RWB

This in the "Big Foot" and "Yeti" category of nonsense. Add some critical thinking and the "mystery" vanishes.

Long ago my cousin and I would "mine" the local high school's rifle range (yes, we had one and could bring our own rifles to school - less the firing pin or bolt) for lead from the .22 bullets. We had an NRA (back before NRA became political and angry) marksmanship program for "activity period" and used .22 Longs. On a good Saturday, we could dig 10 to 20 pounds out of the hillside. The only rule was to put the dirt back and pick out any stones that might cause a ricochet. (Other people used the firing range on weekends and non-school days, too.) We would melt the lead in clean steel cans and cast it into fishing weights in a mold. Caught hell from my grandmother one time when my cousin's can split and lead split on her kitchen stove.

...or twiddled between V. Putin's fingers.... Oh...not fair to the nickel...... sorry. Should have added: хвала і слава Україні !

Yeah! And what about hair dryers, and paint dryers, and....and....other stuff dryers....?

I thought it was supposed to have been King Henry VIII ?

(The mm should "move" in relation to reference lines, not the other way around.)

What kind of commercial dryer or washer ever accepted nickels?

a bit of an age difference....

Thanks for the cross-ref. The Denver token was valued at 25-cents, so that explains why there's not printed value. Presumably there were either no other tokens in use, or the others were clearly differentiated from this one.

Objectivity is present -- just not in this type of "drama" and bias. It requires patience and expertise to find the truth.

The following are temperatures at which various metals are melted at the Denver Mint: Copper Plated Zinc Cent (CPZ) 850° - 900° F. Bronze Cent (Copper) 2, 200° F. 8 1/ 3 (%Nickel) Dime , Quarter , Ralf Dollar - 2, 400° F. Nickel - 2,800° F. Stamping Dies - 3, 000° F. [Notice that melting zinc cents would leave pure copper slag at the bottom of the induction furnace. RWB.]

Here are the original letter referred to, and the token used at the Denver Mint.

The "dealer" is trying to deal you a bad hand. That he's trying to sell a frequently altered or counterfeited coin without authentication is a bad sign. That he is asking a premium price for a coin with a prominent spot and scratch is another bad sign. That the seller is doing these things indicates he cannot be trusted. That the OP is considering this purchase is a sign of too much "enthusiasm" and not enough knowledge.

Here's a bigger, blurry version. Lots of wear and lots of damage.

Thought this letter mint be of interest to members -- especially if you come across an undefined token. (See 2nd post.) Also, notice that the original inquiry was dated almost SIX YEARS before the 1986 reply!

Where's the cheese -- and crumbled bacon on top...?

Highly biased account. Very skeptical. What's the objective story?

There are case folders in NARA for applications for import licenses, and other matters that came within his office.

Howard was hired by Ross on the recommendation of her son, Bradford. He had been a student of Howard's at University of Virginia. His mother was looking for someone to replace Mary O'Reilly, and Howard's background in accounting fit with her desire to update mint financial procedures. Howard was 100% toady. After WW-II he was part of the group that examined and audited gold and artworks looted by the Nazis. Later Mint Directors found Howard to be a pest and Eva Adams had him removed from the Mint, along with the gold licensing work.

That is the legal specification. Occasional checking samples are taken, but most US circulation coins are "counted" by bulk weight....just as cents, nickels, etc. have been for a long time. Bulk weight is compared to strike counters on presses and weight of rejects. If the comparison shows an average correct weight, then the entire bulk amount is approved for release to Brinks and other counting/rolling companies and issued by the Federal Reserve System.

RE: "Help! Is this Coin Worth a Lot?" Nope. It's a very poor quality fake. (The rare ones are dated 1805 and come in hand painted colors.) On further consideration, it's not worth an alley, or an easement, or even a temporary right-of-way....

Coins are not weighed individually -- only in bulk. Same for the planchets. I suspect a defective planchet with internal copper oxide or a small void. Either would deaden the "ring" and still allow for a full dimension coin. [I originally thought the coin had been struck using lower case edge lettering -- and thus "lighter." But that's not the case....] OK...OK...the immediate above is just minor "humor."

Mint Director Ross was evidently not pleased with Superintendent Mark Skinner's attitude regarding transfer of Mr. Moessner to New York.

What make vehicle ran over it? ... Or was it hit by a lawn mower first....?

Correct. Others might have been saved by sharp-eyed collectors who noticed the superior sharpness of first strike coins off ANY set of dies -- of ANY denomination.