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What is the story behind the 9-11 pcgs State quarters
abcde12345
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I know sometime around 2001 pcgs offered a special slab label with the american flag and a state quarter. I think the proceeds went to a charity.
I'd love additional information on this.
Was anyone here involved and how did it all start?
I can't think of an incident where this type of getting together for a greater cause has taken place in the coin community.
I'd love additional information on this.
Was anyone here involved and how did it all start?
I can't think of an incident where this type of getting together for a greater cause has taken place in the coin community.
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Looking for Top Pop Mercury Dime Varieties & High Grade Mercury Dime Toners.
Probably just heard the story incorrectly.
I know sometime around 2001 pcgs offered a special slab label with the american flag and a state quarter. I think the proceeds went to a charity.
I'd love additional information on this.
Was anyone here involved and how did it all start?
I can't think of an incident where this type of getting together for a greater cause has taken place in the coin community.
How are your getting the spaces between your paragraphs? I've been on this site for over 20,000 posts, and after the new design came in I can't do it any more.
- limited edition of 100: "NY Firefighters 9-11: PCGS Limited Edition"
- limited edition of 5000: "PCGS Collectors Club: Limited Edition"
100 of them produced!
That's chillingly amazing and answers
why
I can't locate any for sale.
Is there a back-story?
I know sometime around 2001 pcgs offered a special slab label with the american flag and a state quarter. I think the proceeds went to a charity.
I'd love additional information on this.
Was anyone here involved and how did it all start?
I can't think of an incident where this type of getting together for a greater cause has taken place in the coin community.
How are your getting the spaces between your paragraphs? I've been on this site for over 20,000 posts, and after the new design came in I can't do it any more.
B. Jones, just read your comment and will send you a pm. Don't want to derail this thread with an off-topic question.
Wondercoin put this together. He came up with 100 of the New York quarters which PCGS graded (I think the lower numbers had higher grades). They were auctioned and all of the proceeds went to charity (Mitch could fill in the details of the charity as I am going off memory)
Good to know! Perhaps he can comment on this thread. Having the coins slabbed for the "NY Firefighters 9-11" was a great idea.
The 9-11 Quarter A Tribute
June 2nd, 2008 Posted in NY Firefighters Quarter
ny firefighters coin The 9 11 Quarter A Tribute
In response to the terrorist attacks on September 11, patriotic collectors and a grading service joined forces to donate more than $40,000 to victims families.
By Mark Rush Published in Numismatist
On Tuesday, September 11, 2001 at 9:30 AM on the Professional Coin Grading Service web site’s (www.pcgs.com) U.S. Coin message board, DcamMike1 posted:
“Turn on any news!” Moments later pmh1nic posted “It’s looking like a terrorist attack. I heard a report that both planes had been hijacked but no word on from where.”
These first posts about the terrorist attacks were followed by others throughout the day. Swiftly posters’ feelings turned toward sympathy for the victims of the attack. Mitchell Spivack (Mitch), whose PCGS board nickname is “wondercoin,” posted a message with the heading, “Auction: 2001 NY State Quarter PCGS-MS67 Proceeds to Fire Fighters”
“It is a tragic day in the history of New York and our great country. … I have a really high end 2001(p) New York State Quarter grading PCGS-MS67. The coin goes to the high bidder at midnight tonight Eastern Time. The winning bid money will be mailed directly to the New York City Fire Fighters who are risking their lives to save the victims trapped in the debris. … Bidding starts at $1.00.” This post lead to an endeavor that resulted in 100 NY State quarters being graded, numbered, and encapsulated by PCGS with a special insert. More importantly, it also resulted in over $40,000 donated to the UFFA Widows and Childrens Fund. This article tells the story of these “9-11 quarters.”
Mitch’s auction ran for 7 1/2 hours. By midnight Steve Heller, whose nickname is “RegistryCoin,” made the winning bid of $125. Twenty minutes afterward, Steve posted
“Put the coin up again, Mitch. I donate it to the forum for another go.”
