Twain mystery solved

The delay in the release of the Mark Twain silver dollars from the originally announced Jan. 14 date is not about the coin at all.

It is all about the Certificates of Authenticity, a Mint spokesman has revealed.

They need to be redone.

Last Thursday, Jan. 7, the Mint issued what appeared to be a housekeeping statement:

"In the Mint’s November 28, 2015, press release announcing the unveiling of the Mark Twain Commemorative Coin designs, the correct description on the reverse of the Silver $1 Coin should read:

"'The silver coin's reverse design features an assortment of characters leaping to life from Mark Twain's works: The knight and horse from A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, the frog from The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County, and Jim and Huck from Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.”

Originally it had said "Adventures of Tom Sawyer."

I thought little of the statement when I received it. After all, I was at the Florida United Numismatists Show. What did I care about a November press release?

Certificates of Authenticity didn't enter my mind.

Obviously, they should have.

Collectors value them. They also notice errors on them. The Mint has no choice.

We therefore await the new COAs and the availability of the Mark Twain silver dollars.

Mystery solved.

For the previous blog on the Twain mystery, check out "Twain silver mystery."