I have a few of these ans read somewhere that there was a nice write up on them in the October 2019 Coin World... so I went out and purchased that issue... No Luck!
Does anyone know of any of the periodicals that have information on them?
@PwrHsePro
I listed a number of articles at the end of my first post. I have not seen a recent article on them in any weekly publication, but I don't look that closely anymore.
The only thing I have seen of late is Appendix U in the 4th edition of Mega Red published in 2018 (3 pages). I do not think this is in other editions.
If you find a Coin World article, please come back and update us.
“In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock." - Thomas Jefferson
I have just bought a collection and when it arrived it had a note stating that the seller had found some additional coins with cards and other material. One was the a Coin World article from 22 May 2006. (See Below)
Also, an Advert from Molesworth Assc. a Atomic Energy PR firm.
And the Colection: Some of the collection is of questionable authenticity. Like the 1965-1969 are obviously not real and several 1964-1965 Blue holders that I did not even scan, and the Hobo Dime artist was 3 years old when the program ended.
That said, it is a nice collection and I got my money worth.
I see you purchased Pass and Stow’s collection off of eBay. It took him many years to put that together and would likely take even longer today. Congrats! 👍🏻
I'm addicted to exonumia ... it is numismatic crack!
ANA LM
USAF Retired — 34 years of active military service! 🇺🇸
Thanks for bringing this thread to the top, I never knew about this and just started reading the PCGS boards several months ago (this is my first post). I work with radiation everyday (in oncology) and have been discovering over the years how radiation was used in so many (unsafe) applications way back when, such as using X-rays to see how a new pair of shoes fits on your feet. But irradiating coins to demonstrate its safety is something I've never heard of, what a story! Thanks for sharing!
@Skydevil14
Thanks for posting and congrats on the purchase of a collection.
A few comments:
I have never seen the Molesworth Ad before, I suspect there are very few out there.
Glad to add the Coin World article to my list – thanks for posting that. I was already collecting irradiated dimes when this was printed in 2006, but never saw it.
I believe the 1965-1969 pieces are likely to be real. I have seen plenty of them over the years. The actual date that they stopped making souvenirs is not clear to me. For sure, they made some during Nuclear Week in May of 1968 as evidenced by the white plastic piece in my original post. It would make sense that they made standard pieces as well and they should be in holders with blue printing. However, we all know there is no silver in the post-1964 dimes. To continue to make souvenirs, they would have used clad dimes as the silver dimes were likely already removed from circulation. I was 10 at the time and remember pulling silver from circulation. I think the pieces are authentic, but imperfect as they contain no silver to irradiate.
The collection contains several pieces I don’t have. I have not seen the Hobo piece (post 1955 as it is in a blue encasement), and the Philippines piece (pre-1960 as it is in an Oak Ridge encasement).
“In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock." - Thomas Jefferson
Hey, I just got this irradiated dime and I wanted to know if you know why the bottom has a notch in it? I've seen hundreds of these but never one with a notched bottom. Any input on this would be much appreciated, because after much research online, you seem to be the God of irradiated merc dimes
@AntiqueCollector
I have looked at many pieces and never seen the "notched" bottom either. I suspect the original aluminum case was defective but the coin and plastic cover still produced an acceptable result. I suppose it is also possible that the edge was damaged after encapsulation, but I would think you would see some sort of damage to the plastic cover as well. Since the plastic cover looks fine, that suggests that he case was defective prior to encapsulation.
Thanks for sharing.
“In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock." - Thomas Jefferson
@Cameonut said: @AntiqueCollector
I have looked at many pieces and never seen the "notched" bottom either. I suspect the original aluminum case was defective but the coin and plastic cover still produced an acceptable result. I suppose it is also possible that the edge was damaged after encapsulation, but I would think you would see some sort of damage to the plastic cover as well. Since the plastic cover looks fine, that suggests that he case was defective prior to encapsulation.
Thanks for sharing.
WOW! That makes me think it's rare maybe even possibly worth a little more? Thanks for the reply, I'm happy to share in this thread. I found this recently and got so curious. "irradiated"?? COOL! I had to get it for the collection. I did also want to ask you one more question: What are those little fact sheets called you have behind some of your dimes?
