If it was good enough for over 200 years, WHY mess with it?
DBSTrader2
Posts: 3,487 ✭✭✭✭
I grew up collecting & have spent almost my entire life in the Philly area. And over most of those years, there were some "constants" in life & collecting, including the fact that coins from the Denver Mint had a "D" mintmark, and those from Philly had none.
I'm curious as to who made the change and for what reason, when they decided to add a "P" for Philly-minted coins. Why didn't they just leave well enough alone, especially when the change coincided with my aging, unaided eyes having more difficulty discriminating between the "P" & "D"?
I know Philly has an overall inferiority complex when it comes to NYC, and that extends to most of our sports teams as well, but did someone think we needed to have our own mintmark after all that time just so we felt "special"? Or did someone in Congress have nothing better to do than introduce a worthless piece of legislation to woo his supporters instead of doing REAL work on Capital Hill?
Just curious.......................
Comments
I agree, but that ship sailed in 1982, no going back now.
Maybe in 10 years, on the 50th Anniversary of the "P" mintmark, we can celebrate it by once again removing it...........
It doesn't look like Congress had anything to do with adding the P mint mark when it was resurrected in 1979. It was likely merely a gimmick to draw more attention to a doomed coin. Different from in 1942 where it indicated a change in metal composition.
https://www.congress.gov/95/statute/STATUTE-92/STATUTE-92-Pg1072.pdf
Nah, they'll do something like issue 1 ounce silver commemoratives in the shape of a P in 15-20 different finishes, colors, and packaging options.
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars • Variety Attribution
I think they should change it to a Tiny Little Cheese Steak picture
Steve
Phillie doesn't need a MM because they are the main mint...the others are Branch Mints.
After 40 years, you're mad about it now?
And why no S or W mint marks on coins minted in San Francisco or West Point?
I like the fact that they decided to use the mint mark. Seems Pretty Damn Smart.... (PDS... get it?
).... Anyway, puts a clear seal of ownership on their coins. Cheers, RickO
FWIW, in October of 1978, when I was still working for Coin World, we received the official artist’s conception photos for the SBA dollar from the Mint. We all looked at the pictures, and I asked “Where is the mint mark going to go?” The Editor said “I don’t know. Let me call Mary Brooks.” (The Mint Director.)
A few minutes later she came out of her office and said “Mary didn’t know, but she’s going to ask her people.” About an hour later Brooks called back, and after speaking with her the Editor told us “It’s going to be behind the shoulder, and they are going to use a P mint mark on them!” This had apparently been news to the Director.
They do. For ASEs they sometimes leave them off. However, S Mint proofs are still a thing. Not all W coins get bWs, but some do.
So why do they leave the S or W off some, but put the S or W on others? Very confusing.
It was decided long ago that bullion coins would not get mintmarks, because the mint didn't want to create artificial rarities. Only collector coins and circulating coins would get mint marks.
The problems started when someone from the mint made the statement that Bullion Eagles had been produced at all of the mints. This lead to several Freedom of Information request concerning where and how many coins were struck at each of the mints in various years. In my opinion the implied mint marks are just a marketing scheme to make you buy more identical coins that you don't need.
After 40 years, you're mad about it now?
My eyes aren't what they were 40 years ago. Plus, I have a long fuse with a slow burn........
I think it had something to do with the Philly employees feeling like Rodney Dangerfield.
I was told that the Cents aren’t mint marked because sometimes the Westpoint mint has to help out occasionally since so many are needed.
One of the offset printing comments between pressman on the floor describing their work goes something
like this...
Supv- How was the run ?
Pressman- (...s) Breasts Perfect !
True story.
Aren't they on Chestnut St. in Phila ?
P-erfect lol.