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Have you ever searched for a coin you later learned didn't exist??

keetskeets Posts: 25,351 ✭✭✭✭✭
Shortly after I started collecting coins the U.S. Mint entered the "confuse the masses" campaign of making all coins without MintMarks for three years, the era of sets we know as Special Mint Sets. As a 10 year old with a new found obsession I started in earnest to fill some Lincoln Cent Whitman folders as my first collecting project. I probably half-filled one of the 1909-1940 albums and almost filled two of the 1941-date folders within a few weeks.



I remember two coins that were "stoppers" right off the bat, 1941-D and 1965-D. The latter really bugged me since there were nice, shiny 1965's all over the place, just no D's. That's the last date that was printed in the folders I had bought at the closest Coin Shop, Cozy Coin on Vine St. about five miles away.



I searched through this coffee can of pennies my dad had, I think there was about $25 worth when they got rolled up --- twice!!! It was only later, maybe a year or so, when I found out that no 1965-D's were struck.



Al H.

Comments

  • MarkMark Posts: 3,520 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Keets:



    Talk to Dcarr--he'll strike you a 1965-D penny. Probably also a 1966-D if you ask him real nice.
    Mark


  • TopographicOceansTopographicOceans Posts: 6,535 ✭✭✭✭
    El chupacabra does exist
    image
  • Wabbit2313Wabbit2313 Posts: 7,268 ✭✭✭✭✭

    At least it wasn't just last week that you found out they don't exist!
  • keetskeets Posts: 25,351 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I'm slow, but not that slow!!
  • Bayard1908Bayard1908 Posts: 3,973 ✭✭✭✭
    As a child, I searched in vain for a 1970 half dollar from circulation.
  • topstuftopstuf Posts: 14,803 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Originally posted by: Bayard1908

    As a child, I searched in vain for a 1970 half dollar from circulation.




    Whippersnapper! image
  • coinlieutenantcoinlieutenant Posts: 9,305 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Yes. I do this regularly. Doug Winter just admonished me not 30 minutes ago for this very thing.
  • TigersFan2TigersFan2 Posts: 1,442 ✭✭
    As a kid in the 1970s, it took me a little while to realize there weren't any more S-mint cents for circulation after 1974. I had already handwritten my Whitman folder to fill out the remaining holes for the P-D-S cents as far as it would go.
    I love the 3 P's: PB&J, PBR and PCGS.
  • coindeucecoindeuce Posts: 13,471 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I was on the hunt 20 years ago for an 1895 Morgan circulation strike, having had conversations with John Ford, who once claimed to have had one in hand, and even had one in my own hands that eventually proved to be a very well crafted date alteration, which had been in the possession of an old time dealer from Pennsylvania. After reading the disclaimer recently authored by John Dannreuther, I've put that belief out of mind. image

    "Everything is on its way to somewhere. Everything." - George Malley, Phenomenon
    http://www.americanlegacycoins.com

  • ShadyDaveShadyDave Posts: 2,186 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Yeah, 1930-d mercury dimes. Then I found out there were some minted... imageimageimage
  • I have searched for several items that I did not know if they existed, but it turns out they did.
    My first success was 1969 D and 1970 D type B like type H quarters. I later learned that they had been previously reported.
    I was looking for the wrong die on a Canadian coin. I was right, but never found one. Somebody else made the discovery.
    I was looking for wide AM circulation strike cents of 1993-2000 for years. I found my first 2000 one in June 2000.
    I alerted Alan Herbert and Bill Edwards. Bill quickly found a 1998 one.
  • JustacommemanJustacommeman Posts: 22,847 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Not for a coin but I did search for my dream woman far and near to no avail. My unicorn was Asian that had natural blonde hair, blue eyes and well appointed assets. I realized after 30 years that this creature did not exist in the wild. It did keep my single for a long long time.



    mark
    Walker Proof Digital Album
    Fellas, leave the tight pants to the ladies. If I can count the coins in your pockets you better use them to call a tailor. Stay thirsty my friends......
  • bolivarshagnastybolivarshagnasty Posts: 7,348 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Originally posted by: Justacommeman

    Not for a coin but I did search for my dream woman far and near to no avail. My unicorn was Asian that had natural blonde hair, blue eyes and well appointed assets. I realized after 30 years that this creature did not exist in the wild. It did keep my single for a long long time.



    mark






    image



  • 1Mike11Mike1 Posts: 4,414 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Originally posted by: Justacommeman
    Not for a coin but I did search for my dream woman far and near to no avail. My unicorn was Asian that had natural blonde hair, blue eyes and well appointed assets. I realized after 30 years that this creature did not exist in the wild. It did keep my single for a long long time.

    mark


    I'm sure the research is in its infancy stages. Soon enough you'll be able to order one from eBay.image
    "May the silver waves that bear you heavenward be filled with love’s whisperings"

    "A dog breaks your heart only one time and that is when they pass on". Unknown
  • jcpingjcping Posts: 2,649 ✭✭✭
    Yes and in many cases that ended with I found out all these were fake coins but listed in the US catalogs image
    an SLQ and Ike dollars lover
  • lordmarcovanlordmarcovan Posts: 43,194 ✭✭✭✭✭
    When I was attempting a one-a-year set of holed Capped Bust halves, I made up a wantlist and initially had 1816 on it. image



    (I see Dan Carr has since resolved the dilemma I faced there.)



