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Amazing 1906 Gold Cent on Mexico 5 Peso found searching bulk coins at show!

ZoinsZoins Posts: 34,283 ✭✭✭✭✭
edited July 28, 2022 8:02PM in U.S. Coin Forum

Imagine finding this while going through bulk coin lots at a show?

The colors may not look too different, but what really gives it away is the edge lettering which says INDEPENDENCIA Y LIBERTAD. Great photos from Mint Error News on the edge lettering!

CoinWeek wrote:
Discovered while searching bulk US coins at a coin show, despite the uneven strike of the overtype, this coin is much more than just a simple curiosity.




Here are 3 great edge photos from Mint Error News:



Comments

  • ByersByers Posts: 1,602 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited July 28, 2022 8:27PM

    The Mint Error News link to the article has exclusive raw images of the edge lettering and blow ups, courtesy of Dave Camire from NGC.

    https://minterrornews.com/news-7-28-22-ngc-certifies-1906-indian-cent-struck-on-mexico-5-pesos-gold-planchet.html

    mikebyers.com Dealer in Major Mint Errors, Die Trials & Patterns - Author of NLG Best World Coin Book World's Greatest Mint Errors - Publisher & Editor of minterrornews.com.
  • gonzergonzer Posts: 3,029 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Interesting how the edge lettering wasn't obliterated by the overstrike. Not enough lateral pressure in the collar?

  • johnny9434johnny9434 Posts: 28,408 ✭✭✭✭✭

    It's still an amazing find

  • gumby1234gumby1234 Posts: 5,589 ✭✭✭✭✭

    That's one cool IHC.

    Successful BST with ad4400, Kccoin, lablover, pointfivezero, koynekwest, jwitten, coin22lover, HalfDimeDude, erwindoc, jyzskowsi, COINS MAKE CENTS, AlanSki, BryceM

  • SilverEagle1974SilverEagle1974 Posts: 137 ✭✭✭

    How does this even happen ?

    Chris

  • 7Jaguars7Jaguars Posts: 7,482 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Hey, that's an "error"! Well, interesting coin but one of caprice. Still interesting how it ended up as it did in a bulk lot. One would think that anybody actually picking it up would notice a different feel with the vast difference in density between copper/bronze and gold.

    Love that Milled British (1830-1960)
    Well, just Love coins, period.
  • P0CKETCHANGEP0CKETCHANGE Posts: 2,561 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @SilverEagle1974 said:
    How does this even happen ?

    The US Mint was contracted to strike the Mexican 5 Peso that year, so they had the planchets on hand. As far as how one ended up between IHC dies, I’ll leave that to speculation.

    @7Jaguars said:
    Hey, that's an "error"! Well, interesting coin but one of caprice. Still interesting how it ended up as it did in a bulk lot. One would think that anybody actually picking it up would notice a different feel with the vast difference in density between copper/bronze and gold.

    Yeah, I can understand not noticing it among other worn cents, it’s borderline incomprehensible how it was able to circulate for long enough to get worn to a VF.

    Nothing is as expensive as free money.

  • KliaoKliao Posts: 5,570 ✭✭✭✭✭

    What a cool error. Wish I could come across going through junk foreign.

    Collector
    75 Positive BST transactions buying and selling with 45 members and counting!
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  • PedzolaPedzola Posts: 1,027 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Neat! I probably wouldn't have given it a second glance (like everyone else in the last hundred years apparently!)

  • MaywoodMaywood Posts: 2,172 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @SilverEagle1974 said: How does this even happen?

    The hopper or container that has bulk planchets for a press run simply gets stuck somewhere in an otherwise empty hopper, often it's in an up-turned seam that gets wrapped when the containers are made. When the hopper gets filled again for a subsequent press run, this time with a different planchet, the left-over works itself free. If it can make it through the feeding mechanism it gets struck.

    What I'd like to know is how it circulated all the way to VF!!??!! Some otherwise intelligent American surely noticed the weight difference and the strange color, but I guess not. :p

  • LukeMarshallLukeMarshall Posts: 1,983 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited July 29, 2022 5:27AM

    What a great piece! Whoever bought the Gold Buffalo nickel struck on a $5 coin should buy this one.

    I'm waiting for an 1883 no cent nickel to pop up that is an actual struck on Gold planchet - wouldn't that be cool?

    It's all about what the people want...

  • rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Truly an amazing find. Finding gold nuggets is easier and more likely (yes, I have found a few of those). At least when you go panning or MD'ing for gold, you know you have a good chance of finding something.... Having searched many junk boxes, I thought possibly I may find a keeper, but never expected to find a gold coin - of any type. Cheers, RickO

  • CaptHenwayCaptHenway Posts: 32,225 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I hope that this wild and crazy piece will help convince the professional cynics that amazing errors can and do happen at working mints, such as the other gold Indian Cents and the gold Buffalo Nickel.

