Coin Update: "PCGS certifies two highly unusual and rare Washington quarter errors"
(Newport Beach, California) – The Professional Coin Grading Service recently certified two extremely rare and unusual Washington quarter errors.
[TTQ] Two-tailed quarters are generally man-made “magician’s coins,” making this
genuine example, graded PCGS MS-62, exceedingly rare.
The first is the third-known example of a two-tailed quarter, likely struck in the 1965–1967 period. This piece, now graded PCGS MS-62, was purchased by noted error specialist Fred Weinberg at the September 2017 Long Beach Coin, Currency, Stamp & Sports Collectible Expo.
Keep in mind that while there are many two-headed or two-tailed coins in existence, nearly all are manmade “magician’s coins” created by sawing two coins in half and mating the matching parts. They will have a very different “ring” to them if dropped on a hard surface such as wood, metal, or glass.
“It’s always an honor to grade a great rarity, and this genuine two-tailed quarter is certainly one of the rarest of all U.S. Mint errors,” stated David Hall, president of Collectors Universe (NASDAQ: CLCT), the parent company of PCGS.
[1968-S] Though a few 1965 silver quarters exist, this is the only known example of its date.
The second piece is a 1968-S Proof quarter, struck on a 90% silver planchet (Type 2, with upset rims) left over from 1964. While a few 1965 silver quarters are known (and a 1966 is rumored), it is the only known post-1964 Proof silver quarter.
his coin, now graded PCGS PR-64, was also purchased by Mr. Weinberg at the September 2017 Long Beach Expo and is accompanied by a July 1969 letter containing a spectrograph analysis confirming it is a 90% silver / 10% copper composition. Originally owned by well-known dealer Lyle Clark of California, this coin was purchased from Mr. Clark’s son.
PCGS President Don Willis noted that the submission of these nearly unique and extremely valuable pieces underscores the high degree of confidence the marketplaces in PCGS’s authenticity and grading opinions.
http://news.coinupdate.com/pcgs-certifies-two-highly-unusual-and-rare-washington-quarter-errors/
Comments
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A silver planchet hiding for 3 to 4 years to be struck on a 68-S...sounds fishy as the two-tailed quarter to me.
oih82w8 = Oh I Hate To Wait _defectus patientia_aka...Dr. Defecto - Curator of RMO's
BST transactions: dbldie55, jayPem, 78saen, UltraHighRelief, nibanny, liefgold, FallGuy, lkeigwin, mbogoman, Sandman70gt, keets, joeykoins, ianrussell (@GC), EagleEye, ThePennyLady, GRANDAM, Ilikecolor, Gluggo, okiedude, Voyageur, LJenkins11, fastfreddie, ms70, pursuitofliberty, ZoidMeister,Coin Finder, GotTheBug, edwardjulio, Coinnmore, Nickpatton, Namvet69,...4 -
Here's a pic of the 68-S from the PCGS Website.
Max size here:
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So what do we tell those people with magician's coins now (unless of course, the dates on each side are different)?
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@oih82w8 said:
A silver planchet hiding for 3 to 4 years to be struck on a 68-S...sounds fishy as the two-tailed quarter to me.Did the SFAO make silver quarters after 1954? I know that during the coin shortage of the mid-1960's they did make some coins without mint marks.
Professional Numismatist, Retired. 55 year member ANA. Former ANA Senior Authenticator. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and ANA Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Winner of the PNG's 2026 Robert Friedberg Award for "The Enigmatic Lincoln Cents of 1922," Available now from Whitman or Amazon.0 -
@CaptHenway said:
@oih82w8 said:
A silver planchet hiding for 3 to 4 years to be struck on a 68-S...sounds fishy as the two-tailed quarter to me.Did the SFAO make silver quarters after 1954? I know that during the coin shortage of the mid-1960's they did make some coins without mint marks.
The date freeze for silver coinage ended in April 1966 (i.e. the period after 1964 when the Mint still struck 90% silver coins but backdated them), well before 1968 so it is highly suspect that there would be 90% silver planchets around. I also don't think there were any San Francisco minted Washington Quarters after 1954 that were struck in silver until the 1990s for 90% silver (the bicentennial coins are 40% silver I believe).
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Those are really cool.
Larry0 -
Pieces de caprice.
Liberty: Parent of Science & Industry
4 -
Double reverse is still blowing my mind, way to cool!
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The double reverse coin does nothing for me. I would have no interest in owning it.
