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Martha Washington Test Pennies/Medals...Now Graded. How to Auction/Sell? Help!

ddgaffddgaff Posts: 21 ✭✭✭
edited June 19, 2020 7:06AM in U.S. Coin Forum

I am not a coin person, other than using them for commerce. However, I will relate my having these coins to you all.

We are preparing to move, and in going through one of my old tool chests I came across a few test pennies I totally forgot about.

In the early 1980’s, the company I worked for was a press rebuilding firm. At that time, I had just completed journeyman machinist requirements having gone through a 2000 hr. multi-faceted hands on course. I digress, but background was needed, and more will follow.

So, around that time, I do not remember the exact year, four or six (I don’t remember) penny presses came in from I assume, West Point. They were in our facility for complete overhaul. I remember they had rotary dies fixtures on the bed, but I am not remembering if they were knuckle presses or crank driven. They did have a fast cycle rate as I recall.

So, they were in our facility for some time. I would guess three or four months while being totally disassembled, cleaned, rescraped, rebearinged, fitted for automatic oilers (my job), repainted, and test run. After this, the Mint came in with a roller bin filled with blanks for testing. The bin was about three feet high, three feet wide, and four feet long. That was a lot of testing I thought. We were told that the blanks had been counted and were a controlled inventory (I do remember some speech by a Mint official to us worker guys). The bin had a locked cover.

Then, the Mint’s press operators arrived, installed the coining dies, and test ran each machine collecting the samples from the chute conveyor. I don’t remember how long the testing took, probably a couple days, and thousands of cycles. We installed a Partial Revolution Press control on each machine as well, and some training was necessary for that system. When all was signed off on, the samples were taken as well as the bin of blanks. The presses were trucked off some time later. Fast-Forward...

When I found these coins in the tool chest drawer last week, I remembered having to repair a circuit breaker box near where some of the presses were rebuilt and tested. It was months after the coin presses had left. I set my tools and multimeter down on the floor and noticed some shiny copper strips wedged in a gap between the poured floor and the cinderblock wall and in a control cut. I got a popsicle stick (used for mixing epoxy) and carefully lifted them out of the gap. They were the "1759" test pennies. I put them in my tool box. I was not sure if I should have told someone or just keep them. Well, I guess I made my decision back then (nineteen or twenty year old’s decision), because I forgot about them until last week, cleaning (self-quarantined) my shop.

I cleaned one with some silver polish, probably should not have done that. But it looked pretty good for being almost thirty years in a plastic bag. I am no coin expert, so, trying to find out about them, your forum popped up. I guess they are uncirculated, they were coined/minted, fell off the press and rolled into those gaps, then "landed" in my tool box.

After all that, I am asking for your help in determining if they are worth anything, and is the Government looking for me? Although the G-Men are very busy with other matters these days...

Thank-you for your interest.

P.S.: I attached a couple of shots taken with my "Chinese" digital microscope.

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Comments

  • jmski52jmski52 Posts: 22,364 ✭✭✭✭✭

    If they are authenticated, there is a market for them. I don't believe that they are forbidden to own. Your best move is to coordinate with a reliable dealer and to have them certified by PCGS.

    Don't clean any coins, period. You will reduce the value, period. How many did you find?

    Congrats, and welcome to the forum!

    Q: Are You Printing Money? Bernanke: Not Literally

    I knew it would happen.
  • rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @ddgaff ....Welcome aboard.... First of all, they are not a coin...more like a medal....no denomination or other indication of monetary status. Second... great story. Third... I have not heard or saw any medals just like this one, however, we have thousands of forum members - many of whom are experts in medals as well as coins - so perhaps some better information is forthcoming. Cheers, RickO

  • CaptHenwayCaptHenway Posts: 31,544 ✭✭✭✭✭

    To answer the original question, they do have value. Not crazy value because the Mint has been using this generic design for its test pieces for decades now, and various pieces of various sizes have gotten out. I have even seen a pair of dies in this design, though I can't remember what size they were or who had them. Nickel maybe?

