Couple finds Faceless Washington Dollar Coin near Denver from AOL M&F

[comicAL]

Hi, Everyone

 

I picked up this story from AOL Money & Finance. Now we have a "Faceless Washington Dollar" To look for in change!

 

AAJ

 

Updated:2007-03-14 12:32:23

Couple Finds Faceless Dollar Coin Near Denver

By CHASE SQUIRES

AP

DENVER (March 14) - Mary and Ray Smith can't make heads or tails of a new presidential dollar coin they found last week. It doesn't have either. A week after the revelation that some of the coins slipped out of the U.S. Mint without "In God We Trust" stamped on the edge, the Smiths said Tuesday they found one with nothing stamped on either flat side.

 

 

Minting Mistake

Some new George Washington dollar coins are missing "In God We Trust" and now one has been found without a face.

 

It does have "In God We Trust" on the edge. What's missing is the image of George Washington on the front and the Statue of Liberty on the back. Instead, the Smiths' coin is just smooth, shiny metal.

 

"We're just so excited," Mary Smith told The Associated Press. "I'm just dumbfounded that we actually found something significant."

 

Mint spokesman Michael White said officials had not confirmed the Smiths' find. But Ron Guth, a coin authenticator with Professional Coin Grading Service of Newport Beach, Calif., said after examining it he is certain the coin is authentic.

 

"It's really pretty rare," Guth said. "It somehow slipped through several steps and inspections."

 

 

 

Coins in the News

 

The couple, who live in Fort Collins north of Denver and collect coins, bought two rolls of the presidential dollars March 7 after hearing about the earlier mistake. Mary Smith said she thought they might find a "Godless" dollar of their own.

 

The faceless dollar could be worth thousands of dollars, maybe more, Guth said. The value will depend on how many similar misprints are found, but the Smiths' will always be worth more because it will be the first one independently authenticated, he said.

 

The first "Godless" coins went into circulation Feb. 15.

 

The Mint struck 300 million presidential coins, about half in Philadelphia and half in Denver. The Smiths' coin bears a D, meaning it was produced by the Denver Mint. The "Godless" coins were all believed to have come from the Philadelphia Mint.

 

The Smiths said that when they get their coin back from Guth, they'll stick it in a bank vault for at least a while.

 

 

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press.

[bsshog40]

I seen this on the news this morning. Wish that was my luck!

[nwcs]

Still, it's just a type 2 planchet. Sure, cool (wish it was me) but wouldn't think this would be worth thousands.

[bsshog40]

Look at the "No Edge Lettering" and the popularity and value it gained. This has the edge lettering and the mottos going around the Obv and Rev. It's missing the Liberty and the Washington head. I would think this would be a wealthy find! IMHO

[CoinCurious]

I would not pay big bucks for it, but if I found it i surely wouldnt sell it cheap. Can you imagine how many peace dollars I could buy with one of them.

[comicAL]

Hi, nwcs

 

I don't know why the photo did not show up but the blank planchet does have the words that are on the rim as well as the date, sort of weird!

 

AAJ

[bsshog40]

Here's the pic Al.

[comicAL]

Hi, bsshog40

 

Thank you so much!

 

I have edited the picture to the original post.

 

AAJ

[nwcs]

Hi, nwcs

 

I don't know why the photo did not show up but the blank planchet does have the words that are on the rim as well as the date, sort of weird!

 

AAJ

Yeah, I saw the pic on CNN. It's a great find, no mistake, but to me it is just a type 2 planchet. I don't know how the mint preps these dollars but I can't see this being a collar die impression without the obv/rev.

[WoodenJefferson]

The edge lettering is a completly separte function of the coining process as a whole. The edge lettering is imbossed after the coin is struck in a completly different machine. The collar in instance only holds the coin in place during striking.

 

You can have a blank (punched from dies) these have been found but they could also be a Sacagawea blank, no way to tell the difference at this state.

 

Then there is the smooth edge, ones that missed the edge lettering process. Those being sold on e-bay right now for about $100 each.

 

Then there is this coin...a lettered edge but no devices. The odds of this coin getting through the stamping process and then into the edge lettering machine is pretty high right now.

 

Yes, it is possible for this error to be quite valuable. Right now it is #1 the discovery specimen. Course that could all change next week but for now it is unique.