The Philadelphia Mint had sent gold dollar dies to San Francisco, Charlotte and New Orleans dated and ready for striking for several years...but no record of any coins produced exist, and none have ever turned up.
Of course, this is not to say that a FEW may have been made by the coiner...as tests....or on the sly. No one knew about the 1849 C open wreath until a century later...when one turned up. Now there are four or five.
I've heard some stories that there's at least two in collectors' hands, probably more. Actually the company DuPont was doing the testing and research of making the clad planchet.
Because at the time that technology didn't exist, and the US mint was faced with the problem of combining different metals into 1 coin.
I’d separate out imaginary coins, such as 1931 quarters, and 1964 Franklin halves, from coins documented to have been produced but are presently unknown. The latter category would include 1908 pattern Indian half eagle, 1908 trial Indian quarter eagle (inverted reverse), 1964-D silver dollar, 1895-P silver dollar.
(1895-P dollars – 6 circulation strikes were included with the Annual Assay Commission coins. 1964-D dollars – none have been demonstrated to exist; rumors are just “rumors.”)
The 1866 No Motto Dollar belonging to Willis H. du Pont (stolen in October of 1967) was recovered in 2004.
There are at least two versions of the story, but John Pack & John Kraljevich (former employees of American Numismatic Rarities) went to the Senator Inn at Augusta Maine and "retreived" the stolen dollar from an ex-librarian.
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I would imagine that there are still a few colonial era coins that have yet to be discovered; or even if the basic coin design is known, there is likely a variety that has yet to be found.
And I know there are coins that were minted before the USA existed that have been lost or melted...When you consider that coins have been made for almost 2500 years, I sincerely doubt that all kinds are known.
I would venture that there are a good many tokens and medals not yet known numismatically, as well.
Besides the Du Pont piece, have any of the other coins from the 2003 posts been found in that time?
I think finding a discovery piece would be the ultimate numismatic experience!
Regarding the 1974 bronze-clad steel cent: I examined the experimental piece after the owner sent it to Coin World at our request. The owner, a former steel mill worker from Pennsylvania, called me and related how he was present when the Mint brought bags of the cents to the mill to be melted. The bags were dropped into a furnace down a chute. One of the bags apparently split open and coins were spilled onto the floor. The Mint police guarding the operation quickly scrambled to scoop up the spilled coins but missed a few. The caller said he picked up two or three pieces, and other mill workers found a few as well. Some of the pieces were damaged by the intense heat of the furnaces, but the example he sent us was undamaged. We occasionally get calls from people believing they own a great rarity (copper 1943 cents, 1913 Liberty Head 5-cent coins and so on), and most of time those stories can be discounted. This caller's story, however, was very believeable, which is why I asked to see one of the coins. The coin was made of two outer layers of bronze with an inner layer of steel. It stuck to a magnet. The dies used to make it were normal 1974 Lincoln cent dies. Although the Treasury Department's report on the cent experiments in 1973 stated that only aluminum planchets were struck with Lincoln cent dies (nonsense dies were reportedly used for the other compositions tested), the coin I examined was clearly of Mint origin. A call to Mint officials in Washington confirmed that 1974 bronze-clad steel cents were struck despite the statement in the Treasury report, and that the Mint still had several in its archives (presumably now part of its heritage assets). After photographing and weighing the coin, it was returned to its owner. I feel fortunate that I am one of the few people outside government to handle both the aluminum (the Smithsonian example) and bronze-clad steel 1974 cents. With the Mint and Smithsonian preparing a traveling exhibit from the Mint's heritage assets and the Smithsonian's National Numismatic Collection, think how great it would be if they included the aluminum and bronze-clad steel cents in the exhibit. As far as I know, the bronze-clad steel cents have never been displayed publicly.
<< <i>Regarding the 1974 bronze-clad steel cent: I examined the experimental piece after the owner sent it to Coin World at our request. The owner, a former steel mill worker from Pennsylvania, called me and related how he was present when the Mint brought bags of the cents to the mill to be melted. The bags were dropped into a furnace down a chute. One of the bags apparently split open and coins were spilled onto the floor. The Mint police guarding the operation quickly scrambled to scoop up the spilled coins but missed a few. The caller said he picked up two or three pieces, and other mill workers found a few as well. Some of the pieces were damaged by the intense heat of the furnaces, but the example he sent us was undamaged. We occasionally get calls from people believing they own a great rarity (copper 1943 cents, 1913 Liberty Head 5-cent coins and so on), and most of time those stories can be discounted. This caller's story, however, was very believeable, which is why I asked to see one of the coins. The coin was made of two outer layers of bronze with an inner layer of steel. It stuck to a magnet. The dies used to make it were normal 1974 Lincoln cent dies. Although the Treasury Department's report on the cent experiments in 1973 stated that only aluminum planchets were struck with Lincoln cent dies (nonsense dies were reportedly used for the other compositions tested), the coin I examined was clearly of Mint origin. A call to Mint officials in Washington confirmed that 1974 bronze-clad steel cents were struck despite the statement in the Treasury report, and that the Mint still had several in its archives (presumably now part of its heritage assets). After photographing and weighing the coin, it was returned to its owner. I feel fortunate that I am one of the few people outside government to handle both the aluminum (the Smithsonian example) and bronze-clad steel 1974 cents. With the Mint and Smithsonian preparing a traveling exhibit from the Mint's heritage assets and the Smithsonian's National Numismatic Collection, think how great it would be if they included the aluminum and bronze-clad steel cents in the exhibit. As far as I know, the bronze-clad steel cents have never been displayed publicly.
