Unusual SBA

hookooekoo

I got some SBA's in change from the PO Stamp machine this moring.

It stood out as being very odd because most of the left side has very weak details. The stars behind Susan's head almost are not there. It looks like a weak strike (becuase even the hair details are weak compared to a 2nd SBA I also go in the change).

The next thing that really stood out to me was that the mint mark (difficult to read because of the weak strike) looks like an 'S' rather than a 'P' or 'D', and I though that even going back to 1979, only Proof Coins were struck in SanFransico.

Any one got any insights they can give me on this coin?

satootoko

The Redbook shows 109,576,000 circulation coins and 3,677,175 proof coins at the San Francisco Mint for 1979. From 1980 on, only proof coins at SF.

Cameo CC

Sounds like a sandwich error. This occurs when only part of the metals are placed in the die. As a result the coin will weigh less and appear to be faded on a part of the coin. Does have some value but would submit to a grading service.

Todd

hookooekoo

Todd,

Coin is too "circulated" (i.e. scratched and banged up) to make it of any value unless the error were extreamly rare.

Roy has provided my main anwer (sorry, don't carry my Redbook to work). It was the "S" mint mark that was throwing me more than the weak stars.

Cameo CC

Glad you have the answer.

Todd

DRG

There are S mint circulation strike SBA$'s from 1979, 1980, and 1981. Although in 1981 the coins were not released for circulation. The 1980 S coins were minted extremely poorly with many weak strikes and filled die errors. They are not particularily valuable.