US Mint Getting Sneaky - Innovation Dollars 1 1

[EagleRJO]

I recently started collecting American Innovation Dollar coins in BU or Proof condition, and once I get to current dates I may actually start working back for modern dollar coins as I am enjoying collecting something low cost or basically face value from roll hunting, in addition to circulated quarters.

I just started going through a number of Innovation coins and I was going nuts trying to find the mint marks, and I am sad to say I had to ask google and felt I had a senior moment by not looking on the lettered edges which have a saying along with the year and mint mark.  Boy did I feel dumb not looking there, but then again I think it's the mint being a little sneaky to mix things up putting basic info on the edges apparently starting with the presidential dollars. 

But what is the mint thinking only putting the mint mark on the edge which is sure to wear off in no time from normal wear. 

Edited September 6, 2022 by EagleRJO

[DWLange]

The idea was to keep the design from becoming cluttered with statutory text.

[Mr.Bill347]

EagleRJO, maybe I mentioned this in an earlier post

[EagleRJO]

On 9/4/2022 at 10:36 PM, Mr.Bill347 said:

EagleRJO, maybe I mentioned this in an earlier post

I remember seeing something like that posted, but I didn't realize that the lettering also included the year and mint mark until after I did the google search.  Looks like the mint started doing that with the Presidential dollars, which I also haven't even looked at closely yet.

On 9/4/2022 at 9:44 PM, DWLange said:

The idea was to keep the design from becoming cluttered with statutory text.

The reverses are packed with design features, so why keep the obverses so plain and all the same.  Seems like there is still plenty of room on the obverse to add the date and mint mark and still keep it uncluttered.  Doesn't seem like such a good idea to only have a shallow incuse punched date and mint mark on the edge of the coin where it's likely to get filled in with smutch or worn away easily.

Anyway, I got the idea to start collecting them from @Hoghead515 who was talking about them in another thread.  I am enjoying collecting them as a lower cost coin and checking out the design information that comes with the individual proof coins from the mint with the various innovations and innovators on the various coins.  I have already worked my way from 2018 (only 4 that year) to now plugging away on 2020 with the P, D S Proof and S Rev Proof for each year/state, with the BU grade P & D coins only being a few bucks each and the Proof coins only like $6 to $12 depending on if you get a set or individual coins.

The only one so far I have done a double take on was the design for the Georgia coins (well, okay the rotated NH design too).  They just had to have a peach on the GA coin, so they include a failed botanical garden by an Englishman in early America as the "innovation", that of course included ... a peach tree in the garden. 

Edited September 5, 2022 by EagleRJO

[Mr.Bill347]

EagleRJO, I have a very nice Whitman Volume 1 folder for my Innovation Dollars. All BU, Tennessee on their way.

[RWB]

Interesting the absence of innovation in the "innovation" coin series.

[EagleRJO]

On 9/5/2022 at 11:10 AM, Mr.Bill347 said:

EagleRJO, I have a very nice Whitman Volume 1 folder for my Innovation Dollars. All BU, Tennessee on their way.

@Mr.Bill347 Nice, do you collect the Proof and Rev Proof coins too?

I have been going with the capsules since the proof coins from the mint come in them and I figured for like 75C I would put the BU ones in capsules also for protection, even though they are mostly only valued at like $6 to $8.

[EagleRJO]

On 9/5/2022 at 11:32 AM, RWB said:

Interesting the absence of innovation in the "innovation" coin series.

They really could have "innovated" a better obverse design imo that wasn't exactly the same for every coin.  I have all of the coins turned so that the reverse is what jumps out in my collection binder.

[VKurtB]

On 9/5/2022 at 3:12 PM, EagleRJO said:

They really could have "innovated" a better obverse design imo that wasn't exactly the same for every coin.  I have all of the coins turned so that the reverse is what jumps out in my collection binder.

You mean like all those quarters after 1998, right?

[EagleRJO]

On 9/5/2022 at 6:06 PM, VKurtB said:

You mean like all those quarters after 1998, right?

Yea those too, but at least there is a full obverse design without large bare areas that has the mint mark.

[VKurtB]

On 9/5/2022 at 5:58 PM, EagleRJO said:

Yea those too, but at least there is a full obverse design without large bare areas that has the mint mark.

Makes them easier to grade with all that emptiness. 

[RWB]

EPU should be prominent on the obverse, not some silly religious screed.

[EagleRJO]

On 9/4/2022 at 9:11 PM, EagleRJO said:

... once I get to current dates I may actually start working back for modern dollar coins as I am enjoying collecting something low cost or basically face value from roll hunting, in addition to circulated quarters

Okay, I am done with roll hunting for modern dollars. I just went through a wad of $1 rolls from the bank, and I was struggling to even make out a date and mark on the edge for most of the more recent ones due to wear and dings, and the rest were mostly really beat up older ones except for maybe a few in decent condition. 

Looks like I will be sticking with just roll hunting quarters and collecting the BU/PR Innovation dollars, and maybe down the road add BU/PR Presidential dollars if I want to work backwards.

[VKurtB]

On 9/5/2022 at 7:52 PM, RWB said:

EPU should be prominent on the obverse, not some silly religious screed.

EPU is on the edge. So now you’re a coin designer too?

[Mr.Bill347]

Just for you EagleRJO

[Conder101]

On 9/4/2022 at 9:11 PM, EagleRJO said:

But what is the mint thinking only putting the mint mark on the edge which is sure to wear off in no time from normal wear. 

Normally the edge doesn't wear that quickly.  Sometimes if a coin spends a LOT of time going through vending machines the edge will be abraded badly, but normally they don't suffer that much.  Go to the bank and find some 2009 President dollars or the 2009 NA dollar and check the edges.  For the most part after 14 years you will find that the edges are still clear.  The real problem is in trying to avoid jamming and slippage problems they often didn't adjust the roller closely enough to the edge die and the lettering/date/mint were weakly impressed when the coins were new.

 

[EagleRJO]

On 9/22/2022 at 8:32 PM, Conder101 said:

Go to the bank and find some 2009 President dollars or the 2009 NA dollar and check the edges.

I did with wads of rolls from the bank, and they were horrible. Almost impossible to read the date/mark on the edge for most even with a mag glass due to dings commonly on the flat edges.