Henri Charriere

My take on this is different. The T in TRUST was there. That is apparent. There is nothing unusual about the mintmark. Lots of things can happen to coins that have been in circulation for some thirty-seven years.

The answer to that question will depend on demand. Have you any idea how many broadstuck bicentennial quarters were minted?

Let's assume I am uninformed, unenlightened and uneducated -- which may not be far off the mark. According to what VKurtB has said on prior occasions, the chances an MS-68 bicentennial quarter, or for that matter, any coin that is minted for circulation, literally falls off the press presumably striking other coins, and emerges relatively unscathed, at a lofty grade, is rare. That a TPGS certified it and deemed to value it at $4500 suggests demand and scarcity to some extent. Granted, not all such coins have been found and/or submitted, but the passage of years preceding and during the advent of formal grading militates notably in its favor. On the other hand, speaking strictly for myself [and I am irredeemably biased against unsightly, grossly damaged, deformed coins, period] realistically speaking, the broadstruck coin has lost its face value and its visuals are such that its only value to numismatists is its effortless ability to exhibit best the worst to be found in the hobby as an invaluable teaching tool. If I were offered $5000 to take possession of one, I would graciously decline. Parting shot: It would make a wonderful addition to a Ripley's Believe It Or Not display or a Coney Island sideshow of freaks. Nothing I have said should in any way reflect on the good name, character and personal taste of the OP who has demonstrated an all-consuming affinity for these tchotchkes.

The following comment is said in jest and is completely fictitious... Get your head out of that upstate New York muck! You mean to tell me you aren't even aware they came out with a hard-covered coffee table book in a limited edition with lavish illustrations and never before seen, rare, archival footage accompanying the text of "The Centennial of the Dawes Plan," which was released late last year in time for commemorating the anniversary? All the questions you have -- and ones you've never thought of, are answered there... Okay, Full Stop! As much as you may wish that were true, it isn't. Was the German zeppelin, the Hindenburg sabotaged, or was the culprit St. Elmo's Fire? Did Lee Harvey act alone? Where's Jimmy Hoffa?.... Some mysteries endure. You've got the mystery of the Double Eagles and I've got 100 million missing 20-Franc gold roosters -- primarily the earlier half of the series. A lot of the answers to our questions lie undisturbed in government archives. To answer your opening line, yes, it would be interesting. Whether answers will be forthcoming remains to be seen. In the meantime, we each of us search for answers to things that have always been in the back of our minds.

History is tentative pending new discoveries, declassification of documents, the persistence of one man who insisted Troy actually existed, treachery, even deathbed confessions. It may not happen during your lifetime but I like to believe truth stamped into the ground shall rise again and be revealed. Not every mystery is solved.

Without a scintilla of doubt or smidgen of evidence to support my audacious claim, I am going to suggest the entire area surrounding the mintmark(s) ought to be regarded as one would a crime scene. Each 'mark is of a different size and, no offense intended, but the "D" looks morbidly obese. In addition, one cannot help but notice the unkempt workplace, i.e., the immediate work area, a darker iridescent blue which envelops the letter D circumferentially and completely. I regret to say I am obliged to question the skills of the amateur-artist involved and am constrained to withhold the usual honorarium solely for that reason. 🤣

[The Lighter Side of A.I... I walked into the bedroom to find out with whom my wife was arguing on her cellphone. She kept insisting, "I didn't say anything," or "I wasn't talking to you!" as she furiously tapped the inert screen out of frustration. Turns out, it was "the Google lady" which [due to her disability] she continued to berate as though she were addressing a real, living person! A Kodak moment, for sure] 🤣

This may offend a great many more people than intended, but I fail to see anything wrong with restoring architecture, classic cars, and yes -- coins to their original condition and former glory. If making this admission automatically disqualifies me from continuing to enjoy my status as a Rising Star, so be it. I am prepared to accept my punishment.

