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- This week’s letters (06/05/12) A collection of letters from readers of Numismatic News to editor, Dave Harper.
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Author Archives: Alan Herbert
‘Rolled’ edge coin not actually rolled
The coins have a beveled edge rather than the square-cornered edge with wire rim found on other gold coins. The difference is due only to the different shape of the die surface. “Rolled” is a misnomer. Continue reading
Hard to find doesn’t always mean rare
It’s a bit difficult to associate the term “rare” with a coin that had a mintage of more than 3 million at each of three mints. The proof mintage is more than 4 million, so any way you look at it the coin is not rare, even if it may be hard to find. Continue reading
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Carson City coin value totals $47 million
To save a lot of time, do you happen to have the total value for all of the coins struck at Carson City? Continue reading
Gold coins among longest in production
It may surprise you, but the next longevity records are held by gold coins. A second place tie goes to the Coronet eagle, struck from 1838 to 1907, and the Coronet half eagle, struck from 1839 to 1908 (69 years). Continue reading
1827 quarter proofs technically medals
A confusing problem: Some sources list the 1827 quarters as regular issues, some as proofs, including the one sold in the Garrett sale. Please clear this up. Continue reading
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Nickel designs didn’t overlap in 1938
As nearly as I can find, the last Buffalo nickels were struck at Denver in early 1938, legally completing the 25-year requirement. Schlag’s design for the Jefferson nickel was not accepted until late July, so production would not have started until later in the year, meaning the two did not overlap. Philadelphia switched to the new Jefferson design, proofs and circulation strikes in 1938; Denver switched later in the year. Continue reading
Majority of steel cents eluded Mint
The U.S. Mint began withdrawal in 1945, and in 20 years retrieved 163 million, or about 14.9 percent of the steel cents in circulation. Some 900,000,000 are still out there. Apparently they were turned over to private smelters to be melted down. Continue reading
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War nickels loophole in melting ban
From 1965 to 1967 it was illegal to melt any of the 90 percent silver coins but the lawmakers ignored the war nickels, apparently assuming that their 35 percent silver wasn’t worth bothering with. The smelters took advantage of this loophole and melted millions of them, right along with a lot of 90 percent silver that was claimed to be from Canadian coins. Continue reading
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1873 melt wiped out 3-cent supply
According to Harry X Boosel, in 1873 the U.S. Mint ordered the melting of any old standard coins then on hand. The branch mints began melting them down in April, including unsold proofs and business strikes. The main mint at Philadelphia began its melts in July of that year. Included in the melt there were virtually all of the silver 3-cent pieces struck from 1863 through 1872. Continue reading
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Eagle a real denomination
The Act of April 2, 1792, established standards for the eagle, half eagle and quarter eagle denominations. The Act of March 3, 1849, authorized the double eagle. The gold dollar, 3-dollar and 50- dollar coins were never officially named other than their denomination. Continue reading
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