    I would guess around $200-$250 each depending on condition, less if damaged. I may be wrong.

    Numismatist. 50 year member ANA. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Winner numerous NLG Literary Awards.
  • davewesendavewesen Posts: 5,842 ✭✭✭✭✭

    yes, go to Heritage to see what they have been selling for (www.HA.com)

  • CaptHenwayCaptHenway Posts: 31,544 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Could yu please post weight and diameter?

    Numismatist. 50 year member ANA. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Winner numerous NLG Literary Awards.
  • yosclimberyosclimber Posts: 4,593 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited March 24, 2020 6:24AM

    On Heritage, they have always sold for over $1000, but those sold "test tokens" are likely in higher grade than your cleaned coin.
    https://www.ha.com/c/search-results.zx?Nty=1&Ntt=martha+washington+1759&Ntk=SI_Titles-Desc&N=790+231&ic10=OtherResults-ViewAll-071515

  • CaptHenwayCaptHenway Posts: 31,544 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I see I guessed way off. Must have been thinking of the GM test pieces. Serves me right for typing before coffee.

    That said, sort those prices by date and you will see that they have trended downwards as more and more "Marthas" have come out.

    As to dimensions, 0.7515 inches sounds about right. 0.7500 is the standard but there is a tolerance of about 0.003.

    38.5 GRAINS, not GRAMS, is OK for the modern copper-coated zinc cents.

    Numismatist. 50 year member ANA. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Winner numerous NLG Literary Awards.
  • GoldenEggGoldenEgg Posts: 1,923 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Very cool story! Would love to see a pic of all of them together!!

    I had always thought these were produced when testing various compositions, not that the dies would also be used to “trial” a refurbished press.

  • GoldenEggGoldenEgg Posts: 1,923 ✭✭✭✭✭

    You and @dcarr could probably have some great conversation!

  • JBKJBK Posts: 14,735 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Great find. They have good value, except the one you cleaned. That one still has some value, but your elbow grease took hundreds or more off the value.

    Don't even look the wrong way at the others! ;)

    You need to be a member of PCGS to submit for grading.

  • JBKJBK Posts: 14,735 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited March 25, 2020 10:53AM

    @dcarr said:

    If you found them down in a crack in the floor some time after the presses and US Mint personnel left the building, and you never saw them roll into there or know for sure when or how they got there, then I think you would be safe from any US Government "persecution".

    I love a good loophole. :D

    It sounds like solid reasoning.

    You were just picking up "trash" - unknown, unclaimed, unidentified.

  • CaptHenwayCaptHenway Posts: 31,544 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @dcarr said:
    Interesting thread.

    The piece you photographed has details that seem mushy and the surface texture odd. Then there is the displaced (in relief) ring at the top of the date all the way around the circumference. But it appears to match this one that sold on Heritage Auctions some time back:
    https://coins.ha.com/itm/patterns/a/1280-4180.s?ic4=ListView-ShortDescription-071515

    The dies that I have seen for these Martha Washington test strikes were for traditional linearly-opposed striking, not for rotary striking. If I read your narrative correctly, tests that were performed while you were there were rotary tests, which could mean that the pieces you found were from some prior test runs (perhaps before you were there).

    38.6 grains equals 2.5 grams, which would mean that they are copper-plated zinc (which would also date them to post-1981).

    If you found them down in a crack in the floor some time after the presses and US Mint personnel left the building, and you never saw them roll into there or know for sure when or how they got there, then I think you would be safe from any US Government "persecution".

    I was wondering about that "rotary dies" comment. Sounds like what they use to strike American Eagle coins.

    Could the whole project have been to upgrade presses to strike American Eagles at West Point starting in 1986, with the cent-sized strikes just throwaway pieces to test the mechanisms of the presses rather than the composition?

