StrikeOutXXX

Just an update - a 4th example has been found by a collector at a small show in Portland, Oregon. Got quite a nice cherrypick out of a dealer's folders.

Pics are below. Take note of the die crack on the Obverse, and Reverse. I believe this will be a later die state, perhaps confirming the dies were not pulled early due to discovery of the DDO, but may have had a chance to have a normal production run.

That puts the known population at:

1) ANACS VF-20 - Discovery Coin (Mine)

2) XF Details? - John Hodson's Confirmation piece - still at NGC for Conservation

3) PCGS VG-8 (Now off to ANACS to get the attribution)

4) VF/XF - This new example.

Just wanted to thank ANACS, Paul DeFelice, and Christian for getting this done for me so fast. I really appreciate you reaching out to me for this.

The dime was on this week's cover of Coin World, among other places - hopefully that will be the nudge to get collectors checking their own coins and hit the shows this weekend to find more.

Interesting little video about our famous dime here at Coin World:

http://www.coinworld.com/videos/2015/march/monday-morning-brief-mar-9-2015.html]http://www.coinworld.com/videos/2015/march/monday-morning-brief-mar-9-2015.html]http://www.coinworld.com/videos/2015/march/monday-morning-brief-mar-9-2015.html

The first step Mr. Gibbs gives to this being a success is "A lot of 'em are gonna have to be found" !!!

So I am sending lucky vibes to everyone who is actively searching!

Coin World's full article is now online:

http://www.coinworld.com/insights/1919-winged-liberty-head-dime-has-doubled-die-obverse.html#

They put a teaser story out a few days ago, and I saw one person say they found one on Facebook, but the post was removed, not sure if they were kidding, or they got tired of the bombardment of "Sell it to me" posts, but I still don't know of a 3rd piece being discovered yet.

Hopefully the print article will uncover some more.

Jeff

Coin World just added this to their news section. Let the wide-scale searching begin!

 

http://www.coinworld.com/news/new-doubled-die-obverse-found-on-1919-dime.html

 

I am surprised that they did not mention Jeff Sam's name in the bulletin.

Mr. Gibbs said the print version is a much more extensive article.

He did put my name in the photo credit though.

The Capt typed up a nice press release with some of the history of the coin and the details of the find and sent it out last week. I'm sure much of it will be used in the print article. Can't wait!

Coin World just added this to their news section. Let the wide-scale searching begin!

http://www.coinworld.com/news/new-doubled-die-obverse-found-on-1919-dime.html

Seems Dave Lange and his variety team are ahead of the curve on this one.

http://www.ngccoin.com/coin-varieties/mercury-dimes/1919-ddo-10c-fs-101-5636

I'm hoping enough coins are found to make this a collectable variety. Various online and print coin news outlets should start running Tom DeLorey's press release this week, so more eyes should help.

With permission from Bill Fivaz, here is the motto from specimen #2, the XF piece.

As well as mine for comparison

Waiting is killing me.

You know... if I had a place to actually get rid of them once I sorted through locally - I would buy a few of these just to check.

4Anyone have luck at the shows this weekend or in your own collection/inventory?

So far just 2 other reports of possible others, but looking like #3 May not be the same.

Still waiting on #2 to get to Mr Fivaz for examination.

Folks - check your 1919-P Mercs, just got official word - After hiding in plain sight for 96 years...

Confirmed 1919-P DDO

Still waiting on official FS/CONECA numbering, but will likely be in the next CPG among other places.

I'm sure there will be official photos (especially when the XF/AU specimen is photographed) and announcements in the coming weeks (My coin will be off for a Coin World glamor shot soon).

Talk about an exciting few days, thanks for sharing the ride with me.

Jeff

Roger Burdette was kind enough to forward me the 1920 Annual Report showing die usage for 1919.

For Mercury Dimes:

Philadelphia:

521 Obverse dies were used averaging 71,050 pieces struck per die (37,017,050)

343 Reverse dies were used averaging 107,921 pieces struck per die (37,016,903)

Kind of funny as the reported production is 35,740,000 in publications today. (Although the report is Calendar Year 1919, so maybe there was overlap of 1918/1920 dated coins)

So... what does this prove? Well... nothing. Just throwing numbers out there. If only one obverse working die was doubled, and assuming it was used for an average lifespan, AVERAGES say there could have been around 71,000 pieces struck or roughly .002 of production. Curious how those numbers stack up against other Doubled Dies.

