$10,000,000 Error Coin Heist at the Philadelphia Mint
Broadstruck
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Actually the plot of a 2017 new release movie made by Netflix titled Coin Heist.
To Err Is Human.... To Collect Err's Is Just Too Much Darn Tootin Fun!
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Could be good the error coin field.
Actually watched it the other night, kinda a teen movie.
Click bait.
Didn't watch it but if it's a teen movie, hopefully it would help with YNs!
4 high school students after a tour decide to break into the mint to strike error coins to sell. I don't want to give away more about the movie however it's pretty detailed on the minting process for a filmed aimed at younger viewers. Could spark some young new blood in the hobby.
And that's a good thing.
I wonder if they got their training from the ANA Summer Seminar? It could encourage more to go!
They actually made a die after altering one. It's like The Breackfast Club with coins although it doesn't make security at the mint look very effective.
Friday the 13th was too.
From 2007 to 2009, a US Mint Police Officer, smuggled out thousands of Presidential dollar coin errors for which he was paid $2.4 million. So the premise isn't completely improbable.
Now you've got me fantasizing about numismatic supervillains. Why not just break into the mint and steal the entire coinage press while you're at it? Imagine that going down I-95 on a flatbed truck.
After you got it set up in your clandestine, underground numismatic burglar lair, you could start producing all kinds of fun, unauthorized errors, like 2017-dated pennies flip-over double struck on 19th century half dimes, two-headed quarters struck on foreign gold, etc. It's not like the FBI would figure this out when you showed up at a major show with this table full of incredible oddities. No, not suspicious at all!
Here's the official trailer -
There was another thread on this Netflix movie. Full disclosure, I started it in anticipation of a numismatic base movie. https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/974152/coin-heist-on-netflix-1-6-whos-gonna-watch#latest
Lets just say it will not be up for an Oscar or even a Peoples Choice award. Maybe a Razzie. I was very disappointed.
Darn... just watched the trailer....wasted two minutes..... Cheers, RickO
So is this a documentary about the Wisconsin High and Low Leaf varieties?
Sean Reynolds
"Keep in mind that most of what passes as numismatic information is no more than tested opinion at best, and marketing blather at worst. However, I try to choose my words carefully, since I know that you guys are always watching." - Joe O'Connor
Has anyone watched it yet? Can't be worse than the first round of NFL wildcard games this weekend...
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seanq:
No, not even remotely.
JohnF:
Check the other thread for a couple reviews. Oh but it can be and is.
Let's say for the sake of argument that somebody was able to gin up a counterfeit error that could be sold for $10,000. You would need to sell 1,000 of them to get $10,000,000, and I think that the market would notice when the third one hit the market.
I watched it just last night.
Entertaining but not even close to accurate.
The ending was kinda weird as well.
The name is LEE!
Absolutely. The entire premise of making the "error" coins was so they could be sold for $5,000 each. They used the Wisconsin Quarters as an example but I don;t recall any of the Wisconsin Quarters selling for $5,000 apiece. IIRC, Rick Snow started them at $50 apiece.
But, whatever. It's entertaining fiction provided you leave you numismatist hat on the coat rack when watching.
The name is LEE!
love it, i think it could get a new collector or two. Who knows. Not my money so i couldn't care less about the production value, but again, maybe one new collector would come into the fold and find enjoyment/value. Better than selling electric sex to kids
4 high school students after a tour decide to break into the mint to strike error coins to sell.
Some actors will work very cheaply.Beats flippen burgers.I will wait for it to show on AMC.
Whoever is careless with the truth in small matters cannot be trusted with important matters.
Watched it last night - forum rules prohibit me from expressing my true opinion:
"Snide remarks and other negative comments will result in your losing your ability to post."
I made the prop coins for the movie.
The Art Coordinator contacted me about a year ago, asking if I could make them from a sketch they supplied.
I made three dies:
Fish with one fin on top;
Fish with two fins on top;
Washington (state quarter type).
The coins were over-struck on various US Mint Washington quarters.
I sent them the over-struck coins and the two fish dies (but not the Washington die, which was subsequently defaced and scrapped). These appeared several times in the movie. The dies are probably the most accurate aspect in the movie since they are the modern US Mint style (so as to fit in my Denver Mint surplus coin press).
The Art Coordinator also asked me to send some props, so I provided some of my concept dollar 8-inch acrylic models. Those did not appear in the movie, however.
The producer did not consult with me regarding minting technology or anything, except for one thing. They wanted to know an appropriate question that the tour guide could ask the students about minting and errors. I suggested that the guide ask "by what mechanism can the design of one side of a coin be transferred and imprinted on the other side". A version of that question was asked in the movie and the correct answer given by a student was die clashing.
The ending credits give a "special thanks" to Daniel Carr (among many others).
I have these documented now on my web page (see second section from bottom):
moonlightmint.com/other.htm
Here is one that was struck over a 90% silver Washington Quarter. The designs are significantly different, so there are some stray artifacts from that:
@zoins said:
-----Didn't watch it but if it's a teen movie, hopefully it would help with YNs!--------
Hopefully the sequel is about 4 teens deciding to print some stamp errors.
"“Those who sacrifice liberty for security/safety deserve neither.“(Benjamin Franklin)
"I only golf on days that end in 'Y'" (DE59)
.........oh, never mind.........
How cool is that. So far, the most interesting thing about the movie. Thanks for the details.
Very cool - I was wondering about those coins while watching the show. Definately a teen movie ... but this new info is really cool.
