Show your Discoveries and First Reported Coins

LanceNewmanOCC

Here is a sample of my vam discoveries

2011 discovery in pcgs ms65 1879-P_VAM-73A from a special ebay was running for 10% off a purchase via the ebay app. got a good deal and the 10% and it turned out to be a discovery. cha cha cha ching

2013 discovery raw 1881-O_VAM-1J from B&M and turned out to be a new "overpolished" rev with a different mm position. very odd.

2014 discovery 1923-D_VAM-1B1 raw that has nice obv and rev breaks but discovered for the rev.

2014 Discovery raw 1922-D_VAM-2BS that has a nice retained cud with other breaks.

2015 discovery raw 1880-P_VAM-1G with a very neat crumbled obverse. found 2 the same day from a canvas bag of morgans that was handed me.

2016 discovery 1890-S_VAM-1J that has nice connecting breaks on rev that stem from a radial break and a couple in the wreath.

keyman64

No one wants to bless it to give it the attention that it deserves but through many conversations with Barber society people, authors on Barber coinage, Barber specialists etc...they have never seen one before. No one wants to slab it as a discovery piece that I know of or maybe I still haven't figured out the best route yet. I don't know what to do with it.

koynekwest

I have a couple dozen but this one is the best-

USSID17

pmh1nic

Variety 13-I 1845-D Half Eagle

I can't claim discovery but more like "rediscovery". This variety had been mention by Walter Breen but Doug Winter (specialist in branch mint gold) had never seen one until my article appeared in Coin World back in 2002. I had been doing research on the coin (which I owned at the time) trying to determine the variety. That lead me to a search of mint records in an attempt to determine which die pair struck this particular coin. That lead to the rediscovery and CW article.

https://www.pcgs.com/coinfacts/coin/1845-d-5/8224

KindaNewish

Rexford

Proof 1843 Petite Head (1839-1843) large cent engraved and inked with a precise layout for the Mature Head (1843-1857) large cent design. Pedigreed to the 1890s, but only identified as a graffitied proof until now.

DNADave

Only one known. Added to the 4th edition of Edkins

DNADave

This is a trial strike of the first ( and rejected) design for the camp David peace summit counterstamp. Notice the devices are incuse. The first time I showed it on this forum even mr Wacks was unuaware that it was out there.

Byers

Four of my discoveries were in Coin World, (three of these front page). Took these shapshots from my website:

StrikeOutXXX

I only have one so far.

Vetter

My discovery piece. My years ago.

LanceNewmanOCC

wow

all impressive pieces!

@keyman64
haven't we discussed this piece previously?

keyman64

@LanceNewmanOCC said:
wow

all impressive pieces!

@keyman64
haven't we discussed this piece previously?

Probably a couple of times. Still no clear path of what to do with it to get it into a discovery holder. I’m open to suggestions.

LanceNewmanOCC

@keyman64 said:
Probably a couple of times. Still no clear path of what to do with it to get it into a discovery holder. I’m open to suggestions.

do you have any documentation from some official organization? i dont recall the other thread(s), so lets do it fresh. (if no documentation, how do you know it is new?)

Byers

Another four of my discoveries were on the cover of Mint Error News Magazine:

keyman64

@LanceNewmanOCC said:

@keyman64 said:
Probably a couple of times. Still no clear path of what to do with it to get it into a discovery holder. I’m open to suggestions.

do you have any documentation from some official organization? i dont recall the other thread(s), so lets do it fresh. (if no documentation, how do you know it is new?)

Just from conversations with Barber peeps at FUN and emails with Wexler since he authored a book on Barber Dime varieties. I think it was Wexler, pretty sure. No real documentation because no one seems to offer it for Barber Dimes if I recall. And if I got documentation, would the TPG accept it? I called ANACS and they told me who they accept documentation from but none of those people offer documentation for Barber Dimes as I recall. I’d prefer PCGS and I called them but the situation was similar or it has to be published in a book etc and they need documentation but from who that does Barber Dimes? It’s like a viscous circle. TPGs could offer a service like this to expand and benefit the hobby where they coordinate with different experts/authors etc but they don’t. I’m almost tempted to spend it. I’ve had this thing for 6-7 years now.

keyman64

CONECA doesn’t do Barber Dimes either if I recall.

LanceNewmanOCC

@keyman64 said:
Just from conversations with Barber peeps at FUN and emails with Wexler since he authored a book on Barber Dime varieties. I think it was Wexler, pretty sure. No real documentation because no one seems to offer it for Barber Dimes if I recall. And if I got documentation, would the TPG accept it? I called ANACS and they told me who they accept documentation from but none of those people offer documentation for Barber Dimes as I recall. I’d prefer PCGS and I called them but the situation was similar or it has to be published in a book etc and they need documentation but from who that does Barber Dimes? It’s like a viscous circle. TPGs could offer a service like this to expand and benefit the hobby where they coordinate with different experts/authors etc but they don’t. I’m almost tempted to spend it. I’ve had this thing for 6-7 years now.

first thing is to find some sort of official book/listing/website etc. someone has to be doing it for barbers as they are simply too popular of a series to not have been/being studied in-depth.

