week Washington quarters starting 1999 individually as separate shortest series of coins.

Happy now? Kiss