    Numismatist. 50 year member ANA. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Winner numerous NLG Literary Awards.
  • CaptHenwayCaptHenway Posts: 31,544 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Somebody cross-posted this thread over to this old thread:

    https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/948295/martha-washington-patterns#latest

    so I thought I should reciprocate.

    Numismatist. 50 year member ANA. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Winner numerous NLG Literary Awards.
  • shorecollshorecoll Posts: 5,445 ✭✭✭✭✭

    You could still send the one you cleaned, even a messed up one could bring more than you think (from the people who can't afford the others). They would authenticate it and mark it as cleaned.

    ANA-LM, NBS, EAC
  • Namvet69Namvet69 Posts: 8,670 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Great story, I'm glad you found them and kept them. I would send them all in for the works, conserve, grade and holder. But that's just me. Peace Roy

    BST: endeavor1967, synchr, kliao, Outhaul, Donttellthewife, U1Chicago, ajaan, mCarney1173, SurfinHi, MWallace, Sandman70gt, mustanggt, Pittstate03, Lazybones, Walkerguy21D, coinandcurrency242 , thebigeng, Collectorcoins, JimTyler, USMarine6, Elkevvo, Coll3ctor, Yorkshireman, CUKevin, ranshdow, CoinHunter4, bennybravo, Centsearcher, braddick, Windycity, ZoidMeister, mirabela, JJM, RichURich, Bullsitter, jmski52, LukeMarshall

  • dcarrdcarr Posts: 7,989 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @ddgaff -
    You might like this write up about the 1986 Graebener Denver Mint surplus coin press that I restored to operating condition: moonlightmint.com/artifacts.htm
    .

    Moonlight Mint
  • ddgaffddgaff Posts: 21 ✭✭✭

    dcarr:

    Nice job on the rebuild. My first job in press rebuild was scooping grease out of rams, and steam cleaning pressframes. Not a fun job.

    I am fascinated with the “American electrical control”. That must have been an interesting meeting in Germany with the Mint insisting on AB controls, relays and PLC in their new press. The German guys would have insisted on Siemens...

    Did you have schematics? I think you might have dodged a big bullet when only the PLC’s power supply was bad. That PLC could be programmed in multiple ways (languages), like block, statement, or plain ladder logic. And, AB updates their software and protocols a lot. A current copy of software might not “talk” to the old PLC’s CPU.

    That was quite a project! Nicely done sir!

    dgaff

  • MartinMartin Posts: 833 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Welcome to the forums ddgaff I for one enjoy your post and knowledge
    Dcarr and the captain are top good guys here they both know their stuff

    Martin

  • dcarrdcarr Posts: 7,989 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited March 28, 2020 10:15PM

    @ddgaff said:
    dcarr:

    Nice job on the rebuild. My first job in press rebuild was scooping grease out of rams, and steam cleaning pressframes. Not a fun job.

    I am fascinated with the “American electrical control”. That must have been an interesting meeting in Germany with the Mint insisting on AB controls, relays and PLC in their new press. The German guys would have insisted on Siemens...

    Did you have schematics? I think you might have dodged a big bullet when only the PLC’s power supply was bad. That PLC could be programmed in multiple ways (languages), like block, statement, or plain ladder logic. And, AB updates their software and protocols a lot. A current copy of software might not “talk” to the old PLC’s CPU.

    That was quite a project! Nicely done sir!

    dgaff

    There were some electrical schematics but they were not complete, disorganized, and mostly in German. So they weren't much use to me. I found it easier to follow physical wires and relays on the press instead. John Dean (author of the book "National Commemorative Medals of the United States Mint" [ jtdean.com/ ]) has a lot of experience with these types of control systems and he helped me by providing an old lap-top with the proper cable to connect to the PLC, reprogramming a couple functions, and making a backup of the program in the PLC and installing the program into a backup PLC box.

