Error dime - 1857 explaination
RogerB
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One of the earlier explanations for an error coin.
"Mint of the United States,
Philadelphia
April 29, 1858
Sir,
I have received your favor of the 17th inst. enclosing a defective dime which had been received by the Treasurer of the U. States.
The piece has been coined from the end of the strip of metal which is called the point, and is made thinner than the other part of the strip in order that the jaws of the draw tongs may take hold of it and draw out the metal to a proper thickness. This point ought not to be cut into planchets, and if so done it is the result of inattention. The Chief Coiner is absent from the Mint on account of sickness, but his explanation of this matter, in a similar case, is contained in this report which accompanies a communication which I made to the Department on the 26th of February last to which I beg to refer.
The order therein referred to, to cut off the points before the strips are carried to the cutting presses, will doubtless prevent the recurrence of cases of this kind.
The dime sent to me was coined in 1857.
James Ross Snowden
Director of the Mint
PS: Enclosed is a dime in place of the defective piece."
Comments
Wish we had a pic!
So the result is a thin planchet coin. Too bad they exhcanged it. Possibly errors were not that popular a collectible back then.
There are many letters in Mint files concerning people sending "error" coins to the Mint or Treasury for replacement. Sometimes the Mint Director requested an explanation from the issuing mint. From these documents, we know how many kind of errors occurred and what terms the US Mint used for them.
Cool letter. Thanks for sharing.
Awesome post. And great problem solving by the Mint!
nice to see government taking some responsibility for an error
Great letter.
Nice job of explaining too.
Thanks.
"If I say something in the woods and my wife isn't there to hear it.....am I still wrong?"
My Washington Quarter Registry set...in progress
I did not know people used to send error coins back to the mint....strange....now they hold them and sell at a profit...
How times change....Cheers, RickO
It would be interesting to see that coin. I wonder if it broke the dies? It would also be interesting to know if it was some sort of "super strike" with respect to detail because its thickness would have over filled the gap between the obverse and reverse dies.