This time Mitch put up the coin in an auction that was scheduled to last until Friday.
ny firefighters coin The 9 11 Quarter A Tribute
On Wednesday, September 12, Mitch posted:
“PCGS has just agreed to reholder this coin as the ‘911’ coin … PCGS also suggested they number this coin #1 and that I consider a series of 50 coins dedicated to the New York City Fire Fighters. …In the meantime, the winner of this auction closing Friday will receive this coin specially numbered ‘1’ with reference to ‘911’”
Immediately Mitch received a donation of 14 MS66 NY state quarters from an anonymous coin dealer who wanted the coins to be used as #2 - #15. The 9-11 coin project was off and running. Leading the endeavor were Mitch, Steve, who kept track of the coins’ owners, and cosmicdebris (Bill Hemenway), who kept track of the donations.
Coin #1 received 27 bids in the three days it was up for auction. By Friday evening, Steve once again prevailed in a two-person bid off. For the same coin that he had three days ago donated to be auctioned a second time, Steve’s winning bid this time was $2,001. But on Tuesday, another collector, identified as “The Lake Tahoe
Interestingly, none of these three people have ever met another in person. All the communication has been done via the Internet and telephone.
Collection,” contacted Mitch and offered to buy the #1 coin for $2,250. Because this raised more money for the donation, Steve agreed. So the coin that initially sold for $125 wound up in The Lake Tahoe Collection for $2,250.
Seeing how well the auction for coin #1 was proceeding, Rick Montgomery, the then-President of PCGS, suggested to Mitch that the number of 9-11 quarters be increased from 50 to 100. Within a week, PCGS donated 50 MS65 quarters needed for coins #51 to #100 and helped locate some MS66 quarters. Mitch found others searching through a bag he purchased. A few were purchased.
After coin #1 was sold, next up were coins #9 and #11, which were auctioned as a lot. RegistryCoin opened the bidding at $1,250. Within a few hours the bid was up to $1,400. The bidding crept higher until Bcsican won the coins on Sunday with a bid of $1,700.
Some PCGS board members posted concerns that they would be unable to buy any of these special coins because of the prices the coins commanded. By noon on Saturday, Mitch, conferring with Mr. Montgomery, decided to price coins #78 though #92 at $175 per coin, to be sold to whomever wanted to buy one.[ii] Within 20 minutes, Flying56eagle purchased coin #91. And within 4 hours all 15 coins had been purchased, many for more than the posted $175 price. The immediate sell out established a pattern: Low numbered and special numbered coins were auctioned while higher numbered coins were offered for a fixed price.[iii]
The first encapsulated 9-11 quarters were given to Mitch on Tuesday, September 18. Mitch sent a scan of the coin to cosmicdebris who posted the scan of coin #1 in its special 9-11 PCGS holder. Buyers of the 9-11 coins knew that PCGS would encapsulate the coins using a special PCGS insert. Remarkably, by the time the scan was available and posted, well over half of the 9-11 coins had been sold even though the donors had no idea what the insert would look like. The insert features a U.S. flag background with four lines of text: The first line has on it PCGS and the grade, for example “PCGS MS 66.” The second line identifies the coin as “NY Firefighters 9-11” and the third line states “PCGS Limited Edition”. The fourth line has the coin number, for example “#10/100”.[iv] The concept of the U.S. flag was developed by Miles Standish, the then-Vice-President of PCGS, who suggested using this insert for the 9-11 coins.
Not all the 9-11 coins were purchased by the members who received them. Flying56eagle (Ron Gue) and merz2 (Donald Merz) arranged for donations so that some of the coins could be given to other board members. They received enough donations so that three 9-11 quarters were donated: one to a PCGS board member who was unemployed at the time and two to young numismatists who were active participants on the PCGS board.[v] Also two of the quarters were given to board members who lost a family member in the terror attacks. Gerry, who lost a son, received coin #44 and Clevegreg, who lost a brother, received coin #59.
The PCGS board has hundreds of participants, covering a wide spectrum of beliefs. So, some of the posts and threads about the 9-11 quarters were negative. However, the negative posts were few and were vastly outweighed by the positive posts. Most board members adopted Mitch’s philosophy, eloquently expressed in a post he made on September 25:
The grades on the 100 coins vary. Coin #1 is graded MS67, coins #2 through #50 are MS66, and coins #51 through #100 are MS65.