    Moonlight Mint
  • ddgaffddgaff Posts: 21 ✭✭✭

    Well Folks:

    I'm getting a bit worried on a couple of fronts. First, that the whole world is shut down by a mysterious, dangerous, and rarely fatal virus. Second, I sent my coins/medals off to PCGS Priority Mail, 2-Day, "Registered" on March 25th, at 9:30 AM from Connecticut. They arrived in L.A. on April 1st at 7:18 AM, and are still in transit to a location, Newport Beach P.O., 35 miles away.

    I know the virus has fouled everything up including air freight, but gee, guaranteed 2-Day to 10 plus days...I will try not to think that they are in the bottom of a postal bag sitting outside the Newport Post Office. It did go to P.O. Box, so I feel better about that. But it hasn't arrived yet...deep breaths dgaff, deep breaths. That, by the way is good therapy for the #19 virus.

    Stay healthy friends and...

    Godspeed!

    ddgaff

  • giorgio11giorgio11 Posts: 3,819 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited April 5, 2020 12:16PM

    Registered trumps Priority Mail and is slower than Christmas. OK, usually a couple of weeks or so from mailing to delivery. You can also put in the Tracking Number at USPS.com and it will tell you every time it moves. But it is also 100% secure. They will get there, never fear.

    I remember cataloging a few of these or similar items during the years I worked at Heritage. Interesting pieces.

    Good luck, stay healthy yourself, thanks for sharing, welcome to the forum, and I think they will do better at your chosen auction venue than you might think!

    Kind regards,

    George

    VDBCoins.com Our Registry Sets Many successful BSTs; pls ask.
  • JBKJBK Posts: 14,735 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I agree with the abive.

    Adding priority mail to registered is sort of incompatible. Registered travels slow but secure. I think you are still OK, as long as PCGS has someone there to sign for it.

  • ReadyFireAimReadyFireAim Posts: 1,800 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited April 5, 2020 12:34PM

    Registered mail sometimes doesn't upgrade status.
    This made me uneasy several times but I send coins everywhere/all the time and they never lost a package yet.

    Try going to "My Account" from the main PCGS page.
    Now type in your registered tracking number into "find my package" on the left scroll down menu.
    I don't know if it will work because they are closed, but it's worth a try.

    Also...I enjoyed your story.

    My Saint Set

  • KudbegudKudbegud Posts: 4,735 ✭✭✭✭✭

    A very interesting thread. Thank you to all posters for the details you provided.


  • amwldcoinamwldcoin Posts: 11,269 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Paying for Priority Mail is a total waste of money when Registering a Package. AS said above Registered Mail is a totally different channel and follows it's own slow rarely trackable route until delivered!

  • ddgaffddgaff Posts: 21 ✭✭✭

    Dear Coin Guys and Gals:

    Thank-you for the uplifting comments on the shipment, and how I came to have those "medals".

    Currently, I'm back to a bit of gunsmithing, checkering really. It is a pastime that can make three hours go by in a relative flash. Unfortunately, when you try to become bipedal again, 66 year old muscles and bones let you know they are unhappy. I was so bored, and found my checkering tools while still cleaning the shop, I then decided to do a project. I hate to clean...Then a couple days later, I foolishly decided to video (I almost said film), some of the basics. Then, I more foolishly decided to share the endeavor on YouTube.

    So, I needed to learn video editing and composition. Well that took some more time off the #19 waiting game. It was my first foray in the mostly millennial world of YouTube. I am a big watcher of the streams, so I said what the heck, why not, how hard could it be?

    Turns out; not so difficult. I've been around Macs since 1989, but never used iMovie. I stumbled through it, and posted the vid. I even got the lingo down.

    Therefore, if you folks really have nothing better to do than waste fifteen minutes on a tedious, hands only video of a geezer checkering a pocket knife...the YouTube video is called "Checkering 101". Here is the link:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Moh91hc4KyQ

    View at your own discretion...on a positive note, viewing before bedtime, like melatonin, could speed up your sleep stage.

    Thanks again, all you coin aficionados. And for heaven's sake, wash your hands!

