1981 D QUARTER DOLLAR 1 1

[Abdulah]

Hello Dear
numismatist, I have a collection of 1981 D quarter dollars, the reverse of which is quite unique, where the letters AMERICA, "A" touch the wings of a bird. What do you think, thank you all?

[Greenstang]

You didn’t finish your question, not sure what you are asking.   
It just looks like an ordinary quarter worth 25 cents.

[Fenntucky Mike]

On 12/27/2023 at 6:03 AM, Abdulah said:

Hello Dear numismatist, I have a collection of 1981 D quarter dollars, the reverse of which is quite unique, where the letters AMERICA, "A" touch the wings of a bird. What do you think, thank you all?

Possibly a die chip, hard to tell in those photos though. 

[Abdulah]

I mean is this coin unique? and maybe it could be worth it??

[Abdulah]

On 12/27/2023 at 6:14 PM, Fenntucky Mike said:

Possibly a die chip, hard to tell in those photos though. 

 

[Abdulah]

On 12/27/2023 at 6:10 PM, Greenstang said:

You didn’t finish your question, not sure what you are asking.   
It just looks like an ordinary quarter worth 25 cents.

I mean is this coin unique? and maybe it could be worth it??

[Fenntucky Mike]

On 12/27/2023 at 6:16 AM, Abdulah said:

I mean is this coin unique? and maybe it could be worth it??

Something being unique does not necessarily add any value, certainly in this case it does not. No, having this coin certified would not be worth it if that's what you are asking.

I would only value this piece at 25¢.

[ldhair]

It looks like a normal quarter to me. Not seeing anything special. 

[Abdulah]

Please explain where you think normal is?
If I judge quarter dollars, it generally says AMERICA "The last letter A doesn't come into contact with the bird's wings, so where does that normally go?"

 

 

[Henri Charriere]

Regarding that final A in AMERICA, any such contact constitutes harassment and if the bird depicted is a bald eagle, this is actionable under Federal law punishable by both a possible fine, a term of imprisonment -- and embarrassment.      

[RWB]

As others have mentioned, your reverse photo suggests there is a small raised defect between the left base of final A in America and the eagle's wing. This was likely the result of a small piece of the die breaking off -- commonly called a "die chip." This kind of defect is not especially rare or unusual, and it is only the location that has any interest. FYI, any damaged die is "unique" since these are random events, but a die can strike hundreds of thousands of coins all with nearly identical defects.

In summary, your pictured coin might be "unique," but the type of error is so common, and of so little interest, that the coin is not worth a premium to collectors. If you elect to have the coin authenticated and certified, you will spend about $50 and still have a coin worth face value.

(This is the kind of item often found for sale on Etsy, ebay, Craig's List and other bastions of numismatic ignorance.)

Edited December 27, 2023 by RWB

[Sandon]

   Die chips are extremely common, which is why coins with them are being posted here regularly. They are regarded as quality control issues rather than mint errors and are not worth a premium to knowledgeable collectors.  They are not attributed by grading services. See Variety vs. Mint Error | NGC (ngccoin.com). ("NGC does not recognize as mint error coins those with minor die chips, breaks and rotations, etc., that fall within our interpretation of mint tolerance. ")

   There was once a fad of collecting certain Lincoln cents with die chips between the "B" and "E" of "LIBERTY" that resembled the letter "I", but they are very common and no longer considered to be of much value and are not attributed. I posted a topic about them a while ago.