Note that the hierarchy has expanded... in descending order: domain, kingdom, phylum class, order, family, genus and species. I do not know what term practicing numismatists use but these are generally referred to as CERTIFIED COPROLITES by discreet collectors. 🤣

What was the last entry recorded on the tracking itinerary? Did you use their own box or envelope with sufficient padding? (I am not going to ask you what you insured it for.) I am sorry to hear this happen on your first submission. Let's wait and see what happens.

If no one objects violently to my use of the term, "High Wires," I presently use for specific Double-Eagles only, I shall take the liberty of referring to SMSs as such, similarly. My feeling is no one likes to accept a coin that was not authorized, specifically. They are technically, from my understanding, not supposed to exist officially. My only regret is the young boy who was never able to reap the rewards of owning a coin (a 1943 copper cent) that no less an authority than the director of the U.S. MINT in a short, unapologetic missive stated -- not that the coin did not exist -- but none were authorized.

@VKurtB : As you have personally investigated this matter, intermittently, over an extended period of time and my internet forays over the past five years clearly confirms your observations and my own suspicions, I wholeheartedly agree. What this means in a practical sense, particularly for collectors of world coins who participate in the Set Registry is, the onus is on you to correctly identify the coin you seek from a photo array and pay for the privilege of having a TPGS validate your choice with formal certification. Many collectors and dealers attend coin shows and share their stories here. I would be curious to know if you have ever run into the same people on your globe-trotting sprees.

CACG... new guy on the block. Ford Mustang? Or Ford Edsel? Only time will tell...

Online???! (Welcome home!)

Alternate viewpoint [As this forum is dedicated to answering questions from those new to the hobby I am going to preface my remarks by stating, nay, conceding my credentials: I am but a rank amateur, whose reputation lies in tatters and whose credibility is shot. To me, grading is a one-way affair. It is a skill that comes in handy if you are buying coins from sellers of "raw" coins.. You can use your grading knowledge, skill and/or experience as a bargaining chip If you are selling -- something I do not believe is an activity I have ever engaged in -- accept the fact your opinion is secondary to that of the person to whom you are selling. He will magnify what you intend to minimize. The "House" always wins. If you are a buyer interested in buying MS coins that are authenticated, graded, certified, and encapsulated, your only choice is "to buy, or not to buy." If you are armed with an ANA diploma, do yourself a giant favor and deal with a reputable firm WITH a return policy if you are not completely satisfied. If you are interested in selling your lovely slabbed coin or collection, whether you can recover the expenses entailed in certification will depend on a number of variables and the unwritten policy of the dealer you choose to deal with. Again, the chances the person/dealer with whom you choose to deal, will slap his head and spontaneously blurt out, "I can't believe it. Just what we were looking for!, is nil. Once a coin is slabbed, the thrust of the inquiry will not be what's the grade? but who [which TPGS] graded it. And you will be remunerated accordingly. Insofar as formal grading goes, right now my area of interest is limited to the upper half of the MS scale. Difficult as it may seem to believe, only 50 years ago and going back to the time the Hittites were banging out electrums in Western Anatolia, the entire subject of grading covering the entire continuum of U.S. coins [minus Mint States which hadn't yet been "invented"] covered all of a single page in the coin collector's Bible, the Red Book. Every coin collector should have a basic understanding of coin collecting if only to recognize, e.g., NOT what an MS-67 should look like, but what it shouldn't.. And if you think education is expensive, as the saying goes, try ignorance.

ANALYSIS OF A 7-POINT THREAD Something Funny Happened on the Way to the Forum... and no one apparently noticed. The OP announced his project. There was the usual give and take and then, nearly a year later... this is purely conjecture on my part, a collector discovered he was required to become a member if he wished to participate on the chat board. On Sept 29, 2023, he joined up, posted a question ostensibly asking if he could ask a question, was told he could and, declining to do so, promptly fled the premises, never to be seen or heard again. Huh? Was it something he said? No, because he never did. Was it something he did? No, because there is no evidence in the record to suggest he did anything at all. All of this transpired within 24 hours. What happened?

No. No collector would cavalierly throw a BU coin, protected or not, into a kitchen drawer. I would peg it at lower grade with partial bands. I am ashamed to admit I have never acquired a coin with flaws of any kind.

My faith in humanity is restored. Thank you, Greenstang! Lost to the dustbin of history was a testy exchange between me, Oldhoop and an OP who had asked the latter an inocuous question. I replied instinctively, and as was his commanding style, Oldhoop quickly rebuked me, in substance, "the question was directed at me, not you!" Ah well. I have to give him this: he never resorted to insulting or demeaning language. He exuded complete confidence.

That's manner, 'buf. "... professional manner."

Ever walk out of a movie, totally dissatisfied, feeling like you want your money back? That's the way I feel here. Let me explain. Take another look at that topic. What where and when did you read that the 1965 Canadian dollar is rare -- with no attribution or explanation? Name your source! I.must take @Greenstang to task as well. Okay, You volunteer you have 5 varieties of the coin. I take it the beads you refer to is what the OP calls dots. Would not it have been helpful to post photos of the coins that illustrate the difference between the sizes of the beads? At least the OP would have your beads to compare with, wrong date notwithstanding. Finally, neither you nor the OP make reference to the "Blunt 5." Is there such an animal, or not? Or it that a feature of yet another variety neither you nor the OP have? I want my money back! 🤣

As regarding the '26 Eagle PCGS MS-65. If I am not mistaken, this was the same grade bestowed by the same TPGS upon that unique '33 Double-Eagle. My selling point would be the damage to the former was inflicted by none other than the notorious hatchet-bearing Chinese Tong legend, Mock Duck, at the height of his rambuntious reign in New York's Chinatown. We're it not for the coin which deflected what surely would have been a mortal blow, it would have remained unnoticed in the opposing gang member's breast pocket. Out of respect for the owner of the latter, I will not comment on the damage his coin sustained in the turmoil of the Middle East. Me thinketh MS-65 is undeservedly high, more so in the case of the '26 Eagle. If the blow had fallen on a comparatively inconspicuous location, that would be different. But prominently on the face of the figure portrayed is not something that can be so easily overlooked. It is the existence of examples so graded that makes my confidence in graders falter. The OP's choice of coin to illustrate the point he wished to make was a fine one.

Unfortunately, I am old school. If it ain't one of any number of UNCs, or AU, the next consideration is EF. An owner of a series of certified such coins would be in a better position to render a judgment on this coin. I am ill prepared to do so. If it's any consolation, I have a '37 Merc sitting in an airtite in my kitchen drawer you are more than welcome to have, but there's one big problem: there's nothing wrong with it. 🤣

In all fairness, in the absence of a proliferation of storefronts, roadside stands and coin shows near where these whippersnappers live, what other options do they have? Some social media platforms are downright dangerous. Others have been accused of being an accessory to the premature deaths of their loved ones. I don't condemn YouTube but, then again, I access it for information and entertainment. The printed word is powerful. Can you imagine a parent or guardian today saying to their child, "if you read it in The Sun (whether Santa Claus exists) it must be true! Television is just as persuasive. I have seen some scary topic inquiries posted from time to time on the Forum. We must never allow ourselves to become disenchanted with newbies or descend into impatience or give in to battle fatigue. As the saying goes, a stranger is nothing more than a friend we haven't met. Some members are very direct, but I understand their frustration. I am not particularly enamored of SMS coins, but if there are those motivated enough to separate fact from fiction and clear the air of common misbeliefs, I am all for it and applaud their efforts.

Who's to say how this ambitious effort will progress. I have an idea what N G C stands for. Maybe the X stands for Xperimental. And if the initiative does not pan out as expected, maybe those holders will attain an exalted status amongst collectors of uncommon holders: "Behold, my friends... a genuine, Generation X holder! The rarest and most sought after series of limited holders of all time!" (Drum roll) "An even one thousand, from the gentleman in the grey flannel suit. Do I hear eleven hundred?..."

I do not believe the presence or absence of characteristics unique to a coin series would cause a grade to drop so precipitously. From BU to VG. Your coin was struck well and the wear patterns are even. I am [unofficially] assigning it a grade of VF-37. Formal graders would beg to disagree.