    Godspeed;

    ddgaff

  • TurtleCatTurtleCat Posts: 4,589 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Congrats! That is a great score and a wonderful achievement as well. My advice is to keep at least one for posterity or a loved one. It may gain more value over time.

    There are a number of venues to sell. Keep in mind the tax burden as well. You’ll be paying 28%, I believe, in capital gains. Places like Heritage, Great Collections, David Lawrence Rare Coins, Pinnacle Rarities and I’m sure many more are great places to start.

    Hope you get what you’re looking for. Sure wish I could afford one. :smile:

    TurtleCat Gold Dollars

  • JBKJBK Posts: 14,735 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Congratulations!!!

    So even the cleaned one came back with a straight grade?

    There are lots of people here who can give you solid advice. (I don't have any personal experience with consigning coins to auction).

    My random thoughts, subject to being overruled by more knowledgeable people...

    1) You are right to suspect that selling them all at once in the same venue might depress prices.

    2) Although it is a fantastic story you have, if it were me I might not wave all six around at once for all to see lest the feds take notice. I think you are on solid ground with them, but no need to attract unwanted attention from some bureaucrat with nothing better to do.

    3) If it were me, I might try a combination of venues, such as an auction, a high-profile and well-connected dealer who might sell one or two on consignment, and a private sale if you can find a buyer yourself (maybe even to a dealer). Each method has its advantages and disadvantages, so why not try a few methods.

    Good luck.

    P.S. - Pls post some pics once you get them.

  • thebeavthebeav Posts: 3,751 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @amwldcoin said:
    Paying for Priority Mail is a total waste of money when Registering a Package. AS said above Registered Mail is a totally different channel and follows it's own slow rarely trackable route until delivered!

    This isn't necessarily true. I've shipped many boxes of coins by registered mail and used a priority flat rate box. After all, anything over 16 ounces ships at a priority rate. When shipping gold coins or Morgan dollars, it's easy to get over 16 ounces. You just need to tape up the box seams with that brown paper tape so they can postmark that seam. Using a flat rate box I've saved a lot of money. Of course, it doesn't speed up the shipment in the sense of 'priority', but when you've got some weight, you will save money.

    My Ebay Coin Store
  • JBKJBK Posts: 14,735 ✭✭✭✭✭

    bump

    Let's get some ideas on how to sell.

  • amwldcoinamwldcoin Posts: 11,269 ✭✭✭✭✭

    How will you save any money? If you go over 13 ounces at the PO or 15 ounces through commercial rate shipping it defaults to priority mail! Same slow registered service though!

    @thebeav said:

    @amwldcoin said:
    Paying for Priority Mail is a total waste of money when Registering a Package. AS said above Registered Mail is a totally different channel and follows it's own slow rarely trackable route until delivered!

    This isn't necessarily true. I've shipped many boxes of coins by registered mail and used a priority flat rate box. After all, anything over 16 ounces ships at a priority rate. When shipping gold coins or Morgan dollars, it's easy to get over 16 ounces. You just need to tape up the box seams with that brown paper tape so they can postmark that seam. Using a flat rate box I've saved a lot of money. Of course, it doesn't speed up the shipment in the sense of 'priority', but when you've got some weight, you will save money.

  • jmlanzafjmlanzaf Posts: 31,845 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @amwldcoin said:
    How will you save any money? If you go over 13 ounces at the PO or 15 ounces through commercial rate shipping it defaults to priority mail! Same slow registered service though!

    @thebeav said:

    @amwldcoin said:
    Paying for Priority Mail is a total waste of money when Registering a Package. AS said above Registered Mail is a totally different channel and follows it's own slow rarely trackable route until delivered!

    This isn't necessarily true. I've shipped many boxes of coins by registered mail and used a priority flat rate box. After all, anything over 16 ounces ships at a priority rate. When shipping gold coins or Morgan dollars, it's easy to get over 16 ounces. You just need to tape up the box seams with that brown paper tape so they can postmark that seam. Using a flat rate box I've saved a lot of money. Of course, it doesn't speed up the shipment in the sense of 'priority', but when you've got some weight, you will save money.