    PS-On April 1st, 2010, I had some fun with a BST listing. image



    (Got a couple of PMs, too!)

    Explore collections of lordmarcovan on CollecOnline, management, safe-keeping, sharing and valuation solution for art piece and collectibles.
  • rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I have enough trouble finding the one's that DO exist....image Cheers, RickO
  • mr1931Smr1931S Posts: 5,946 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I searched diligently for a Barber dime variety that was proven to not exist.

    1909 O over inverted D would have been a cool addition to my set.There is a picture of the flubbed mintmark on p.94 of Lawrence Complete Guide to Barber Dimes.

    Lawrence piece does look like an inverted D under the O but years ago a BCCS member proved that what lies under the O cannot possibly be a D,inverted or otherwise.

    Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.-Albert Einstein

  • Bayard1908Bayard1908 Posts: 3,973 ✭✭✭✭
    Originally posted by: topstuf

    Originally posted by: Bayard1908

    As a child, I searched in vain for a 1970 half dollar from circulation.




    Whippersnapper! image




    A coin show is one of the few places where a man in his early 50s has a good chance of being the youngest guy in the room, lol.

  • MICHAELDIXONMICHAELDIXON Posts: 6,366 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I had several people come into my shops asking for 1956 D Franklin Half dollars. They had old folders that listed them and were adamant about the 1956 D being minted.
    Spring National Battlefield Coin Show is April 12-13, 2024 at the Eisenhower Hotel in Gettysburg, PA. WWW.AmericasCoinShows.com
  • roadrunnerroadrunner Posts: 28,303 ✭✭✭✭✭
    In the early 1980's I was searching for gem unc examples of early O and S mint seated quarters. Didn't figure that essentially none existed, especially the 42-0 small date, 1843-0, and 1860-s. Somehow I figured I'd eventually run across a single specimen of ANY date in a small B&M or a local auction. Not even close. The 1860-s was priced at $350 in UNC in 1974 CW trends...even though a decent unc of that date doesn't really exist.
    Barbarous Relic No More, LSCC -GoldSeek--shadow stats--SafeHaven--321gold
  • WaterSportWaterSport Posts: 6,694 ✭✭✭✭✭
    With all the new presumed varieties been designated and published, there have been a few I looked for in earnest only to have them later debunked.

    WS
    Proud recipient of the coveted PCGS Forum "You Suck" Award Thursday July 19, 2007 11:33 PM and December 30th, 2011 at 8:50 PM.
  • keetskeets Posts: 25,351 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I had several people come into my shops asking for 1956 D Franklin Half dollars.



    I have a used blue Whitman album for Franklins that has dates into the mid-60's, apparently printed before the Kennedy assassination and change in design.
  • Bayard1908Bayard1908 Posts: 3,973 ✭✭✭✭
    When I was about 12 years old, I went through a hoard of coins my mom had pulled from circulation in the early 1950s. In the hoard was an 1883 Liberty nickel, of the with cents variety, but the word cents was missing. Somebody told me this might be a pattern and that I should get Judd's book. At age 12, I had no idea that patterns existed; however, after a few weeks, I was able to get a 1959 edition of Judd's book through inter-library loan. I was amazed by all the Liberty nickel patterns that I had previously not even suspected of existing. There was every variety of Liberty nickel pattern, except the one my mom pulled from circulation. Years later I encountered the coin again. As an adult, I figured maybe it had been struck through grease. Fred Weinberg looked at a photo of it a few years ago and said he thought "cents" had been removed. I wrote all this up and put it in an eBay listing, where it sold for $100. If it's ever recognized as a unique and previously unknown pattern, I won't be pleased, lol.
  • silverpopsilverpop Posts: 6,577 ✭✭✭✭✭
    nope I research the coin or coins i'm after, mintage, what years was the coin made in and such



    having the right info tends to avoid wild goose chases

    coins for sale at link below
    https://photos.app.goo.gl/MUcEu23nqpzNqJhX6

  • Bob1951Bob1951 Posts: 268 ✭✭
    I remember that some of the Whitman albums made in 1963-4 had ports for 1965-d and 1966-d coins. The decision to freeze the date and eliminate the mint marks came rather swiftly. I searched for a 1965-D cent also--after all-if there is a place for it in a coin folder, they must have minted it, right?
  • keetskeets Posts: 25,351 ✭✭✭✭✭
    well, Bob, all I can say is if we both had done the proper research we would have avoided the chase!! image



  • 1Mike11Mike1 Posts: 4,414 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Originally posted by: ricko
    I have enough trouble finding the one's that DO exist....image Cheers, RickO


    LOL
    "May the silver waves that bear you heavenward be filled with love’s whisperings"

