Collectors on edge

Edge lettering continues to confuse. The “In God We Trust” controversy was defused this year when the national motto was moved to the obverse of the Presidential dollars after two years of it being on the edge.

That hasn’t stopped e-mails claiming the Godless dollars should be boycotted. I have received two of those in my inbox in the last month or so. They are virtually identical to the ones I received in 2007 right down to the image of the George Washington dollar.

I guess the Internet makes these things virtually eternal. By sending these e-mails you can stir people up who have never seen a Presidential dollar.

Average collectors though apparently know what is going on because these e-mails did not originate from readers wondering what is going on as was partly the case two years ago.

I had an e-mail yesterday from an average collector. He had just received the 2009 clad proof set that he had ordered.

He inquired, “Should the Sacagawea and her infant son dollar have a mintmark, mine doesn’t?”

I answered right away that the “S” mintmark is on the edge.

The funny thing is that he didn’t even mention the lack of obverse date because it too is on the edge, or the entirely new reverse design for the now renamed Native American dollar.

The e-mailer also mentioned that he didn’t remember reading anything about the new coin. I guess that means I still have a job to do to continue to try to get the word out on.

It is also a good reminder that all collectors should look at all of their coins closely. I am as guilty as the next guy in receiving collector sets and putting them in a safe deposit box without looking too closely at them when I am in a hurry. That isn’t smart, but doing the smart thing isn’t always the highest thing on my “to do” list.