Newbie seeking knowledge on determining mint vs PMD 1 1

[Rollingmyown]

I'm baaaack. I introduced this coin here in this forum a month or so ago. I have studied the minting process and also all known Philadelphia mint damaged 1983 Washington Quarters. This coin does have common mint damage for this series. Including the P filled in and a worn out and or reused die... Coin in hand it is obviously bent. Post or mint damage. It is an ugly coin. But I can't explain the obvious damage which appears to be pre-die strike indention or roll mark possible from the edging process that was introduced to the coin face with enough pressure to remove the shiney surface metal before it was struck. Due to fact it is under the 1983 numerals and extends up and under the "G" and "R" (no pun intended) of In God We Trust. It dissappear through the area of the Washington's face and reappears under and through the "L" and "I" of liberty at the top of the coin. Just tell me it's common mint damage and tell me the odds again againt finding a undocumented mint damage coin in the pile of five years worth pocket change I have been rolling up on my own. And I will stop on the way to work in morning and toss this dam albatross in the lake and let the fish decide. Come on guys I can't unsee this coin or not look at. The dam thing has been sitting here in my garage man cave for weeks now. Thank you ahead of time for any input. 

"Rollingmyown"

Edited June 12 by Rollingmyown

[powermad5000]

Whether a coin was damaged at the mint after it was struck or whether it was damaged after it left the mint, damage is damage. Not to be confused with what is a real true mint error which is in a technical sense damage, but it is done during the strike or to the raw planchet before the coin was struck. Anything that happens after the coin is ejected from the striking chamber is simply damage.

On this well worn and highly circulated quarter you have posted here, I don't see a striking error on it. The filled mintmark is simply overuse of a die in which finally suffered a broken post allowing metal of the strike fill in the open space of the mintmark. Filled mintmarks do not qualify as mint errors. They happen either due to the tiny post breaking on the die, or due to a mint employee overpolishing the mintmark area on the die which gets put back into service, or due simply to a die that was highly overused past the point where it should have been removed from service and cancelled or destroyed.

What I see on your quarter doesn't seem to fall into anything I have seen that would be considered an error. It almost looks like at some point like another coin was sitting on top of the quarter for awhile, perhaps a nickel or a penny. There is a condition with metals called galvanic corrosion (aka bimetallic corrosion or dissimilar metal corrosion) in which when two dissimilar metals are placed in contact with each other over a period of time, in the presence of an electrolyte (in some cases very humid air) it can cause corrosion of both metals in contact with each other. Electricians experience this effect when having to join copper wire to aluminum wire. Special fittings have to be used at the connection to keep this process from corroding both types of cables being joined. I think this is what happened in the case of your quarter and what you are seeing is a mild corrosion on the quarter now that whatever was resting on it has been removed.

Since my opinion is just an opinion and is one of many, you can wait for the others to give you their opinion of your quarter.

[Rollingmyown]

Thank you Powermad5000, you are first person to even acknowledge the damaged area of the coin that I described. I do understand and appreciate the reaction metals can have when placed in contact under certain atmospheric conditions. It still leaves question as to why this corrosion would not appear on upmost raised surface of the letters and numerals that another coin would be in contact with before it would touch lowest point on the surface of the coin. Ect. Now I'm even more interested.  Thank you soo much!

Edited June 12 by Rollingmyown

[Coinbuf]

The coin hasn't changed since your first post so there is no reason for the replies to change.   It is a damaged coin just spend it, or continue to drive yourself crazy over nothing, your call.

Edited June 12 by Coinbuf

[Rollingmyown]

Thank you coinbuf for your input. I did not know there was a "no explanation" category when comes coin damage. I thought it coin history was a little exact and this one may strike the curiosity of the experts or "pros" on the history of coin minting and or damage. I'm ready to cast it aside just yet. As the coin is still in the same condition and still goes unexplained as it did when I first introduced it. Thank you sir. I'll just keep driving myself crazy for now. I have nothing better to do. Much appreciated sir. 

[Sandon]

    The curved discolored area that runs between the date and "IN GOD WE TRUST" appears to me to be simply a stain from dirt or some chemical compound that has formed on the surface of this circulated 1983-P quarter, which is composed of a chemically active alloy of 75% copper, 25% nickel. It doesn't appear as an indentation based on the photos both on this and your previous topic. This stain probably formed long after the coin left the mint from exposure to some substance that the coin encountered, such as the circumstances described by @powermad5000. The coin likely continued to circulate after the stain formed, causing the dirt or chemical compound on the tops of the lettering to be rubbed off.

    If for whatever reason you find this coin interesting, you are welcome to collect it, but don't expect any knowledgeable numismatist to classify it as a mint error.

[Rollingmyown]

Thank you sir yours and powermad5000 reply are the most commonsense aproch to my question. I had already suspected it as being a corrosion or stain that had been rubbed off the letters and numerals. Like i said in my first post I'm not out here looking for that million dollar coin..ect. If I had one in my pocket I would not even notice it. I'm just a newly revived coin enthusiast due to the fact that I found an almost complete ( -1955 ) 1941 Lincoln Head Cent collection in an out building on my property. It's cool as hell by any coin nerds imagination who has ever collected a series as I had in my youth. I know there are millions of the Lincoln Head collections out there. It's just cool in that it survived and intact and I had the eye to spot it's historical value at its base level and rescued it from certain death.  And I would never break it up and sell it or peice it out. I would donate it to the local historical society of NGC before I would do that. Thanks again 

Still Rollingmyown...

Edited June 12 by Rollingmyown

[Rollingmyown]

[Henri Charriere]

I have viewed your coin a number of times at intervals and regret to inform you I am not prepared to make you an attractive offer for it beyond $1.37 million.  

[Rollingmyown]

Lol. I appreciate the offer. Not seeking to sell anything right now just knowledge.  

[powermad5000]

Excellent find on that album! I had one just like that when I began collecting coins 4+ decades ago, but never got it filled even half of what you have there. SWEET!!! 

[Rollingmyown]

Well to put an end to the Ugly 1983 Quarter. A picture is said to be worth a thousand words at times. Coin in hand is worth a thousand pictures and it's an indention. Caused by corrosion, time and or pressure. And I'll just put it to rest. And take my passive aggressively beat up butt back across 8 mile. Thank you all. 

[Halbrook Family]

You should be looking for a perfect 1983 anything P or D. If you can find one of those in change.... That would be a winner. Like a full steps nickel from 1983. Find that in pocket change.  

[VKurtB]

Oy vey! 

[powermad5000]

On 6/13/2024 at 11:31 AM, Halbrook Family said:

Like a full steps nickel from 1983.

Due to the notorious overuse of dies by the Mint in the early 80's, you would have been hard pressed to find a full steps nickel when they were first minted. Add 40 years of circulation wear and I highly doubt you will find a single 80's nickel in cash register change with full steps.