SHQ collectors - what's happening to the Philly mint quality?

golddustin

For the last 4 or 5 months, I have noticed that the quality of SHQ releases from Philly have been quite lacking in quality. I had been thinking that maybe it's because (for some strange reason), we here in wetsren PA have been last on the distribution list of bank issued rolls. However, I have opened 2 separate mint - sealed boxed rolls, and the philly quarters have all been the same poor quality, and in one case considerably worse than those I got at banks.
The most common problem appears to be struck thru grease, but also the die quality is obviously suffering - it seems that the Denver issues show consistently better quality in strike and surface. Have any other SHQ collectors noticed this? It seems like it has happened since shortly after the release of the stain finish coins in 2005. BTW - to DR and Mitch - I have now seen satin finish struck coins (at least they sure do look like it) in circulated rolls. I thought Mitch was stretching it when he (and others) claimed that satin finish coins routinely make it into circulation, but I have now seen it with my own eyes.
I just wonder if the 'P' minted quarters are showing up in poor quality in other states, where the coins are issued sooner than here? Any stories to relate? If the mint sealed rolls are crappy, I get the feeling that the Philly mint is just in one of those 'funks' and there are not alot of high quality BS examples out there. What say you all?

Chuck

TorinoCobra71

I notice the same thing. I got my Five UNC sets today and the Philly Sets SUCK!!! The Denver ones are quite nice, so it kinda makes up for it....

TorinoCobra71

BillJones

The Philly mint as been putting out an inferior product relative to the Denver mint for many years. This is not a new development.

LanLord

<< <i>The Philly mint as been putting out an inferior product relative to the Denver mint for many years. This is not a new development. >>

This is interesting, it's exactly the opposite in the terms of quality in the satin mint sets.

The Denver coins are lower quality, hammered in strike, but many more scratches, dots, marks and spots. The phillys are really pretty, also hammered, but not quite as much as the denvers.

The satin finish in the state quarters from Denver are also extremely variable. Some have good satin, others almost look like circulation strikes.

kwmorgan

I really hafta cherrypick to get a SHQ Philly that I like. With Denver's coins, a lot less cherypicking is required. But being in MI, the vast majority of SHQ are Philly.

thezookrew

I ordered a bunch of P Wisconsin rolls to try to match up with D and extra leaf sets and found they were consistantly TERRIBLE.

CaptHenway

Philly statehood quarters normally struck through grease these days. Absolutely rotten quality.
TD

golddustin

Well, I'm glad to see that I'm not alone in this phenomenon - but sad to see that it is happening in general. As I recall (I haven't checked the pop reports lately) - the Denver issues in '99 & '00 were a bit tougher to find in MS67 and higher, but ever since the SF coin sets hit the street, the Philly minted quarters have really been terrible in business strikes. I'm tempted to open another box or 2 of mint sealed rolls, but I am afraid it would be a waste of time and $$! How about other coins struck in Philly - halves, dimes, nickels and cents - I don't buy those by the roll, so I can't compare quality to previous years - do they show the same poor quality in BS?

Thanks for the info, everybody.....
C.