    Priority Mail can be significantly more expensive than the Flat Rate.

  • amwldcoinamwldcoin Posts: 11,269 ✭✭✭✭✭

    When I saw you quote me I figured that's what you were going to say. :* Of course it is! Have to go over 2 pounds I believe., maybe 3...haven't checked.

    @jmlanzaf said:

    @amwldcoin said:
    How will you save any money? If you go over 13 ounces at the PO or 15 ounces through commercial rate shipping it defaults to priority mail! Same slow registered service though!

    @thebeav said:

    @amwldcoin said:
    Paying for Priority Mail is a total waste of money when Registering a Package. AS said above Registered Mail is a totally different channel and follows it's own slow rarely trackable route until delivered!

    This isn't necessarily true. I've shipped many boxes of coins by registered mail and used a priority flat rate box. After all, anything over 16 ounces ships at a priority rate. When shipping gold coins or Morgan dollars, it's easy to get over 16 ounces. You just need to tape up the box seams with that brown paper tape so they can postmark that seam. Using a flat rate box I've saved a lot of money. Of course, it doesn't speed up the shipment in the sense of 'priority', but when you've got some weight, you will save money.

    Priority Mail can be significantly more expensive than the Flat Rate.

  • ChrisH821ChrisH821 Posts: 6,321 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @ianrussell can probably help you

    Collector, occasional seller

  • davewesendavewesen Posts: 5,842 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited June 17, 2020 11:09PM

    I suggest Heritage (www.HA.com) or GreatCollections (www.GreatCollections.com) for auctions - if you are concerned about flooding the market, you could sell a couple a year. There many other options for fixed sales, but then you need to decide price.

    Here is a link to one that is RedBrown that sold at Heritage - Red usually sell for more

    https://coins.ha.com/itm/patterns/-1982-1c-1759-martha-washington-cent-sized-medal-judd-2180-pollock-unlisted-high-r7-ms63-red-and-brown-pcgs/a/1280-4180.s?ic4=ListView-ShortDescription-071515

  • thebeavthebeav Posts: 3,751 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited June 18, 2020 3:16AM

    @jmlanzaf said:

    @amwldcoin said:
    How will you save any money? If you go over 13 ounces at the PO or 15 ounces through commercial rate shipping it defaults to priority mail! Same slow registered service though!

    Priority Mail can be significantly more expensive than the Flat Rate.

    This......
    I had to ship a half-bag of dollars not that long ago. Using a flat rate box saved me about 15 bucks. If it had to go cross-country, I would have saved more like 80 bucks.

    My Ebay Coin Store
  • 1630Boston1630Boston Posts: 13,772 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Successful transactions with : MICHAELDIXON, Manorcourtman, Bochiman, bolivarshagnasty, AUandAG, onlyroosies, chumley, Weiss, jdimmick, BAJJERFAN, gene1978, TJM965, Smittys, GRANDAM, JTHawaii, mainejoe, softparade, derryb

    Bad transactions with : nobody to date

  • jmlanzafjmlanzaf Posts: 31,845 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @amwldcoin said:
    When I saw you quote me I figured that's what you were going to say. :* Of course it is! Have to go over 2 pounds I believe., maybe 3...haven't checked.

    @jmlanzaf said:

    @amwldcoin said:
    How will you save any money? If you go over 13 ounces at the PO or 15 ounces through commercial rate shipping it defaults to priority mail! Same slow registered service though!

    @thebeav said:

    @amwldcoin said:
    Paying for Priority Mail is a total waste of money when Registering a Package. AS said above Registered Mail is a totally different channel and follows it's own slow rarely trackable route until delivered!