All glory is fleeting.2 -
Can you imagine finding a 'two tailed' quarter in change?? First reaction - 'What?' Second reaction - 'Must be a magician's coin'. Third reaction - 'It can't be'. Fourth reaction - 'DAYUM... this looks real.' Fifth reaction - 'Got to lock this up before I spend it by accident'.
And so on..... Cheers, RickO4 -
Made to order errors. HMMM. Let's see. I'd like a State Quarter with 2 different state reverses. Contact me after you spirit it out......................
Pete
"I tell them there's no problems.....only solutions" - John Lennon0 -
@BuffaloIronTail said:
Made to order errors. HMMM. Let's see. I'd like a State Quarter with 2 different state reverses. Contact me after you spirit it out......................Pete
I'd like one struck on a Sacagawea planchet.... Double bonus if it is struck on the 22kt gold planchets used for the 2000-w trial strikes.
2 -
Didn't go into the guys collection who owns the mules
WTB... errors, New Orleans gold, and circulated 20th key date coins!0 -
I went fishing at fleabay this morning and got something close to what you mentioned Pete:
;^)
Lindy
@BuffaloIronTail said:
Made to order errors. HMMM. Let's see. I'd like a State Quarter with 2 different state reverses. Contact me after you spirit it out......................Pete
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I am fascinated with the certifications of these coins. IMHO, they are nothing more than either a game played at the mint, by workers being paid, using government machines, for their own benefit, or a custom ordering scheme by a dealer to get 1 of a kind "errors" made, again, using tax dollar wages and tax dollar equipment for their benefit.
The certifications just feed the beast.
The mint should just open a Boutique Shop, where, for a nominal profit, make whatever "error" coin you want, be a Sac dollar struck on a Euro coin, Jefferson struck on a silver dime, your imagination is the limit.
I am glad I do not have enough money to feel I need to encourage dishonest behavior by buying stuff like this.
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@mustangmanbob said:
I am fascinated with the certifications of these coins. IMHO, they are nothing more than either a game played at the mint, by workers being paid, using government machines, for their own benefit, or a custom ordering scheme by a dealer to get 1 of a kind "errors" made, again, using tax dollar wages and tax dollar equipment for their benefit.The certifications just feed the beast.
The mint should just open a Boutique Shop, where, for a nominal profit, make whatever "error" coin you want, be a Sac dollar struck on a Euro coin, Jefferson struck on a silver dime, your imagination is the limit.
I am glad I do not have enough money to feel I need to encourage dishonest behavior by buying stuff like this.
Pick one, your choice.......
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@mustangmanbob said:
I am fascinated with the certifications of these coins. IMHO, they are nothing more than either a game played at the mint, by workers being paid, using government machines, for their own benefit, or a custom ordering scheme by a dealer to get 1 of a kind "errors" made, again, using tax dollar wages and tax dollar equipment for their benefit.The certifications just feed the beast.
The mint should just open a Boutique Shop, where, for a nominal profit, make whatever "error" coin you want, be a Sac dollar struck on a Euro coin, Jefferson struck on a silver dime, your imagination is the limit.
I am glad I do not have enough money to feel I need to encourage dishonest behavior by buying stuff like this.
Maybe we could pay down the national debt...
0 -
I wonder how long it will be before the government tries to seize these.
1 -
@mustangmanbob said:
I am fascinated with the certifications of these coins. IMHO, they are nothing more than either a game played at the mint, by workers being paid, using government machines, for their own benefit, or a custom ordering scheme by a dealer to get 1 of a kind "errors" made, again, using tax dollar wages and tax dollar equipment for their benefit.The certifications just feed the beast.
The mint should just open a Boutique Shop, where, for a nominal profit, make whatever "error" coin you want, be a Sac dollar struck on a Euro coin, Jefferson struck on a silver dime, your imagination is the limit.
I am glad I do not have enough money to feel I need to encourage dishonest behavior by buying stuff like this.
Do you suppose this is how most "mint errors" occur?
Paul0 -
To answer the above last two posts:
The 12th of Never (thx to Johnnie Mathis)
No
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 50+ Year PNG Member.A full-time numismatist since 1972, retired in 2022.1 -
@FredWeinberg said:
To answer the above last two posts:The 12th of Never (thx to Johnnie Mathis)
No
I hope you're correct on the first one.
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On the silver proof quarter, my first instinct was, "How would you tell without cracking it out of the proof set case?" until I saw the image, clearly it was not struck on a proof planchet. The coin has a look similar to an SMS coin that would indicate the higher striking pressure, but without special preparation of the planchet.
