Message:

<p>[QUOTE=&quot;davidh, post: 2186611, member: 15062&quot;]This has been somewhat discussed before but I&#039;d like to go into a bit more depth.&nbsp; In my estimation any change made in a coin that is a design change which has been <b>officially mandated by law or policy </b>constitutes a new type and not merely a variety, which is made by vagaries of the engraving, die making or minting processes.&nbsp; Changes <b>officially mandated by law or policy </b>include changes in design, composition, weight or dimension.&nbsp; Varieties are mostly found on early coinage which was engraved or stamped by hand but includes changes in letter or date sizes, different positioning of elements of the design, filled dies, doubling, etc.</p><p><br /></p><p>For example, in the Lincoln Cent series we have:</p><blockquote><p>1909 with V.D.B. on the Wheat Ear reverse, made of Copper, Tin and Zinc</p><p>1909-1917 V.D.B. removed</p><p>1918-42 and 1947-1958 VDB added to Lincoln&#039;s shoulder</p><p>1943 Steel coated with Zinc</p><p>1944-1946 Copper and Zinc, no Tin</p><p>1959-1962 Memorial Reverse Copper, Tin and Zinc</p><p>1962-1982 Copper and Zinc, no Tin</p><p>1982-2008 Copper and Zinc coated with Copper</p><p><br /></p></blockquote><p>Some say that small changes are simply varieties, so we have in the Two Cent series seen as varieties</p><blockquote><p>1864 with small motto and</p><p>1864-1873 with large motto</p></blockquote><p>However, when the change in motto size was made there were also changes made in the ribbon holding the motto, the leaves and berries and the shape of the feathers on the arrows.&nbsp; These changes can&#039;t have been simple changes in the engraving, die making or minting processes; they have to have been mandated by law or official policy and should be seen as separate types.</p><p><br /></p><p>Likewise, the Standing Liberty has three accepted types, the third being only a small change over the second</p><blockquote><p>1916</p><p>1916-1924 &quot;modesty&quot; added along with Stars on the reverse</p><p>1925-1930 date recessed to prevent wear</p></blockquote><p>Similar to the Indian Head Nickel with two types, again with only a small change</p><blockquote><p>1913 Buffalo on mound</p><p>1913-1938 Buffalo on flat ground</p></blockquote><p><br /></p><p>In the Seated Liberty Quarter series, many see it as only one type, I see six</p><blockquote><p>1838-1840 original design</p><p>1840-1853 and 1856-1865 drapery added to Liberty&#039;s elbow</p><p>1853 weight decrease indicated by arrows at date, rays added to reverse</p><p>1854-1855 rays removed</p><p>1866-1873 and 1875-1891 Motto added</p><p>1873-1874 weight increase indicated by arrows at date</p><p><br /></p></blockquote><p>There are many other examples of changes in other series that some consider only varieties while others consider them to be type changes.&nbsp; My point is that, as stated above, if the change is official, then it should constitute a type change.&nbsp; I have resolved this in my type collection by making every change a different type.&nbsp; It may be overkill for some but if two otherwise similar coins have differences, then they are different and deserve recognition of that difference.</p><p><br /></p><p>I think I&#039;m in the minority on this; I know the coin folder manufacturers don&#039;t agree, however PCGS price listings do, for the most part, agree with me.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

Your name or email address:

Do you already have an account?

• No, create an account now.
• Yes, my password is:
• Forgot your password?

Stay logged in