Barbados 1984 Franklin Mint one dollar coin mystery

1984worldcoins

Here is a one dollar Barbados 1984, could this be a proof from a dismantled set? I am still searching for the proof or the specimen set (if there is one) so I cannot compare them to this coin.

7Jaguars

I got one of the 1984 dollars off Ebay for about $6 several years ago but gave bit see any since. I have not seen a whole set but picked up the 25c, dollar, five dollars, ten dollars - but these were by chance over many years...I am not quite sure if I believe the figures on Numista or the other site....

1984worldcoins

Yeah, Numista is not the ultimate info resource..What do you think about this coin? Proof or not? I got it from ebay like 2 years ago for a few dollars.

7Jaguars

It looks PL uncirculated (U). No contrast to speak of between fields and devices...Good score.

1984worldcoins

Ok, thank you for the feed back, I am proud of my little find

7Jaguars

Here are a couple of 1984FM's you may like, and are quite rare. The Barbados is the Dolpin, and Jamaica the leaping Marlin.. The T&T drummer was purchased for all of some 3.50 including taxes on Ebay - and I have never seen another although sets are rumored to exist (haven't seen one).

1984worldcoins

Wow, great finds and sooo rare...in fact, when searching by google, the results are just your coins. I have the marlin ( is yours silver?) in 2 sets and one separately packed by FM, but the other two...Im speechless. Also the Barbados proof set is so rare, there was one on ebay but available only in US and I live in Europe so I could not bid..I was heartbroke when it sold at a price I could have been able to pay.

TwoKopeiki

Nice group! Is there a reference for all FM issues?

1984worldcoins

@TwoKopeiki not for 1984 from what I know or for the 80's in general. I got the FM Almanac for some of the years but could not find any relevant mintage information there.

7Jaguars

Those are all the uncirculated (U) types - I have not seen the Marlin before. The proofs are sometimes available, usually as a set & I believe the single proof Marlins were made to the tune of about 57 or so. I know of at least two whole 1984 Jamaica (U) sets, but don't have one.

Interestingly, there was a Krause published Almanac of sorts released through at least 1981 but I don't think made after that. Another problem for the Franklin Mint is that there were some changes in ownership and change of direction as they decided to concentrate on dolls, jewelry, model cars, and Michael Jackson reproduction gloves, etc., so that things were in a bit of chaos beginning in 1982 and records kept as I understand it were rather spotty - those that we have may not be reliable either.

Also, Krause has some of the FM listings for the matte uncirculated coins (M) for 1978 and later in error as these were Proof like (U) type. Although I did not work there, I probably can confirm this to be the case as much as anybody.

So it leaves a mystery with these coins, as to which are available and what years and how many of each for uncirculated and proof coins. Also, some where held by the Franklin Mint and some sent to the Central banks with NO records I can find of which.

An interesting source for our poster of smaller Jamaica 1984 (U) coins are the Franklin Mint Packaged "Coins of the World" series done in the late '80s and '90s. A few of these sets included FM leftovers although most were put together from coins struck at other mints, and Jamaica is one where you can find the 20c, 25c and 50c in (U) for this date.

1984worldcoins

@7Jaguars great info, thank you . Yes, I got lots of my uncirculated coins from packaged "Coins of the world" series, such a good source for me. I will post some Jamaica examples later. Also, all the Franklin Mint coins are superb quality.

1984worldcoins

Here is the 25 cents Jamaica in circulation version (mintage 2.002.000), and FM one(mintage unknown), in a "special uncirculated " version:

7Jaguars

Here is another type of Jamaica 1984 coin - a 1984 King’s Norton Specimen 5 Cents that may have been struck in 3-5 pieces:

1984worldcoins

Here is the "Two Marlins" single packed silver Jamaica 1984 Ten Dollars proof coin:

1984worldcoins

@7Jaguars , never seen that one till now.

1984worldcoins

I checked my "Coin Sets of ALL Nations" sets, only the 50, 25 and 20 cents 1984 in U version are present on both, the rest are other years, some in matte version.

7Jaguars

Yes, that's right. As I said that single 1984FM Marlin proof is quite rare in that format, supposedly only 57 pieces released; I have one, you have one, and a seller on Ebay has had one in the past but it is not clear that it is not from a 1984 Jamaica Proof Set. Great that you keep all the paperwork - I keep even the accompanying letter that comes with the sets if I can.

1984worldcoins

@7Jaguars said:
Yes, that's right. As I said that single 1984FM Marlin proof is quite rare in that format, supposedly only 57 pieces released

I keep all the papers too, if it is something rare or interesting. The guy I bought it from (US) said the coin has a mintage of 335, but he did not mention how many are single packed.

7Jaguars

Yes, the total is 335 and it is 268 in sets. My bad on the math as 335-268 = 67. Not 57 LOL

1984worldcoins

Here is another low mintage Franklin Mint 1984 set, the Cayman dollar is silver, the rest base metal. I have 2 sets, one with COA , the other without:

7Jaguars

Yes nice!
Keep ‘em coming.
I’ll try to post later.

1984worldcoins

5 Kina Papua 1984 Franklin Mint, mintage unknown ( around 700), 597 in the proof set, a few single like this one. What do you think, if I cut it out and send it to grading and conservation (chemical cleaning, it has some bad haze all over it) will this coin be more valuable than in the current state? I have no COA or box.

amwldcoin

Sometimes that haze will come off with acetone.