For sure, you don't see too many errors on these pieces so it is possible a collector might pay a premium for your piece.
I have called the "fact sheets" a souvenir card since they seem to have been sold as such. The dime is actually affixed to the card with double faced tape. Occasionally, one will fall off as the tape ages. These cards have become pretty scarce on Ebay over the last few years and command a much higher price than long ago. I sold one of my ORNL duplicates last year and it sold for $271 as there was spirited bidding!
“In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock." - Thomas Jefferson
I saw that piece on ebay. It’s awesome and I have no doubt it is authentic and original to the period. My only cause for concern is that, unlike I believe every other example, this one doesn’t say “irradiated.”
Is it possible someone simply used some leftover encasements to put this together and that it wasn’t actually irradiated? 🤔
I'm addicted to exonumia ... it is numismatic crack!
ANA LM
USAF Retired — 34 years of active military service! 🇺🇸
I saw that piece on ebay. It’s awesome and I have no doubt it is authentic and original to the period. My only cause for concern is that, unlike I believe every other example, this one doesn’t say “irradiated.”
Is it possible someone simply used some leftover encasements to put this together and that wasn’t actually irradiated? 🤔
Good question. I suppose that it is possible that the dime was not irradiated. For sure, they ran out of room to designate this. In my opinion, it is the earliest example that I own of this type of encasement - irradiated or not. By now, I doubt that taking a Geiger counter reading will have much meaning. I plan to ask the seller what other details they might know about this piece.
“In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock." - Thomas Jefferson
Several articles reference the start date when dimes were irradiated as 1949. The Coin World article by Klingler states: "Gates were opened to the public on March 19, 1949, when the first irradiated dimes were supplied as souvenirs" - he later writes that they were irradiated until 1967.
I have just received this information from then seller of the dime;
"Hi. My parents did say it was irradiated. I don't know how they were distributed. They went to high school in Oak Ridge TN and both graduated in 1948. My grandfather (dad's father) was the coin collector. He worked as a detective. My mother's father worked on the bomb. That's all I know. The whole Oak Ridge "secret city" is fascinating and I wish I had asked them more about it when they were alive."
“In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock." - Thomas Jefferson
Hey, I just got this irradiated dime and I wanted to know if you know why the bottom has a notch in it? I've seen hundreds of these but never one with a notched bottom. Any input on this would be much appreciated, because after much research online, you seem to be the God of irradiated merc dimes
OLD THREAD ALERT
I suspect that what happened was that as the aluminum disc was being stamped out of sheet aluminum, this one slightly overlapped a previously cut hole in the aluminum sheet. Basically what happens of a "clipped" coin. When the edge of the aluminum disc was rolled up around the insert, the void happened to end up at 6 o'clock relative to the dime.
I have probably6 handled about a hundred irradiated dimes in my career, and I have never seen one with this production error on it.
Numismatist. 54 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. Author of "The Enigmatic Lincoln Cents of 1922," Available now from Whitman or Amazon.
I suspect that what happened was that as the aluminum disc was being stamped out of sheet aluminum, this one slightly overlapped a previously cut hole in the aluminum sheet. Basically what happens of a "clipped" coin. When the edge of the aluminum disc was rolled up around the insert, the void happened to end up at 6 o'clock relative to the dime.
I agree Tom, exactly the way it likely happened. I have seen many hundreds of these and have never seen one with that particular error either.
“In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock." - Thomas Jefferson
@podochigae said:
Thanks for bringing this thread to the top, I never knew about this and just started reading the PCGS boards several months ago (this is my first post). I work with radiation everyday (in oncology) and have been discovering over the years how radiation was used in so many (unsafe) applications way back when, such as using X-rays to see how a new pair of shoes fits on your feet. But irradiating coins to demonstrate its safety is something I've never heard of, what a story! Thanks for sharing!
Now I need to get one of these coins.
I had an uncle who worked in a Sears store in the mid 50's. We would periodically visit him at work, The highlight (for me) was the machine used to see your feet in the shoe. I was wondering why my feet glow at night.
Comments
Hi all...