    This isn't necessarily true. I've shipped many boxes of coins by registered mail and used a priority flat rate box. After all, anything over 16 ounces ships at a priority rate. When shipping gold coins or Morgan dollars, it's easy to get over 16 ounces. You just need to tape up the box seams with that brown paper tape so they can postmark that seam. Using a flat rate box I've saved a lot of money. Of course, it doesn't speed up the shipment in the sense of 'priority', but when you've got some weight, you will save money.

    Priority Mail can be significantly more expensive than the Flat Rate.

    Actually, depends on location. Sometimes 16 ounces to the West Coast (I'm in NY) is more expensive than flat rate.

    But that's what the post you commented on was referring to. Athough he phrased it wrong. He said it sometimes pays to pay for Priority. As you pointed out, over 16 ounces he's paying for Priority either way.

  • 1630Boston1630Boston Posts: 13,772 ✭✭✭✭✭

    This is a few years old but has a lot of the information on the history of the various test pieces, :)
    New Martha Washington dies in use for tests
    By Paul Gilkes-Coin World Staff Published: Aug 27, 2012, 8 PM

    The U.S. Mint is using modified Martha Washington and Mount Vernon designs on dies for current testing of alternative alloys for the composition of the nation’s coins.

    However, Mint officials won’t disclose details about the designs until after the research and development is completed to meet a congressional deadline in mid-December.
    White said the new designs have not been made public but closely resemble the actual circulating coin designs in order to test metal flow and fill.

    White said the newest versions of the Martha Washington and Mount Vernon designs being used to strike the test alloys are very similar to the actual coin denominations in circulation today in terms of placement of devices, orientation, height of relief and other factors.
    Decades-old original designs

    Mint officials have used Martha Washington and Mount Vernon designs on “nonsense” dies produced for experimental striking for nearly 50 years.

    The original Martha Washington and Mount Vernon designs, used on dies for metallurgical die trial testing and research in 1965 and 1999, are the work of U.S. Mint Sculptor-Engraver Edward R. Grove and U.S. Mint Sculptor-Engraver Philip Fowler.

    Full article here if interested. https://www.coinworld.com/news/precious-metals/new-martha-washington-dies-in-use-for-tests.html

    Successful transactions with : MICHAELDIXON, Manorcourtman, Bochiman, bolivarshagnasty, AUandAG, onlyroosies, chumley, Weiss, jdimmick, BAJJERFAN, gene1978, TJM965, Smittys, GRANDAM, JTHawaii, mainejoe, softparade, derryb

    Bad transactions with : nobody to date

  • JBKJBK Posts: 14,735 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @ddgaff I feel badly that you have not gotten more replies on how best to market these. You have gotten a few good replies but I know there are a lot of people who have a lot of experience with auctions, selling coins, etc.

    Maybe you could amend the title of the thread to add something like "UPDATED WITH GRADES" or something similar.

    Or, start a new thread "How to best sell multiple examples of a rare coin" or similar.

    If it were me, I'd sell one or two through a Heritage auction. I would also locate a couple dealers who specialize in this sort of thing and see if they would make a cash offer for one. I'd hang onto my favorite one of the bunch in case I decided to keep one for a while, especially if the market got temporarily saturated.

  • IkesTIkesT Posts: 2,562 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I agree with what @JBK said - I would explore different auction venues & dealers to see what your options are, and I would not sell them all at once. The worst case scenario would be if they all went up for auction at the same time and all underperformed. These privately-produced patterns are really interesting & rare, but are also a specialized area of collecting. It definitely does not pay to flood the market with them when there may not be a huge number of potential buyers for them. In the end, I suspect you'll have more money for your new truck if you take your time and focus on maximizing your profit, as opposed to selling them all as quickly as possible.

  • ddgaffddgaff Posts: 21 ✭✭✭

    Thank-you Everyone for the advice!

    Heritage has told me my consignment needs to be at least $5,000.00 in value. I expressed interest in auctioning one coin/medal.

    I will keep trying...

    ddgaff

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