I cracked open a roll of Sacajawea's that was ordered straight from the mint yesterday. Found a strange brown colored one. All of the others are the normal golden color - this one looks like an old penny. Is this an error? Any ideas?? I'm including a scan of the coins obverse and reverse...
based on what you described.....specially coming from a new role....I'd guess its a sintered planchet error.
I've heard this term before (sintered planchet) and don't quite understand what it means. The description of this coin sounds like it is missing the clad layer since the Sacajawea core is copper with a brass coating but don't know why it would look like an old penny coming from a bank roll. Could you explain sintered? Thanks!
Hello This error occurs when the planchet is not tempered properly. I just learned alot about it. This is what it looks like when it happens to a quarter. http://www.cointalk.org/thread6903-2003-maine-p-mistake.html The color varies. It is also called "CopperWash." Hope this helps. James Simmons
Sinter basically means "burnt". When the coin planks "planchets" are made, as mentioned they are anneals, which is a heating process to temper/harden the medal of the planchet. Copperwashing is different. I'm editing this post b/c I've just learned more about it from another post by MikeDiamond. Here's what he had to say about copperwashed coins: "A "copper wash" error is said to occur in the chemical rinse bath, which is a step after planchets are annealed (heated). If the solution is saturated with copper ions, those copper ions can attach themselves to the surface of subsequent batches of coins. So goes the theory, anyway. Problem is, there hasn't been an obvious source of free copper ions since the mint did away with copper-alloy cents. Perhaps copper ions are preferentially liberated from the surface of clad coins and then re-deposited on later clad coins." Anyway, verified sintered coins can be worth quite a premium, so take care not damage or get prints on the one you've found until you can get it certified. Hope this helps.
Thanks for all of your replies. I have also sent the scans to an error dealer who states: "Although it's just about impossible to know what you have from a scan, it appears as if your 2005 Sac Dollar might be struck on a "sintered planchet". This is a planchet (disk) that is impoperly annealed (heated) before the disk gets struck into a coin. If that's what it is, it is worth $25-$40, or thereabouts; again, without seeing the actual coin, it's impossible to know if the dark "luster" is from what I described above, or simply some type of toning, which then would have no premium value for the coin. If you are interested in selling it, you would have to ship it to my office for my examination and firm offer." Anyway - I don't think that I am going to sell it, but do you think is range of 25 to 45 dollars is correct value? What's the best way to have it professionally certified?
Hello. I, personally, would not pay 25 for an error coin. Their are thoughs who would pay the 40 though. I believe that when a collector finds errors they should hold on to them, because, as Mr Weinberg said, they are an excellent example of what can go wrong in the minting process. I would love to have examples of each type of error in which one might encounter. However I would not be willing to pay astronomical prices to get them. I would rather wait to chance on one. Hope my novice incite helps you. James Simmons
One website isn't enough to give you a complete picture of your coins "worth", but HERE 's a Kentuckey State quarter for sale for $125 on a reputable error coin site. You'll note that it has been graded and slabbed by one of the "big 3" grading companies PCGS. Check out their website for details on submitting coins for grading. If I remember correctly, with PCGS you have to specify that you it noted that its an error. Can't recall the exact process, but other's here can fill you in.