    "A dog breaks your heart only one time and that is when they pass on". Unknown
  • BUFFNIXXBUFFNIXX Posts: 2,696 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Just ran into a Lincoln head cent folder that had the 1965 and then 1965-d entry printed and then nothing else. obviously made in 1965. Whitman was really sloppy about this and the individual collector had to fix this error, I believe I have even seen folders with
    1966-d and 1967-d entries! What a mess.
    buffmxx
    Collector of Buffalo Nickels and other 20th century United States Coinage
    a.k.a "The BUFFINATOR"
  • DCWDCW Posts: 6,914 ✭✭✭✭✭
    A few years back, it was announced that a prominent variety attributer had discovered a unique 1996 Lincoln cent with a Wide AM reverse. For those unaware, this is the "proof style" reverse accidently used on business strikes, known for the years 1998, 1999, and 2000.
    Anyway, the coin was "stolen" before anybody ever got to see it in person. Years went by searching in vain, before it was determined never to have existed in the first place.
    Probably just a magician's coin, having a different obverse and reverse sandwiched together.

    Dead Cat Waltz Exonumia
    "Coin collecting for outcasts..."

  • WinLoseWinWinLoseWin Posts: 1,470 ✭✭✭✭✭




    Never had a problem. Though I'm finding this Jefferson nickel set a lot tougher to fill than expected.









    image









    "To Be Esteemed Be Useful" - 1792 Birch Cent --- "I personally think we developed language because of our deep need to complain." - Lily Tomlin

  • BryceMBryceM Posts: 11,719 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Does a fully-struck 1921 Peace dollar count?
  • BUFFNIXXBUFFNIXX Posts: 2,696 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I have seen whitman folders that had a labeled opening for not only the 1965-d cent but also the 1966-d cent.
    wonder how many wheat collectors went nuts trying to find one of each. you would think by 1966 Whitman would
    have realized the mistake but they did not.
    Collector of Buffalo Nickels and other 20th century United States Coinage
    a.k.a "The BUFFINATOR"
  • FredWeinbergFredWeinberg Posts: 5,709 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I haven't learned it doesn't exist,

    but I believe now, it probably doesn't exist.



    What is it?



    For almost 50 years, I've wondered if a

    50% Off Center $20 St. Gaudens exists.
    Retired Collector & Dealer in Major Mint Error Coins & Currency since the 1960's.Co-Author of Whitman's "100 Greatest U.S. Mint Error Coins", and the Error Coin Encyclopedia, Vols., III & IV. Retired Authenticator for Major Mint Errors
    for PCGS. A 49+-Year PNG Member...A full numismatist since 1972, retired in 2022
  • BroadstruckBroadstruck Posts: 30,497 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Originally posted by: FredWeinberg

    I haven't learned it doesn't exist,

    but I believe now, it probably doesn't exist.



    What is it?



    For almost 50 years, I've wondered if a

    50% Off Center $20 St. Gaudens exists.




    FredWeinberg, There's no O/C Saints know right?



    I'd still like to see a 1916 off center SLQ...



    Once rumored to exist however there's no evidence beyond just gossip that it might?



    To Err Is Human.... To Collect Err's Is Just Too Much Darn Tootin Fun!
  • FredWeinbergFredWeinberg Posts: 5,709 ✭✭✭✭✭
    No, there are no known Off Center St. Gaudens, even 5%.



    The 1904 $20 Liberty I had (and sold) was 15% Off Center -

    the farthest known off center $20.



    (that coin was found in Geneva in the early '90's, I bought it

    out of a Heritage Auction for $11,000 and change.)
    Retired Collector & Dealer in Major Mint Error Coins & Currency since the 1960's.Co-Author of Whitman's "100 Greatest U.S. Mint Error Coins", and the Error Coin Encyclopedia, Vols., III & IV. Retired Authenticator for Major Mint Errors
    for PCGS. A 49+-Year PNG Member...A full numismatist since 1972, retired in 2022
  • BroadstruckBroadstruck Posts: 30,497 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Originally posted by: FredWeinberg

    No, there are no known Off Center St. Gaudens, even 5%.



    The 1904 $20 Liberty I had (and sold) was 15% Off Center -

    the farthest known off center $20.



    (that coin was found in Geneva in the early '90's, I bought it

    out of a Heritage Auction for $11,000 and change.)




    That 1904 $20 must have been hard to part with as beyond the error it's a beautiful coin.



    To Err Is Human.... To Collect Err's Is Just Too Much Darn Tootin Fun!
  • OverdateOverdate Posts: 6,896 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I have a used blue Whitman album for Franklins that has dates into the mid-60's, apparently printed before the Kennedy assassination and change in design.

    I had a minor brand Franklin Half album with a space for a 1950-S. I wrote to the publishers, who informed me that the mistake was caused by someone assuming that the Booker T. Washington commems were business strikes!

    My Adolph A. Weinman signature :)

  • BUFFNIXXBUFFNIXX Posts: 2,696 ✭✭✭✭✭
    why yes, a 1917 matte proof buffalo nickel.
    just check with pcgs
    they said it does not exist.
    Collector of Buffalo Nickels and other 20th century United States Coinage
    a.k.a "The BUFFINATOR"

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