Based on auction results, at the time the price of a PCGS encapsulated MS67 NY State quarter ranged between $130 to $150.
Coins #74 through #65 were $200; coins #64 through #60 were $250; coins #58 though #51 were $325; coins #49 through #45 were $350; coins #44 through #40 were $375; coins #39 through #35 were $400; coins #34 through #30 were $425; coins #29 through #26 were $450; and, coins #25 through #20 were $475.
A few months after the 9-11 coins were created, PCGS issued a limited series of New York state quarters graded and encapsulated in a holder with the American flag background. These were given to collectors who joined the PCGS Collector’s Club and have nothing to do with the 9-11 coin project. These coins, too, had four lines of text. The major difference is in the second line of text, which identifies the coins as “PCGS Collector’s Club” rather than “NY Firefighters 9-11” as on the 9-11 coins.
Don’s (Merz2) low-key assessment of his and Flying56eagle’s efforts typifies the generosity of spirit that existed throughout this endeavor: “What he and I did was done by many Americans, in their own way, all across our great nation.”
THIS IS NOT ABOUT GETTING A COIN IN SOMEONE'S COLLECTION.-THIS IS ABOUT RAISING AS MUCH MONEY FOR THE WIDOWS AND CHILDREN OF SLAIN FIREFIGHTERS AS WE CAN.
The auctions and sales continued until October 18, when Steve posted a simple message:
Closed. Thank you very much for your positive participation.
On October 22, Mitch posted a message from the UFFA Widows and Childrens Fund:
Subj: Thank-you on behalf of the Fire Fighters
Date: 10/22/2001 11:18:12 AM Pacific Daylight Time
On behalf of the Executive Board and members of the New York State Professional Fire Fighter's Association, Inc. I thank everyone who purchased a coin whose proceeds will go to the Uniformed Fire Fighters Association Widows and Children's Fund.
Sincerely,
Charles J. Morello
President
Collectively the members of the PCGS board contributed $42, 897.07 to the UFFA Widows and Childrens Fund. Steve Heller’s summary of his part in this venture is to the point: “I haven’t ever done anything else so ‘appropriate.’ All the forum members made it possible and all should have an everlasting pride.” Mitchell Spivack says, “Everyone helped out with this great deed and everyone who contributed will remember this forever. But what we gave was a small gesture compared to what the firefighters sacrificed.”
[1] Posters on the board use nicknames, such as DcamMike1. To keep with the spirit of the board, for the most part I identify participants using their nicknames.
[1] Interestingly, none of these three people have ever met another in person. All the communication has been done via the Internet and telephone.
[1] . The grades on the 100 coins vary. Coin #1 is graded MS67, coins #2 through #50 are MS66, and coins #51 through #100 are MS65.
[1] Based on auction results, at the time the price of a PCGS encapsulated MS67 NY State quarter ranged between $130 to $150.
[1] Coins #74 through #65 were $200; coins #64 through #60 were $250; coins #58 though #51 were $325; coins #49 through #45 were $350; coins #44 through #40 were $375; coins #39 through #35 were $400; coins #34 through #30 were $425; coins #29 through #26 were $450; and, coins #25 through #20 were $475.
[1] A few months after the 9-11 coins were created, PCGS issued a limited series of New York state quarters graded and encapsulated in a holder with the American flag background. These were given to collectors who joined the PCGS Collector’s Club and have nothing to do with the 9-11 coin project. These coins, too, had four lines of text. The major difference is in the second line of text, which identifies the coins as “PCGS Collector’s Club” rather than “NY Firefighters 9-11” as on the 9-11 coins.
[1] Don’s (Merz2) low-key assessment of his and Flying56eagle’s efforts typifies the generosity of spirit that existed throughout this endeavor: “What he and I did was done by many Americans, in their own way, all across our great nation.”