    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.
  • ZoinsZoins Posts: 34,283 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited July 29, 2022 6:45AM

    @CaptHenway said:
    I hope that this wild and crazy piece will help convince the professional cynics that amazing errors can and do happen at working mints, such as the other gold Indian Cents and the gold Buffalo Nickel.

    Very true.

    Not only is the coin amazing, but it's amazing that it's been circulated so much and also amazing that it was found in a bulk coin search.

    I wonder if this will convince more people to search more bulk coin lots? I wonder what other great rarities are waiting out there to be found.

  • oih82w8oih82w8 Posts: 12,244 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Wow! A super cool off-metal coin worn down to VF? How many hands did this pass through? And congrats to the lucky individual who noticed it was...a bit strange.

    oih82w8 = Oh I Hate To Wait _defectus patientia_aka...Dr. Defecto - Curator of RMO's

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  • PerryHallPerryHall Posts: 46,227 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Maywood said:
    What I'd like to know is how it circulated all the way to VF!!??!! Some otherwise intelligent American surely noticed the weight difference and the strange color, but I guess not. :p

    Since the gold planchet was thinner, the struck coin was probably weakly struck and started life with XF or less details.

    Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
    "Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
    "Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire

  • ZoinsZoins Posts: 34,283 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @PerryHall said:

    @Maywood said:
    What I'd like to know is how it circulated all the way to VF!!??!! Some otherwise intelligent American surely noticed the weight difference and the strange color, but I guess not. :p

    Since the gold planchet was thinner, the struck coin was probably weakly struck and started life with XF or less details.

    Interesting. If it's weakly struck, I wonder if it will get a higher grade.

  • TreashuntTreashunt Posts: 6,747 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Very cool find.

    Frank

    BHNC #203

  • numismanumisma Posts: 3,877 ✭✭✭✭

    One of the coolest error coins EVER!!

    It is currently up for auction at Great Collections. Currently at $42,000 with 51 days to go:

    1906-Indian-Head-Cent-Struck-on-Mexican-Gold-5-Pesos-Planchet

  • CaptHenwayCaptHenway Posts: 32,225 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @PerryHall said:

    @Maywood said:
    What I'd like to know is how it circulated all the way to VF!!??!! Some otherwise intelligent American surely noticed the weight difference and the strange color, but I guess not. :p

    Since the gold planchet was thinner, the struck coin was probably weakly struck and started life with XF or less details.

    Since ,900 fine gold is roughly twice as dense as bronze, a 4.1 gram .900 fine gold planchet would be approximately 2/3rds as thick as a 3.1 gram bronze cent planchet.

    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.
  • MaywoodMaywood Posts: 2,172 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited July 29, 2022 12:13PM

    @PerryHall said: Since the gold planchet was thinner, the struck coin was probably weakly struck and started life with XF or less details.

    That fact notwithstanding, I'm sure there was a time when it would have been graded MS. Also, wear from XF to VF is still a considerable amount of wear. The coin circulated if only in bulk lot after bulk lot, still amazing and hard to believe.

  • PerryHallPerryHall Posts: 46,227 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Maywood said:
    @PerryHall said: Since the gold planchet was thinner, the struck coin was probably weakly struck and started life with XF or less details.

    That fact notwithstanding, I'm sure there was a time when it would have been graded MS. Also, wear from XF to VF is still a considerable amount of wear. The coin circulated if only in bulk lot after bulk lot, still amazing and hard to believe.

    Agree. Even a very weakly struck coin with missing design detail can grade MS as long as it has no wear disturbing the original as minted surfaces.

    Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
    "Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
    "Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire

  • ctf_error_coinsctf_error_coins Posts: 15,433 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Amazing, just amazing!

  • Mr Lindy Mr Lindy Posts: 1,111 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited July 29, 2022 2:46PM

    Edge rolled onto planchet prestrike. Indian dies struck the letter edge planchet, that's why no obv & rev die details are present. Mint employee kept it as pocket piece, it never saw person to person circulation. Owner died, heirs or thieves cashed it in. Coin shop foolishly did not recognize it as gold instead of plated when they scratched it. Yet another gold Indian Cent got struck in Philly. Is the 6th or 7th one now ??? Love it, awesome item, but highly doubtful its yet another 1c struck in gold by accident from the one mint making Indian Cents. What year did Philly Mint 1913 V nickels one owner start "working" at Philly Mint ?

  • ByersByers Posts: 1,602 ✭✭✭✭✭

    The lettered edge on the gold blank is just wild.

    mikebyers.com Dealer in Major Mint Errors, Die Trials & Patterns - Author of NLG Best World Coin Book World's Greatest Mint Errors - Publisher & Editor of minterrornews.com.

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