haven't really done much in the way of varieties with them but i've never not been able to get something i think is new to a person to at least say yes or no. so the answer is out there. could be easy, could be very hard.

variety vista has a list of attributers (had?) that i recall from years ago for stuff that wiles didn't mess with. perhaps your next visit would be the coneca forums.

i don't ask rhetorically; how bad do you want it?

perhaps your persistence will pave the way for you to get more listed and for others to follow. i have for sure tramped through some crazy woods and choppy waters to have found a few dozen discoveries across several series.

unfortunately, someone here probably has the answer but the answers aren't always given, so get your axe and boat my friend...

koynekwest

Variety Vista still has the name of the first to report a variety in the listing for that variety.

keyman64

It has been a few years since I have made attempts. I could certainly retrace my steps and try again. How bad do I want it? It’s a common date Barber Dime in VF. I honestly can’t get too excited over it but it is cool. The variety is crystal clear and photographs great. If it were a Mercury Dime, I’d be a lot more excited.

koynekwest

As such-

http://www.varietyvista.com/09b WQ Vol 2/DDO Detail Pages/1970DDDO003.htm

koynekwest

I was the first to report this one, the 1927-D 3 1/2 legged variety.

Byers

I was also the first coin dealer to discover U.S. coins struck on feeder fingers. This is from my website:

LanceNewmanOCC

@keyman64 said:
It has been a few years since I have made attempts. I could certainly retrace my steps and try again. How bad do I want it? It’s a common date Barber Dime in VF. I honestly can’t get too excited over it but it is cool. The variety is crystal clear and photographs great. If it were a Mercury Dime, I’d be a lot more excited.

.
have you been here? or here

stealer

1875 very wide CC -- "the missing link".
Before this coin, the reverse was only known on 1873, 1874, and 1876 CC T$.

keyman64

@LanceNewmanOCC said:

@keyman64 said:
It has been a few years since I have made attempts. I could certainly retrace my steps and try again. How bad do I want it? It’s a common date Barber Dime in VF. I honestly can’t get too excited over it but it is cool. The variety is crystal clear and photographs great. If it were a Mercury Dime, I’d be a lot more excited.

.
have you been here? or here

No, but I have talked to BCS at FUN shows where they had indicated that they had never seen it before. I’ll reach out to them via email and send photos to see what they have to say these days. Thanks.

Zoins

@DNADave said:
This is a trial strike of the first ( and rejected) design for the camp David peace summit counterstamp. Notice the devices are incuse. The first time I showed it on this forum even mr Wacks was unuaware that it was out there.

Wow! What an awesome find! Congrats

ricko

Very interesting thread. I have no discovery pieces, but perhaps one day, looking through change or a roll of coins, I will get lucky. Cheers, RickO

Zoins

@Byers said:
Four of my discoveries were in Coin World, (three of these front page). Took these shapshots from my website:
...

What a great coin and discovery Mike! This one really stood out as being easily recognizable and special. I love off metal errors because they are so noticeable.

It's great that this is on the right planchet size too. It reminds me of the off metal errors from the 1800s except this one may be a true error vs. a customer special order!

The MS67 grade is amazing as well!

I went looking for a TrueView but couldn’t find one. Here's a PCGS AU58 with a close up that was posted in CoinWorld a while back:

https://www.coinworld.com/news/precious-metals/anothony-dollar-planchet-meet-sacagawea-dollar-on-this-error-coin.html

oih82w8

I did not discover this variety coin, although I have the only one attributed through PCGS;

1887-S 10C F-119

PUP: the flag of the 1 within the shield lines, below the R of LIBERTY.

pmh1nic

@oih82w8 said:
I did not discover this variety coin, although I have the only one attributed through PCGS;

PUP: the flag of the 1 within the shield lines, below the R of LIBERTY.

Any idea on what caused that? It's a head scratcher for me?

oih82w8

@pmh1nic said:

@oih82w8 said:
I did not discover this variety coin, although I have the only one attributed through PCGS;

PUP: the flag of the 1 within the shield lines, below the R of LIBERTY.

Any idea on what caused that? It's a head scratcher for me?

Probably "Shakes" the date setter got ahold of the date punches.

LanceNewmanOCC

@oih82w8 said:

@pmh1nic said:

Probably "Shakes" the date setter got ahold of the date punches.

that is pretty funny, hopefully that was your intent.

for anyone that hasn't used date /letter punches, especially ones small enough for small denomination coins, it is quite a challenge to accurately line them up in all regards (up/down, depths, tilt etc, granted when i used them in property management for keys and whatnot, i wasn't using a loupe handheld or helmet held which should make it a bit easier but also, i imagine conditions in 1887 were a bit tougher than in my time.

what boggles my mind now i think about it, with all their ingenuity, why in the world would the not make some simple device to hold and line up a punch above a die and then punch letters/dates etc.

obviously numismatics would have been far less interesting but it makes me wonder.

fantastic additions to this thread everyone, really.