Table: 9/11 Firefighters Coins
NY Firefighters 9-11 PCGS Limited Edition (100 total)
#1 Original Sale Sep 2001 $2250
#2 Original Sale Sep 2001 $2100
#3 Original Sale Sep 2001 $1500
eBay 31 Mar 2004 $1,800.00 (as part of larger set)
#4 Original Sale Sep 2001 $700
#5 Original Sale Sep 2001 $700
#6 Original Sale Sep 2001 $1700 (with #8)
#7 Original Sale Sep 2001 $700
#8 Original Sale Sep 2001 (with #6)
#9 Original Sale Sep 2001 $1700 (with #11)
eBay 03 Sep 2006 $187.78
#10 Original Sale Sep 2001 $850
#11 Original Sale Sep 2001 (with #9)
eBay 03 Sep 2006 $187.78
#12 Original Sale Sep 2001 $1400 (with #18)
eBay 03 Jan 2005 $152.86 + 3.00
#13 Original Sale Sep 2001 $1000
#14 Original Sale Sep 2001 $400
#15 Original Sale Sep 2001 $600
#16 Original Sale Sep 2001 $400
#17 Original Sale Sep 2001 $505
#18 Original Sale Sep 2001 (with #12)
#19 Original Sale Sep 2001 $500
Heritage 30 May 2003 $400
#20 Original Sale Sep 2001 $475
eBay 26 May 2009 $51.00 + 6.00
#21 Original Sale Sep 2001 $475
#22 Original Sale Sep 2001 $475
#23 Original Sale Sep 2001 $475
#24 Original Sale Sep 2001 $475
#25 Original Sale Sep 2001 $475
#26 Original Sale Sep 2001 $450
#27 Original Sale Sep 2001 $450
#28 Original Sale Sep 2001 $450
#29 Original Sale Sep 2001 $450
#30 Original Sale Sep 2001 $425
eBay 10 Dec 2003 $250
#31 Original Sale Sep 2001 $425
#32 Original Sale Sep 2001 $425
#33 Original Sale Sep 2001 $425
#34 Original Sale Sep 2001 $425
#35 Original Sale Sep 2001 $400
#36 Original Sale Sep 2001 $400
#37 Original Sale Sep 2001 $400
#38 Original Sale Sep 2001 $400
#39 Original Sale Sep 2001 $400
#40 Original Sale Sep 2001 $375
#41 Original Sale Sep 2001 $375
#42 Original Sale Sep 2001 $375
#43 Original Sale Sep 2001 $375
#44 Original Sale Sep 2001
#45 Original Sale Sep 2001 $350
#46 Original Sale Sep 2001 $350
#47 Original Sale Sep 2001 $350
#48 Original Sale Sep 2001 $350
#49 Original Sale Sep 2001 $350
#50 Original Sale Sep 2001 $400
#51 Original Sale Sep 2001 $325
#52 Original Sale Sep 2001 $325
#53 Original Sale Sep 2001 $325
#54 Original Sale Sep 2001 $325
#55 Original Sale Sep 2001 $300
#56 Original Sale Sep 2001 $300
#57 Original Sale Sep 2001 $300
#58 Original Sale Sep 2001 $300
#59 Original Sale Sep 2001
#60 Original Sale Sep 2001 $250
#61 Original Sale Sep 2001 $275
#62 Original Sale Sep 2001 $250
#63 Original Sale Sep 2001 $250
#64 Original Sale Sep 2001 $250
#65 Original Sale Sep 2001 $200
#66 Original Sale Sep 2001 $200
#67 Original Sale Sep 2001 $160
#68 Original Sale Sep 2001
#69 Original Sale Sep 2001 $200
#70 Original Sale Sep 2001 $250
#71 Original Sale Sep 2001 $200
#72 Original Sale Sep 2001 $200
#73 Original Sale Sep 2001 $200
#74 Original Sale Sep 2001 $80 + roll NY State Qtrs.