William T. Gibbs News Editor Coin World >>
Interesting. I was unaware these existed. Thanks for sharing.
Comments
Of course, this is not to say that a FEW may have been made by the coiner...as tests....or on the sly. No one knew about the 1849 C open wreath until a century later...when one turned up. Now there are four or five.
I've heard some stories that there's at least two in collectors' hands, probably more. Actually the company DuPont was doing the testing and research of making the clad planchet.
Because at the time that technology didn't exist, and the US mint was faced with the problem of combining different metals into 1 coin.
I just wish I had one
(1895-P dollars – 6 circulation strikes were included with the Annual Assay Commission coins. 1964-D dollars – none have been demonstrated to exist; rumors are just “rumors.”)
A little late I see.
There are at least two versions of the story, but John Pack & John Kraljevich (former employees of American Numismatic Rarities) went to the Senator Inn at Augusta Maine and "retreived" the stolen dollar from an ex-librarian.
My vote is for the 1934-Q half-nickel.
Lafayette Grading Set
1968 D Type B Quarter
1973 D Type B Quarter
1968 D Type M Quarter
1971 D Type M Quarter
And I know there are coins that were minted before the USA existed that have been lost or melted...When you consider that coins have been made for almost 2500 years, I sincerely doubt that all kinds are known.
I would venture that there are a good many tokens and medals not yet known numismatically, as well.
Besides the Du Pont piece, have any of the other coins from the 2003 posts been found in that time?
I think finding a discovery piece would be the ultimate numismatic experience!
We occasionally get calls from people believing they own a great rarity (copper 1943 cents, 1913 Liberty Head 5-cent coins and so on), and most of time those stories can be discounted. This caller's story, however, was very believeable, which is why I asked to see one of the coins.
The coin was made of two outer layers of bronze with an inner layer of steel. It stuck to a magnet. The dies used to make it were normal 1974 Lincoln cent dies.
Although the Treasury Department's report on the cent experiments in 1973 stated that only aluminum planchets were struck with Lincoln cent dies (nonsense dies were reportedly used for the other compositions tested), the coin I examined was clearly of Mint origin. A call to Mint officials in Washington confirmed that 1974 bronze-clad steel cents were struck despite the statement in the Treasury report, and that the Mint still had several in its archives (presumably now part of its heritage assets). After photographing and weighing the coin, it was returned to its owner. I feel fortunate that I am one of the few people outside government to handle both the aluminum (the Smithsonian example) and bronze-clad steel 1974 cents.
With the Mint and Smithsonian preparing a traveling exhibit from the Mint's heritage assets and the Smithsonian's National Numismatic Collection, think how great it would be if they included the aluminum and bronze-clad steel cents in the exhibit. As far as I know, the bronze-clad steel cents have never been displayed publicly.
William T. Gibbs
News Editor
Coin World
News Editor
Coin World
<< <i>Regarding the 1974 bronze-clad steel cent: I examined the experimental piece after the owner sent it to Coin World at our request. The owner, a former steel mill worker from Pennsylvania, called me and related how he was present when the Mint brought bags of the cents to the mill to be melted. The bags were dropped into a furnace down a chute. One of the bags apparently split open and coins were spilled onto the floor. The Mint police guarding the operation quickly scrambled to scoop up the spilled coins but missed a few. The caller said he picked up two or three pieces, and other mill workers found a few as well. Some of the pieces were damaged by the intense heat of the furnaces, but the example he sent us was undamaged.
We occasionally get calls from people believing they own a great rarity (copper 1943 cents, 1913 Liberty Head 5-cent coins and so on), and most of time those stories can be discounted. This caller's story, however, was very believeable, which is why I asked to see one of the coins.
The coin was made of two outer layers of bronze with an inner layer of steel. It stuck to a magnet. The dies used to make it were normal 1974 Lincoln cent dies.
Although the Treasury Department's report on the cent experiments in 1973 stated that only aluminum planchets were struck with Lincoln cent dies (nonsense dies were reportedly used for the other compositions tested), the coin I examined was clearly of Mint origin. A call to Mint officials in Washington confirmed that 1974 bronze-clad steel cents were struck despite the statement in the Treasury report, and that the Mint still had several in its archives (presumably now part of its heritage assets). After photographing and weighing the coin, it was returned to its owner. I feel fortunate that I am one of the few people outside government to handle both the aluminum (the Smithsonian example) and bronze-clad steel 1974 cents.
With the Mint and Smithsonian preparing a traveling exhibit from the Mint's heritage assets and the Smithsonian's National Numismatic Collection, think how great it would be if they included the aluminum and bronze-clad steel cents in the exhibit. As far as I know, the bronze-clad steel cents have never been displayed publicly.
William T. Gibbs
News Editor
Coin World >>
Interesting. I was unaware these existed. Thanks for sharing.
Coin Rarities Online
The caller said he picked up two or three pieces
one would think he'd know which it was, 2 or 3, if he saved them all these years
great thread
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The name is LEE!