TRIVIA: An Error Coin You May Not Know Exists - Episode 9 (by a U.S. Mint

An Error Coin You May Not Know Exists - Episode 9 (by a U.S. Mint)

You already know the Philippine Islands became a property of the United States of America in 1899 as part of a treaty with Spain ending the Spanish-American War. Scholastic history lessons tell us "in 1901 the military government set in place by provisions of the treaty was replaced by a civil administration."

Numismatic history of the Philippines, while under the protection of the United States, points out one of the first tasks of this fledgling government was to create a new coinage that would be compatible with the old Spanish issues yet would be legally exchangeable for American money at the ratio of two Philippine Pesos to one U. S. Dollar.

The powers that be (Philippines and United States) agreed the new coinage would bear the identities of both entities. The Philippines legend (FILIPINAS) would be placed at the bottom of the obverse and the United States's legend (THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA) would be placed on the reverse running just off the edge of the coin from approximately from 8:00 to 4:00 o'clock.

Further stipulations agreed to were:

1. The Peso was divisible into 100 Centavos.
2. Coins of 1/2 and 1 Centavo be struck in bronze.
3. 5 Centavos coins be struck in Copper-Nickel.
4. Silver coinage of 10, 20 and 50 Centavos be struck.
5. The Peso be struck in silver.

During the last years of WWII (1944-1945) Philippine coinage was produced at Philadelphia, Denver and San Francisco.

July 4, 1946 marks the historic event of The Philippines becoming an independent republic in its own right.

In either 1944 or 1945 both Denver and San Francisco mints struck a few 20 Centavos on United States Dime planchets in error. Most error coins were detected by mint employees and removed before the 20 Centavos were released for circulation in the Philippines. However as you will see, two are known in existence:

First here's a 1944-D 20 Centavos as it was supposed to be:

PHILIPPINES 1944-D SILVER 20 CENTAVOS - NON ERROR

Here's the error:

PHILIPPINES 20 SILVER CENTAVOS - ERROR
Hope you enjoyed this post.

To be continued...

Clinker