Would you agree with that assessment @FredWeinberg ?
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From what I understand, 1965-67 SMS strikes were single struck on specially prepared planchets.
0 -
Yes, I would agree - the SF Mint was striking
Clad Quarter SMS coins 1965-67, not full
proofs - and I have to assume that the 90%
silver quarter planchet was for a Unc. coin,
(left over/found behind the press, etc.) not
a burnished proof silver quarter planchet.Although it's on a silver planchet, it doesn't
have the extremely deep proof surfaces that
you see on 1968-S Proof Quarters. Part of what
you see as far as the surfaces could be how the
coin was stored since 1969, after the lab results.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 50+ Year PNG Member.A full-time numismatist since 1972, retired in 2022.1 -
This smells to high heaven. I'm betting both coins were the product of a mint employee who wanted to make a quick buck. There was no mint error involved, that's my take.
If you do what you always did, you get what you always got.1 -
It might not have been struck IN error,
but it was (as are others) struck AS an error.With all the interesting and different numismatic
items that we all collect that are all from the
US Mint, I'd like to think that we collect what
we want to, or would like to, if we couldRetired 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 50+ Year PNG Member.A full-time numismatist since 1972, retired in 2022.0 -
@LindyS said:
From what I understand, 1965-67 SMS strikes were single struck on specially prepared planchets.I once saw a 1967 SMS half with a curly indent that was struck into the coin TWICE with movement between the strikes, The random design was repeated, proof that that particular coin was struck twice.
TD
Professional Numismatist, Retired. 55 year member ANA. Former ANA Senior Authenticator. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and ANA Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Winner of the PNG's 2026 Robert Friedberg Award for "The Enigmatic Lincoln Cents of 1922," Available now from Whitman or Amazon.0 -
@CaptHenway said:
@oih82w8 said:
A silver planchet hiding for 3 to 4 years to be struck on a 68-S...sounds fishy as the two-tailed quarter to me.Did the SFAO make silver quarters after 1954? I know that during the coin shortage of the mid-1960's they did make some coins without mint marks.
Anybody have a list of what they struck in the mid-1960's without mint marks?
Professional Numismatist, Retired. 55 year member ANA. Former ANA Senior Authenticator. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and ANA Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Winner of the PNG's 2026 Robert Friedberg Award for "The Enigmatic Lincoln Cents of 1922," Available now from Whitman or Amazon.0 -
Interesting, Is the proof type die prep/polishing the only difference between SMS struck coins and proof quality coins Tom ?
Lindy
@CaptHenway said:
@LindyS said:
From what I understand, 1965-67 SMS strikes were single struck on specially prepared planchets.I once saw a 1967 SMS half with a curly indent that was struck into the coin TWICE with movement between the strikes, The random design was repeated, proof that that particular coin was struck twice.
TD
0 -
@LindyS said:
Interesting, Is the proof type die prep/polishing the only difference between SMS struck coins and proof quality coins Tom ?Lindy
@CaptHenway said:
@LindyS said:
From what I understand, 1965-67 SMS strikes were single struck on specially prepared planchets.I once saw a 1967 SMS half with a curly indent that was struck into the coin TWICE with movement between the strikes, The random design was repeated, proof that that particular coin was struck twice.
TD
It is my understanding, which I cannot back up with anything official, that the 1965 and 1966 SMS coins were struck once and the 1967 SMS coins were struck twice, and that the only difference between a 1967 SMS coin and a 1968-S Proof coin is that the Mint says the 1968-S coin is a Proof and the 1967 coin is not.
That said, I acknowledge that it is possible that 1967 SMS planchets were not prepared as carefully as 1968-S Proof planchets, and/or that it is possible that only some 1967 SMS coins were given two strikes, hypothetically near the end of the year as they were practicing how to make the 1968-S Proofs.
TD
Professional Numismatist, Retired. 55 year member ANA. Former ANA Senior Authenticator. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and ANA Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Winner of the PNG's 2026 Robert Friedberg Award for "The Enigmatic Lincoln Cents of 1922," Available now from Whitman or Amazon.1 -
So if the obverse carries 60% of the grade....... the two-tailed coin would only get 80% of the grade it deserves????????
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BryceM - that certainly makes sense to me.
It's undergraded by 20% - lolRetired 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 50+ Year PNG Member.A full-time numismatist since 1972, retired in 2022.0
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