Insert witicism here. [ xxx ]
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Is that a collar cud above the AT of STATES?
Comparing that to the picture of the fish side, I would say that you struck these with medal alignment.
When are they going to sell the prop coins on the market?
The collar had a crack in it and a little piece broke off. But I continued using it until finished.
The orientation was either medal-turn or coin-flip.
I don't know when (or if) they will sell any of the coins.
Watched the movie last night. Rather disappointed with it, but Dan's props were quite authentic looking.
Where did they get the crazy idea that the coins had to be "washed" after being struck?
Very interesting. I've got information to discuss about the history of the Sacagawea mule coin, and I've been looking for a forum to do so. Maybe this is it, but I've been disappointed before on this topic. I've presented this information to officers of the Dept. Of the Treasury and to the FBI with no resulting interest on their part.
The beginning of the story is this. I saw a sign stating "Estate Sale". Didn't know it at the time, but it was a sale of the property of the widow of Mr. Jay Johnson, deceased director of the U.S. Mint, appointed to that position by President Clinton. Mr. Johnson served as Director for only a year before being, in effect, fired. It was during his tenure as Director that the Golden Dollar (Sacagewea Dollar) was minted, and the Sacagewea error coin was produced. Now do this: do an internet search for the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, Johnson, Jay W. You'll find the biography of Mr. Johnson, Representative from Wisconsin, listing his accomplishments until his death in 2009. No mention of what I would think would be the highlight of his life, an appointment by a sitting U.S. President to direct a critical part of our government.
Ok, maybe no one cares, so I'll give you a little more. What I purchased at the sale was a Johnny Cash songbook. I play guitar and this was a book of his songs with lyrics, chords, etc. Within the pages were addition items including a Time magazine with Johnny Cash on the cover (shortly after his death) and a mailing label in the name of Jay Johnson, and hand written lyrics written on the blank side of mint inventory paper. The lyrics were written to the tune of a popular Johnny Cash song. On the inside cover of the song book is an inscription "To Jay Johnson, Sincerely Johnny Cash"
The real intrigue of this story is in the hand written lyrics. Phrases such as "I know that error coins are hard to find. So I had some made up at that mint of mine. I sort of got into a little bind, But I still love that mule of mine." And, "We thought we'd sell more Gold Dollars that way. And after all - who'd blame old Jay."
Got anyone's interest? Just let me add that it took awhile for me to put this into context afterI first read it. I'm not a coin collector so I was confused. Mules, Johnny Cash? Ya, they go together I thought. But reference to "that mint of mine" didn't make sense until I looked up the definition of "mule", and then found out who Jay Johnson was. WOW!!!! This is big I thought, but here we are today over two years later and I'm still looking for anyone's interest. What about you? I'm getting old and don't want this to be buried with me. The world needs to know. Any comments or opinions on how or where to expose this information would be appreciated. Thank you.
Very interesting. I would PM @RWB and ask him how to proceed. He could possibly help you. He's usually pretty good at numismatic research.
Very interesting. I never knew that Johnny Cash had any interest in coins or numismatics. Can anybody document that?
TD
And I would suggest that you start a new thread and repeat your post above. Otherwise this will get lost in a thread about a mediocre movie.
Having not seen the movie referred to in this posting, I am thinking this Johnny Cash connection to a mint director would make an even more plausible and interesting screenplay. I am now anxious to hear the rest of the story.
I watched the Netflix film "Coin Heist" a few days after it was released and added it to my "Coins in Movies" website.
(Note that there are multiple threads about this film)
The film was interesting although unrealistic.
Four Philadelphia area high school students, a musician, a socialite, a computer "hacker", and a machinist, break in to the Philadelphia Mint with a scheme to manufacture 2,000 error coins to sell them to raise funds for their school.
The coin they are going to manufacture is a fictional "Wildlife of America" Michigan State Quarter.
Prop coins
At one point the student computer hacker gets into the mint's computer and finds a list of future projects.
Mint project list
The projects include a Medal of Honor Medallion, Nixon Nickel, Wildlife of America Michigan State coin, Sitting Bull One Dollar Coin, and a Trump Wooden Nickel.
Interestingly enough, people here have speculated on what will follow the National Parks series of quarters
The Mysterious Egyptian Magic Coin
Coins in Movies
Coins on Television
Anybody got a better screencap of that screen? You can see D Carr's name up there, as well what looks like "r_margolis, a presumable reference to Arnie Margolis of error coin fame; what looks like "a_swiatek," obviously a reference to Anthony Swiatek; and "I_hoodwink" under the trump wooden nickel!
CaitHness and others,
Ok, I'll try to start a new thread, but is there a way to copy my original reply to this thread to make it independent? It took me an hour to create what I did and I'd rather not retype it.
Johnny Cash as a coin collector? No, I think the opposite: Mint Director Johnson as a fan of Johnny Cash, and also as an aspiring guitar player. His saving the Time magazine featuring Johnny Cash and other evidence I didn't disclose would lead me to that conclusion.
Just use the usual method to copy your text to your computer's clipboard (control-C), start a new discussion and paste the contents of the clipboard (control-V).
The movie, FWIW, was atrocious and I wouldn't recommend anyone waste time on it.
Lance.
Actually sounds like a plot "borrowed," at least in part, from a real life theft of a Moon Rock.
collectspace.com/news/news-072202a.html
What's the blow torch for?
I believe that the student making the die for the fake coin used the blowtorch on the die.
The Mysterious Egyptian Magic Coin
Coins in Movies
Coins on Television