Help Identify Error Type - 1981 Washington Quarter 1 1

[Txlinda]

Good day,

i’m fairly new to collecting and I have this 1981 Washington quarter I’ve not been able to identify the type of error. The big S appears to be a mint mark on the obverse side of the coin, but I’ve never seen an S that large. Can someone in this group can identify the error type? Would an investor or a collector of some type buy this? Or would it be worth sending in for grading?  Two images are attached. I have a closer one of the error but post would only take up to 4.88. Any help is appreciated. 

Edited August 24 by Txlinda
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[Sandon]

   Welcome to the NGC chat board.

   In order to evaluate your coin, we would need clear, cropped photos of each side of it. Based on your description, it is most likely that the coin was counterstamped or otherwise damaged after it left the mint and is not a mint error.

 Edit: Now that I see the images, it is clear, as I suspected, that someone counterstamped the coin with an "S" punch. This could not have occurred during the production process at the mint.

   Contrary to what you may have read or seen on the internet, it is extremely unusual to find any significant mint error or other valuable coin in pocket change or random accumulations of modern coins. Please read the following recent article by a well-known coin dealer: Jeff Garrett: Fake News and Misinformation in Numismatics | NGC (ngccoin.com).

 

Edited August 24 by Sandon

[Txlinda]

Thank you Sandon for your reply. I will definitely read the article.  

[powermad5000]

Hello and welcome to the forum!

What I see is an incuse large S across the obverse which would be a counter stamp. People for over 100 years or more have counter stamped coins for either advertising a business, for a political movement, for creating a personalized item to carry around, or to make a love token.

This is not an error, and it is not worth trying to find out what the big S means. Now it is considered a damaged quarter and its value will only be face value for the rest of its existence.

[Henri Charriere]

Unless, of course, someone places a classified ad explaining how the coin was lost and the immeasurable sentimental value it has for the owner, now, some 43 years later.

Incidentally, anyone care to hazard a guess as to where this quarter-dollar was minted?

[powermad5000]

On 8/24/2024 at 8:53 PM, Henri Charriere said:

Incidentally, anyone care to hazard a guess as to where this quarter-dollar was minted?

I would say Philadelphia.

[Txlinda]

Henri and powermad5000 here is a closer picture and that would be my guess is Philadelphia. 

[Greenstang]

It is a Philadelphia mint mark that has a broken post and then has had a hit.

[Txlinda]

On 8/25/2024 at 5:39 AM, Greenstang said:

It is a Philadelphia mint mark that has a broken post and then has had a hit.

Yes and what’s funny now that I’m looking at it again not sure if you can see it but I see the starting of an s which starts at top of where the hit line begins.  It’s an identical type as the lager s but on a much smaller scale. 
 

just trying to be funny here but it’s like this was a testing coin an was not supposed to leave the mint.   :-)

[J P M]

Your S is probably a test s (sample) from a jewelry store. Sometimes they will show a customer what their letters will look like on a bracelet and using a coin is an easy way to do it.  

Edited August 25 by J P M

[Greenstang]

The only 1981S coins were proof strikes and yours certainly isn’t a proof.   
I don’t know where you got the idea it is a test coin, it is just a regular    
1981P quarter with a damaged mint mark worth 25 cents.

Edited August 25 by Greenstang
Correct typo

[The Neophyte Numismatist]

On 8/25/2024 at 9:00 AM, Txlinda said:

Yes and what’s funny now that I’m looking at it again not sure if you can see it but I see the starting of an s which starts at top of where the hit line begins.  It’s an identical type as the lager s but on a much smaller scale. 
 

just trying to be funny here but it’s like this was a testing coin an was not supposed to leave the mint.   :-)

Welcome.  The punch was hit twice, once was not hard enough... the punch jumped position before being hit the second time.  It is not a smaller scale.

This was not a testing coin before it left the Mint.  This is damage.  Please do yourself a favor and don't try to invent cute scenarios that are not plausible.  We get into a lot of back-and-forth conversations with new collectors that insist that such ridiculous things are true.  So, while this may feel like a funny anecdote to add... it gives most of us an eye-rolling "here we go again" feeling.  You will get ignored and sooner-than-later fangs will come out.

I say this every time, but trying to look for errors when a collector is new is almost a certain way to fail.  As there is just too much for you to know.  Start with a series and learn the nuances and the minting process.  Once you have this mastered, you will be better equip to go in any direction you choose.  That said, feel free to save anything you find interesting... I am certainly not telling you what to collect - just how to be better at it.  Good luck.

 

[Fenntucky Mike]

 

[powermad5000]

On 8/25/2024 at 8:00 AM, Txlinda said:

not sure if you can see it but I see the starting of an s which starts at top of where the hit line begins.

We have a word for this. Pareidolia. Seeing something that is not actually there. We have many OP's who suffer this. The fact as noted by Greenstang is fact. When you think you see something on a coin, you have to remember how and where it was minted and how what you are seeing could even be possible. In this case, there is no way for that to be possible.

[Henri Charriere]

On 8/25/2024 at 9:00 AM, Txlinda said:

Just trying to be funny here but it’s like this was a testing coin an was not supposed to leave the mint.   :-)

To be honest, I do not feel you were being malicious.  You were only musing out loud.

However, as a courtesy to my fellow brethren, I shall not extend my fangs anymore.  That way I will no longer have to retract them anymore :-)

P.S.  The coin NEVER left the Mint like that. Trust me. My reputation here is pristine and my credentials are impeccable.  

Edited August 28 by Henri Charriere
Levity

[Txlinda]

My apology to the group for ever posting this quarter and adding a bit of humor.  I greatly appreciate everyone's comments

I have never nor would I ever question anyone's reputation because I believe if you reply to any thread in the forums you absolutely know what you are talking about to which I'm grateful!  Moving forward in these forums I've been taught a valuable lesson which is to not joke or add humor. Just stick to the facts.

I hope everyone has a great day and again thank you for all the responses your expertise does matter.

Linda

[The Neophyte Numismatist]

On 8/26/2024 at 2:14 PM, Txlinda said:

My apology to the group for ever posting this quarter and adding a bit of humor.  I greatly appreciate everyone's comments

I have never nor would I ever question anyone's reputation because I believe if you reply to any thread in the forums you absolutely know what you are talking about to which I'm grateful!  Moving forward in these forums I've been taught a valuable lesson which is to not joke or add humor. Just stick to the facts.

I hope everyone has a great day and again thank you for all the responses your expertise does matter.

Linda

You're welcome.  I think it's a good move to not joke about the coins making them more than what they are.  Jokes in general are not frowned upon... but jokes that question the coin or the feedback you receive on the coin are where you would get into trouble.  If you are serious about getting started in the hobby, there are many here that would love to help (myself included)

 

[RWB]

RE: "Help Identify Error Type - 1981 Washington Quarter"

The "error type" is: "Imaginary."