#75 Original Sale Sep 2001 $200
#76 Original Sale Sep 2001 $200
#77 Original Sale Sep 2001 $1000
#78 Original Sale Sep 2001 $200
eBay 17 Oct 2005 $39.00
#79 Original Sale Sep 2001 $175
#80 Original Sale Sep 2001 $175
#81 Original Sale Sep 2001 $200
#82 Original Sale Sep 2001 $250
#83 Original Sale Sep 2001 $250
#84 Original Sale Sep 2001 $200
#85 Original Sale Sep 2001 $200
#86 Original Sale Sep 2001 $200
#87 Original Sale Sep 2001 $175
#88 Original Sale Sep 2001 $175
#89 Original Sale Sep 2001 $175
Teletrade 05 Jun 2002 $70
#90 Original Sale Sep 2001 $175
#91 Original Sale Sep 2001 $175
#92 Original Sale Sep 2001 $200
#93 Original Sale Sep 2001
Collectors Universe Forum Apr 2004 $500 delivered
#94 Original Sale Sep 2001 $200
#95 Original Sale Sep 2001 $100
#96 Original Sale Sep 2001 $200
#97 Original Sale Sep 2001
#98 Original Sale Sep 2001
#99 Original Sale Sep 2001
#100 Original Sale Sep 2001 $1000
Looking for Top Pop Mercury Dime Varieties & High Grade Mercury Dime Toners.
It may have happened, but I've never been aware of anyone trying to exploit the resale of those coins.
Here's a warning parable for coin collectors...
During a very dark time.
Thanks for sharing this!
Happy, humble, honored and proud recipient of the “You Suck” award 10/22/2014
In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson
In the 13 yrs that I've been on these boards, never have I been so proud of a fellow collector for organizing such a worthwhile cause. I applaud you Mitch!
09/11/2001 We will never forget...
Later, Paul.
Would we collectedly be able to duplicate this effort should another incident befall our country? Part of me thinks not. I would only wish to be wrong.
There was another charity effort a few years back where some of us donated a PCGS Silver Eagle graded MS69 (Different dates) to a soldier that was going back to his platoon and was going to give them away as gifts for being in Iraq. PCGS received the Eagles and put special labels on them. I donated a 2000 Eagle I believe.
The soldier is a member here and may be able to chime in and give more accurate descriptions to my poor memory/account. He did post a really nice picture with about 20 or so GI's holding up their new Eagles.
Later, Paul.
Thanks for posting the article. I still have my coin. I wonder how many others also have theirs.
I know sometime around 2001 pcgs offered a special slab label with the american flag and a state quarter. I think the proceeds went to a charity.
I'd love additional information on this.
Was anyone here involved and how did it all start?
I can't think of an incident where this type of getting together for a greater cause has taken place in the coin community.
How are your getting the spaces between your paragraphs? I've been on this site for over 20,000 posts, and after the new design came in I can't do it any more.
Type a line like this. Type a line like this.
Hit enter twice to double space between the lines.
Hit enter twice to double space between the lines.
Hit enter twice to double space between the lines after previewing to make sure it's what you want.
POST!
MY COINS FOR SALE AT https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/collectors-showcase/other/bajjerfans-coins-sale/3876
Would we collectedly be able to duplicate this effort should another incident befall our country? Part of me thinks not. I would only wish to be wrong.
It could be done. It may be hard to see at times but there is a kindness here that will never end. Folks join together when times are tough.
Great story and effort by members!
To the top.
I have one of those 100 original coins. A unique element of my collection.
A wonderful effort by Mitch and PCGS.
Here's mine:
Here's a warning parable for coin collectors...
Thanks for resurrecting this thread.... I did not get one of the NY quarters... Should have one now that I live in NYS...Cheers, RickO
@Ricko Finding one for sale might be difficult. I will guess they are sold only when one of the original buyers passes away or loses all interest in collecting.
@Mark .... Most likely, will just keep a lookout for one.....Might find one at a local yard sale even...Also several antique shops in town. Cheers, RickO
I donated one of the 9-11 firefighters for a charity auction in the Hudson Valley NY area. It sold for over $10,000.
@oreville .... Wow... That is awesome..... I live in that area, did not hear about the auction. Cheers, RickO
Well I have had number 3 for a long time almost all who know about this coin have passed. I am ready to donate it, or auction it for a charity, to keep the spirit alive. I have not decided on the charity or the cause yet. But it needs a good home. GOD bless
I still have coins # 31 and 92. Not sure what I will do with them in the future, but they will go to a charity of some type.
I commented in your other post about these, but why would you believe that "almost all who know about this coin have passed"? It was less than 22-years ago that the events happened and then the fundraiser happened. No doubt some have passed, but many of us are still here.
In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson