EagleRJO

You were off a bit ... they convert stale waffles into stale pancakes.

Yes, a commercial dryer. See the following web pages and a related topic about these ... https://www.error-ref.com/dryer-coins/ https://adventuresincrh.blogspot.com/2018/03/dryer-coins-what-are-they-how-are-they.html https://boards.ngccoin.com/topic/429492-spooned-coins/#comment-9828505 Although I associate it more with the mushy appearance, and possibly the rims being flattened a bit, but not really so much from the edges being pushed in slightly which I tend to associate more with spooned coins. What are the odds that a coin will be a tight fit between the inner and outer tubs of a dryer and become jammed in that position such that it rolls around perpendicular to the tubs while squeezing the coin? So it's really just possibly loosely rolling around as in the diagram, if it even gets in that position at all.

Taking the NGC response at face value, if it never came out of the capsule, from the mint shipping it to NGC receiving it, that narrows it down a little to something which occurred at or an exposure to something at the mint. Have you tried contacting the mint about this even though it was purchased quite a while ago.

@Coinbuf does a good job explaining those things. Even though they are likely interchangeable perhaps a "plating blister" could be a "plating bubble" that has burst.

Look like some type of heat damage to me. Very strange.

True, there are always exceptions to a general rule, and this may be one of those situations. From what I am seeing I don't think it's a 1976-D DDO, but you really need the coin in-hand as pics can be deceptive. Did you get a chance to lock at the coin with some good lighting and magnification to compare it with the infographic I posted above? Well, that wouldn't be possible, but doesn't the Philly mint make the master hubs for the various other mints, like San Fran and Denver. So if they made a 1976 50C master hub for San Fran that had a DDO then isn't it's entirely possible they made the same 1976 DDO master hub for Denver ? (yea, yea, I know, just spitballing). I don't know, I'm not seeing defined notching at the letters serif, as there is say with the "Y" on the 1976-S 50C DDO, like with the op's 1976-S posted above. See the attached comparison with the op's 1976-D on the left and the op's 1976-S DDO on the right.

I am sure that if you filled out the proper forms that you could get funding from the US Department of the Treasury to study the "Send-It-In" phenomenon!

Also, I am trying to keep the topic general, without getting into specific coin types which could snowball, except for just some of the more well known references on varieties like VAM World. Thanks for keeping it that way!

@blinewalker before you go through all that I would recommend looking at the coin in-hand with good lighting and a 40x loupe or scope, and turn it at different angles to compare the coin with the infographic I posted above as I and some others do suspect it's common MD.

I see a listing for the 1976-S, but not for the 1976-D Kennedy 50C, as others also could not find. In the almost 50 years since these coins were struck I find it hard to believe that the op's coin could be a DDO but there has not been a single other DDO found. Plus, if you look closely at some of the letters it becomes apparent that there is no notch at the intersections and there is a step like appearance on the sides. See the attached Wexler's listing for the known 50C DDO's (with some close ups of the op's coin lettering added). Same results from checking NGC VarietyPlus and Variety Vista. So, it looks like die deterioration or machine type of doubling (MD). Also see the attached infographic which can be used with the coin in-hand to verify it's MD.

Agreed. For the $80 +/- grading cost you can buy an 1898-O Morgan in better condition, like the attached MS-63 for sale on eBay now for $79.99, when the coin the op posted would likely grade out AU-58 to MS-61 depending on if some darker areas are deemed to be rub marks. Link: 1898-O Morgan $1 MS63 - For Sale @ eBay

I think that's how coins were meant to be collected, and maybe a little old school from my grandfather rubbing off on me. I collect coins, not labels.

I specifically avoid shady sources, and it may be a bit overkill but I really do not want any counterfeits in my collection which is almost all raw coins.

I weigh every raw coin I acquire, as well as measure the diameter and thickness. I also compare the coin to certified examples and identify any possible die markers. If the weight or dimensions are off, even a little, I will check specific gravity, but I can count on one hand the number of time I have done that. This is a routine I got into a while ago in order to help identify counterfeits, which are often off on the weight or thickness.

Okay, so can you post an example link to where you buy those at under spot.

Looks like they have 1 oz cull silver coins at $30 if you wire buy 100, and I don't see anything below the Spot Ask Price they have of $22.62 per oz. In fact even a bulk buy 100 oz bar is at $24.62 per oz if you wire buy 10 of them (1,000 oz), or 10% above spot, let alone anything at a discounted Bid Price needed to make any money off that. Do you have an example of one that you could post a link to as I am genuinely curious if any legit dealer could sell silver at 10% to 12% below Spot Bid Price, which is a loss for them.

Where do you buy the ASE"s in bulk, and at what kind of discount?

Today silver closed at $22.70 USD, with a Bid Price @ $22.45 USD and an Ask Price @ $22.70 USD. Where do you purchase 100 ASE's for at or less than the $22.45 Ask price each, to then melt down to make a 100 oz bar and sell it at 100 x $22.70 = $2,270 USD for a profit of 100 x ($22.70 - $22.45) = $22.50 USD. With overhead, shipping, etc. it's actually a loss.

You are probably aware that you can get an ASE with a "First Day of Production" label. The labels are only offered to dealers who buy the bulk boxes, directly from the mint, and submit that to a TPG intact with accompanying paperwork from the mint.

NGC doesn't list an 1898-O VAM-11A on the VarietyPlus pages I linked, so they would not list the 11A variety on the slab label. PCG$ may attribute that though. There is a lot of chatter and a few bag marks on Liberty's temple, face and neck which is a no-go for higher grades with the Morgan series. It's hard to tell with those pics, but with those face marks and chatter it would likely grade a high AU to very low MS, like AU-58 to MS-61, depending on if some of the apparent darker or discolored areas are rub marks. Getting it graded would likely cost around $80 with shipping, so you would lose money submitting it for grading, even as part of a larger submission, with a slabbed value around $70 to $90 and a raw value around $60 to $80. If you want to send it in for grading anyway that's fine and your call. Check back in after you get the grade to update this topic if you do send it in for grading. It is always helpful to get that kind of feedback. [P.S. I see Coinbuf beat me to the punch about the 11A variety]

Unless you are a VAM collector, which it doesn't seem like you are, I don't see any reason to send it in for grading. It's not a valuable year-mark or VAM, and NGC wouldn't even attribute that VAM ... https://www.ngccoin.com/variety-plus/united-states/dollars/morgan-dollars-1878-1921/77284/

That is a solid match with an 1898-O VAM-11A which has a "near date" and a mint mark set high and tilted far right, as well as some die clashes including the one on the reverse between the eagle's left facing wing and the wreath that was circled in yellow ... http://www.vamworld.com/wiki/1898-O_VAM-11A See the attached comparison, with your coin on the left and a certified 1898-O VAM-11A on the right. Your pics get a little blurry to check the other 11A die markers, but you can likely pick those up with the coin in-hand using a 40x loupe or with a scope. Also, look for any loss of detail with the die markers which may indicate a counterfeit, but that doesn't appear to be the case with the markers I can see from the pics.

To open capsules like that I typically use a small butter knife (thinner blade) and work the edge into the seam along the side. Try a sharper knife at your own risk as it usually slips several times trying to work it into the seam.

https://www.ngccoin.com/variety-plus/ http://varietyvista.com/ https://doubleddie.com/300201.html https://www.coppercoins.com/ http://lincolncentresource.com/ https://www.conecaonline.info/

Particularly on eBay where coin grades are routinely overstated by sellers, and novice coin collectors don't even look at that sometimes, they just bid based on the overstated grade.