Crypto

@stealer said:
1875 very wide CC -- "the missing link".
Before this coin, the reverse was only known on 1873, 1874, and 1876 CC T$.

That coin was a big deal to trade nerds. Still only 3 found (2x XF details and a VF graded). The wide CC mint marks (1.2mm) have been a collectible set noted by specialists since at least the 40s. All are rare and it is strange that it is the only know die to traverse 4 years in the series

Crypto

The other XF details.

rmpsrpms

Most folks don't care much about the BIE die breaks on Lincoln Cents, but they were fairly popular in the past, and there are a few books from the 60's that describe all the known ones. In particular I have been fascinated by the 1955-S BIEs, as there are not that many know, so are an easy "short set".

Recently I found a 1955-S BIE that I didn't recognize, and it turns out it is the first new 1955-S BIE discovery since the 60's. After a bit of research it turns out to be a later die stage of the partial BIE B149. I have informally been calling the new BIE "B150" as I think that's probably what Cohen would have called it. The coin is now in process of listing on Cuds on Coins. Here are a few pics that will be in the COC listing, and also an animation I made of the B149 and "B150" to show the progression:

koynekwest

1935 DDR-003.

koynekwest

This is my biggest and my best back in 1998-1970-D DDO-002.

seanq

I am listed in some places as the first to report the second known separated mintmark variety on the 1956-D cent, CONECA RPM-018. I gave my examples to John Wexler, while another collector had found an earlier die state and sent his to Ken Potter.

I also re-discovered a nice 1972 Kennedy Half DDO which was listed in Variety Vista but had never been examined by anyone in the club, that also went through John Wexler. John wrote both coins up in his Coin World column at the time, if I can find my copies I'll add pics to the thread.

Sean Reynolds

koynekwest

I got credit for this one-the 1934 DDR-001. It's paired with the very strong DDO-001. This reverse die didn't last very long, comprising of only 10% of the DDO-001 variety. It may have missed detection because it's not the typical Class I, like the 1955/55 cent or a Class V, like the 1916/16 5c. Instead it's a Class VI that shows extreme distortion of the lettering and parts of the design. This is best seen on the inside of the letters DO of DOLLAR and the way the USA an EPU runs into the eagle's wings and head. Note the extra thickness of the wreath stems, too. It's actually a very strong doubled die.

cmerlo1

2 of my Peace $ VAM discoveries:

http://ec2-13-58-222-16.us-east-2.compute.amazonaws.com/wiki/1923-P_VAM-1BC
http://ec2-13-58-222-16.us-east-2.compute.amazonaws.com/wiki/1923-S_VAM-1BB

My others:

http://ec2-13-58-222-16.us-east-2.compute.amazonaws.com/wiki/1922-P_VAM-5A2
http://ec2-13-58-222-16.us-east-2.compute.amazonaws.com/wiki/1880-S_VAM-90
http://ec2-13-58-222-16.us-east-2.compute.amazonaws.com/wiki/1879-P_VAM-50.1

LanceNewmanOCC

mighty fine numismatic scholarship here!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
@rmpsrpms
that looks larger than the 54-s!

Robot1010

Probably too modern for most but not everyday you see an NGC discovery coin. Can't figure out why the American Memorial Park and War In The Pacific didn't get the V75. Can someone please explain that. Would have been nice to see V75 on those

LanceNewmanOCC

@Robot1010 said:
Probably too modern for most but not everyday you see an NGC discovery coin. Can't figure out why the American Memorial Park and War In The Pacific didn't get the V75. Can someone please explain that

.
i may be off base but iirc, the covid-19 REALLY messed a lot of things up across the globe and the making/release of some of our coinage was no exception. if you dig deep, you will find a lot of inconsistency and chaos as people struggled and scrambled to get footing.

there are a couple of threads (at least) tracking the making/release of these types of quarters and nearly a day-to-day tracking of even the smallest amount of new information from a few sources.

Robot1010

20 million W quarters. This may go on for a bit

koynekwest

This one, too-1970D DDO-003 25c.

Robot1010

2020 W quarter no V75? That could be the next amazing discovery coin. Maybe there's a transitional error or something else interesting. Possible but not likely with the low mintage but something to look out for

BustDMs

I didn’t discover it Dave Davis did, but I now own it.

Discovery coin for the marriage and plate coin from Early US Dimes.

Butteredfatkid

@cmerlo1 said:
2 of my Peace $ VAM discoveries:

http://ec2-13-58-222-16.us-east-2.compute.amazonaws.com/wiki/1923-P_VAM-1BC
http://ec2-13-58-222-16.us-east-2.compute.amazonaws.com/wiki/1923-S_VAM-1BB

My others:

http://ec2-13-58-222-16.us-east-2.compute.amazonaws.com/wiki/1922-P_VAM-5A2
http://ec2-13-58-222-16.us-east-2.compute.amazonaws.com/wiki/1880-S_VAM-90
http://ec2-13-58-222-16.us-east-2.compute.amazonaws.com/wiki/1879-P_VAM-50.1

Those frames are awesome where did you get them?

koynekwest

1971-S PR DDO-008 Kennedy 50c.