@1984worldcoins said:
5 Kina Papua 1984 Franklin Mint, mintage unknown ( around 700), 597 in the proof set, a few single like this one. What do you think, if I cut it out and send it to grading and conservation (chemical cleaning, it has some bad haze all over it) will this coin be more valuable than in the current state? I have no COA or box.

7Jaguars

Wow, that coin is very rare in that format. Singly, I believe I have seen only one other (not mine).
I have a few FM from other countries in that style of single pack and they do seem to develop that sort of toning.
I am really not averse to the acetone treatment but will say that I regret once pulling a coin out, as it could not be reinserted into the package. So while the surface may improve, the "uniqueness" of the packaging is gone.
So I am of mixed mind on that, but would tend to leave it where it is (easy to say as I have a couple of the '84 sets). Once these coins are then slabbed, or saved in whatever form they seem to be "widgetized" - sorry for the made up term.

7Jaguars

Here is the coin in set:

1984worldcoins

Thank you @7Jaguars for the feedback, I feel the same, I think I will leave the coin as it is, because of the rarity of the package. I hope that haze will not get worse and damage the coin in some way. Also, your coin looks sooo good...well, the one from my set looks good too, although not pristine like this one.

1984worldcoins

Here is another Franklin Mint rare beauty:

7Jaguars

Wow, that is a pretty rare set. I think 318 mintage. BTW, the Franklin Mint and Royal Mint of this period are for different reasons not too great for leaving records. You seem to have an excellent collection, do you have the FM 1984 sets such as BVI or Trinidad?

1984worldcoins

Yes , no records for 1984, the only thing I know is that it is rare. Any source for the 318 mintage? Here is the Trinidad proof set, rare too, no mintage number available:

7Jaguars

And the beat goes on! Nice, there....Do you also have the all sterling 1984 T&T set?

I will try to find my sources on the mintage....Ah, my error. If you look in Krause under the 1984 Proof Cayman 50c there is a mintage of 411. The 1988 set evidently is 318. I don't have mintages for the T&T of 1984 anywhere.

1984worldcoins

The sterling silver Trinidad 1984 Franklin Mint set:

1984worldcoins

The 10 dollars Trinidad 1984 has the three ships of Columbus on both sides:

TwoKopeiki

These are pretty cool. Thanks for sharing!

7Jaguars

Very impressive there with the silver also....Is the last one in a separate (single) holder?

1984worldcoins

No, that one is from the set, i do not have a single one .

7Jaguars

Fearsome set of 1984s there. Post Panama now......you’ve excellent coins

Here’s one probably last of the rare currency 1984FM coins I have:

1984worldcoins

That is a nice and mega rare 5 dollars Barbados!
Here is my Panama Franklin Mint 1984 proof set, I like the Panama coins , the huge one is between my favorites:

7Jaguars

Nice photos, look at the die work they were doing at the FM almost 40 years ago! Outstanding!

1984worldcoins

@7Jaguars said:
Nice photos, look at the die work they were doing at the FM almost 40 years ago! Outstanding!

Absolutely, I am always amazed by the quality!

1984worldcoins

A solo one:

1984worldcoins

7Jaguars

Beautiful!
All the 1984 20 Balboas seem to have this toning, which I don’t see on earlier proof 20 Balboas despite similar packaging.

One last 1984FM Barbados uncirculated:

1984worldcoins

Awesome, 25 cents, with a little bit of toning too! I am out there hunting for the Barbados proof set.
Here is another interesting FM set:

7Jaguars

Very good, I think the base metal version may be scarcer than the sterling on this year of Belize proof set.

I think the scuff marks on the Barbados 25c may be from a bag, although it alternatively could have been in a junk box; it is quite similar in this regard to the other (save the $5 coin) 1984 Barbados currency and the T&T 50c of that year.....Did these go back to the Central Banks, or just what happened to the apparent non-specimen set coins struck in 1984 at the FM? A mystery as well...

1984worldcoins

There should be a few people still around that worked there in the 80's...or maybe not...It is the same with some other coins I have investigated, I sent an email with a few coin pictures to the designer and he said, "well, maybe it was me, I dont remember, I have designed hundreds of coins and medals and I am old". I was so happy that I could talk to him but in the same time frustrated because he could not remember.

7Jaguars

Hard to run down. Dan Everhart is an engraver that went to the US Mint who was there at FM.

Here are a few more 1984 set pictures, although I’m sure you have this one:

1984worldcoins

Yes, I have the Virgin Islands, beautiful birds designed by Gilroy Roberts, here is some history from The Franklin Mint Almanac May 1973:

7Jaguars

Very nice little story there....
Can't think of other 1984 FM coins other than the gold....I will try to send a picture of smaller bit in that regard.

1984worldcoins

Yes, there are the gold FM coins too, I am looking forward to get those too..just not yet. Here is another cool set:

7Jaguars

Very bad picture of an MS68 coin

This is a pretty scarce (U) variety, I have the 100 Balboa (U) of this date.

7Jaguars

Actual pic of 1984FM Proof 20 Balboas and last pic of actual (U) version plus pics of 1984 (U) 100 B