We don't know if the die in question had a full average life, if it was pulled from production early if the doubling was discovered while still in use, etc.

It will be interesting as more of these are discovered, and the die state markers start to be unveiled how the experts determine estimated usage based on that, maybe if there were more than one reverse die used and those die states as well, etc. I always found that part of numismatics quite interesting as well.

Just interesting information is all, take what you will from it.

A second specimen, in higher grade, has been reliably reported by someone I know personally. It is on its way to Bill Fivaz for confirmation.

 

TD

You don't know how much more excited I got when you told me your friend found one checking his inventory.

I really want to know what an MS example of this looks like - probably will amaze everyone how it hid in plain sight all these years.

c

Can we identify the class of the doubled die from those images? Anybody want to take a shot at that for us?

The only guess in the thread ATS is tilted Class IV.

Just an update - the coin should get to Bill Fivaz tomorrow for further study/photographs. The few experts who have PM'd me or spoken on the matter believe it looks good by pictures, but of course, nothing beats in-hand examination.

Hopefully within a few days we know something a bit more definite.

However it turns out, this has been very educational and exciting. I can tell you one thing - of the 35,740,000 Mercury Dimes to come out of Philadelphia in 1919, there is a huge percentage of what's remaining being dug out, looked at, and shown some love they probably haven't had in many years right about now 8-)

OK, here are all the different pics asked for. My white balance is off, but other than cropping, I did no adjustments. Sorry they're huge, but that's what was asked for.

OBV

REV

Initials:

Date:

Date and Initials:

The part of the head that might determine which hub 16/17/18 this is:

Shot of the Rim:

IGWT Shot upside down (not rotated)

Thanks for all the replies.

The folks ATS asked for a separate thread on just the Merc, which is now here:

http://forums.collectors.com/messageview.cfm?catid=26&threadid=937347

The Capt has forwarded pics to Bill Fivas as well, for his opinion.

I'll add some more pics tonight - the Designer's initials have been asked for, and I'll put some bigger non-reduced overall shots of the coin if Photobucket doesn't reduce them too badly.

Also of note, can anybody make out what looks like a clash to the right of the "D" in "GOD"?

And lastly... seanq asked about hub varieties for that year. They had 3 different obverse hubs for 1916, 1917, and 1918, as annotated here: http://blog.davidlawrence.com/index.php/mercury-dimes-ch-2-design-modifications/

Any merc specialist able to tell what this 1919 is using for Obverse Type?

That's a very decent discovery coin. I agree with Jason that this is definitely hub doubling. What are the lines that are vertical behind the ear and going up through the wing? I hope it's not damage.

I guess you would call it damage for a coin that would grade about Fine - there is some as well on the reverse up by the "F" of "OF".

Trust me, it would be nice to have this be MS65+ assuming it is what so far folks are thinking, but I'll take a beat-up Fine without batting an eye as well.

So... It's obvious it's "Something" - here and ATS nobody has said it's "" and a few have suggested getting it off to CONECA for further study. I'll keep both posts going for a few more days, I'm sure there will be plenty more opinions.

But... Is there someone I should contact next to look at it online, send it to, etc? (My only CONECA experience was getting a Washington ready to send to Dr. Wiles).

Thanks for all the help thus far,

Jeff

Here are a few bigger pictures.

As for weight - on a .01g scale, 10 weighs I get:

2.40 g every time

1.54 dwt every time

37.0 or 37.1 gn (5 of each)

Seems about right weight-wise for a ~Fine Merc

Like I said ATS, I've seen some radical strike doubling of dates in Mercs, and seen some pretty radical strike doubling with separation, but usually over whole sides of a coin. This one is just a bit strange.

Thanks for the opinions so far.

2/12/15 - UPDATE:

Folks - check your 1919-P Mercs, just got official word - After hiding in plain sight for 96 years...

Confirmed 1919-P DDO

Still waiting on official FS/CONECA numbering, but will likely be in the next CPG among other places.

I'm sure there will be official photos (especially when the XF/AU specimen is photographed) and announcements in the coming weeks (My coin will be off for a Coin World glamor shot soon).

Talk about an exciting few days, thanks for sharing the ride with me.

Jeff

=======================

I've been going through a box of oddities ATS.

http://forums.collectors.com/messageview.cfm?catid=26&threadid=936873

A few have me stumped, but this one in particular. Figured I'd ask over here if anyone has seen something like this before: