I was wondering if this is the spread between the E and S and the bracketing of the I and B by the M that determines whether it is a Type B reverse. Just ran across this Silver Washington this weekend., Thanks Terry
It's the spread of the E and the S, they are quite common but rate high in the cherry pickers book. I quit keeping 'em long ago. Maybe if I find a nice unky one I'll throw it in a roll of Type "B" Rev's...
There are other diagnostics, but the two I find to be easiest to spot are the E/S spaceing as you mention and the whether or not the leaf fully cover sthe arrow tips or not. In case someone reading this isn't familiar with Washington quarter Type-B reverses, from 1956 to 1964 the Philadelpia mint would use proof dies for business strike coins when the dies were no longer useful for proof strikes. The easiest way to verify a Type-B reverse is to compare it to a proof. Type-Bs are fun to collect because some dates are relatively easy to find. They represent about 5% of the overall population. Some dates, like the 1959, are easy to find in Mint sets while other dates are found almost exclusively in rolls. Some dates are rarer than others...with the 1956 being the most difficult to find (imho).
I don't know how I missed this thread before. For a real challange, try to find a type B from 1969 D thru 1972 D. They exist.
I don't know what I was thinking. Ran across this at an antique mall for less than spot. Turned it over and saw the spacing between the E and S and the bracketing of the M around the I and B and thought I had finally found a Type B Reverse. Forgot about the leaf covering the arrow tips and the Eagles feathers. and the fact that it is on a 51-S. Just trying to get my head back in it after my first coin burn on another coin. Kind of knocked down the usual enthusiasm for variety hunting. I am sure the veterans of coins know what I mean. Herb, Thank You for that piece of information about the type B from 1969 D thru 1972 D I appreciate that immensely. Some more varieties that can be cherry picked form change and rolls. Do you know if they came in the mint sets ? or from circulation or possibly both ? Lee, Thanks for the date range of proofs. I think I'll just have to dig one out and leave it on the desk as a reference piece. Terry
Any proof 1937 (not 1936 nor 1968 S) thru 1972 S is a type B. 1968 S might be, but is more apt to be a type M. It could even be one of 3 non B non M ones.
A 51-S?? This is just so funny Terry! Yesterday (Friday) at the Sacramento ANA SHow, I came across a dealer that had probably 80 IKE Dollar proofs to go through. She obliging let me examine each one as they were not in their brown boxes! There were 1971-S's, 1972-S's, and 1974-S's. I started with the 74-S's looking for MMS-001. After about 5 or 6, I found one and simply set it aside. The next coin in the stack? Yep! MMS-001 And the third.....and the fourth......and the fifth. Now I was getting subconciously skeptical since this just should not be happening! I looked at the last coin I'd set aside once again. Dang! 1972-S! and the fourth, and the third, and the second and the first~! Sometimes our enthusiasm is our worst enemy! LOL! Oh well.
I found a 1959 in a mint set and someone said to look at the Franklin Half and it was a type II. Have found quite a few. The circulated ones I sometimes believe are a circulated proof depending on how they look. Sevral on the 1959 I have found have die cracks on the reverses. Maybe retired from striking proof sets and then used on regular mintage?