I have a few of these ans read somewhere that there was a nice write up on them in the October 2019 Coin World... so I went out and purchased that issue... No Luck!
Does anyone know of any of the periodicals that have information on them?
I mainly collect raw Ancients, PCGS Mercury Dimes, and raw CSA'S... but have misc other sets...Jeffhttps://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/mysetregistry/set/215647https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/mysetregistry/showcase/8378
@PwrHsePro
I listed a number of articles at the end of my first post. I have not seen a recent article on them in any weekly publication, but I don't look that closely anymore.
The only thing I have seen of late is Appendix U in the 4th edition of Mega Red published in 2018 (3 pages). I do not think this is in other editions.
If you find a Coin World article, please come back and update us.
“In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock." - Thomas Jefferson
My digital cameo album 1950-64 Cameos - take a look!
@PwrHsePro @Cameonut
I have just bought a collection and when it arrived it had a note stating that the seller had found some additional coins with cards and other material. One was the a Coin World article from 22 May 2006. (See Below)
Also, an Advert from Molesworth Assc. a Atomic Energy PR firm.
And the Colection: Some of the collection is of questionable authenticity. Like the 1965-1969 are obviously not real and several 1964-1965 Blue holders that I did not even scan, and the Hobo Dime artist was 3 years old when the program ended.
That said, it is a nice collection and I got my money worth.
I see you purchased Pass and Stow’s collection off of eBay. It took him many years to put that together and would likely take even longer today. Congrats! 👍🏻
ANA LM
USAF Retired — 34 years of active military service! 🇺🇸
Thanks for bringing this thread to the top, I never knew about this and just started reading the PCGS boards several months ago (this is my first post). I work with radiation everyday (in oncology) and have been discovering over the years how radiation was used in so many (unsafe) applications way back when, such as using X-rays to see how a new pair of shoes fits on your feet. But irradiating coins to demonstrate its safety is something I've never heard of, what a story! Thanks for sharing!
Now I need to get one of these coins.
@Skydevil14
Thanks for posting and congrats on the purchase of a collection.
A few comments:
I have never seen the Molesworth Ad before, I suspect there are very few out there.
Glad to add the Coin World article to my list – thanks for posting that. I was already collecting irradiated dimes when this was printed in 2006, but never saw it.
I believe the 1965-1969 pieces are likely to be real. I have seen plenty of them over the years. The actual date that they stopped making souvenirs is not clear to me. For sure, they made some during Nuclear Week in May of 1968 as evidenced by the white plastic piece in my original post. It would make sense that they made standard pieces as well and they should be in holders with blue printing. However, we all know there is no silver in the post-1964 dimes. To continue to make souvenirs, they would have used clad dimes as the silver dimes were likely already removed from circulation. I was 10 at the time and remember pulling silver from circulation. I think the pieces are authentic, but imperfect as they contain no silver to irradiate.
The collection contains several pieces I don’t have. I have not seen the Hobo piece (post 1955 as it is in a blue encasement), and the Philippines piece (pre-1960 as it is in an Oak Ridge encasement).
“In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock." - Thomas Jefferson
My digital cameo album 1950-64 Cameos - take a look!
This is for @Cameonut
Hey, I just got this irradiated dime and I wanted to know if you know why the bottom has a notch in it? I've seen hundreds of these but never one with a notched bottom. Any input on this would be much appreciated, because after much research online, you seem to be the God of irradiated merc dimes
@AntiqueCollector
I have looked at many pieces and never seen the "notched" bottom either. I suspect the original aluminum case was defective but the coin and plastic cover still produced an acceptable result. I suppose it is also possible that the edge was damaged after encapsulation, but I would think you would see some sort of damage to the plastic cover as well. Since the plastic cover looks fine, that suggests that he case was defective prior to encapsulation.
Thanks for sharing.
“In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock." - Thomas Jefferson
My digital cameo album 1950-64 Cameos - take a look!
WOW! That makes me think it's rare maybe even possibly worth a little more? Thanks for the reply, I'm happy to share in this thread. I found this recently and got so curious. "irradiated"?? COOL! I had to get it for the collection. I did also want to ask you one more question: What are those little fact sheets called you have behind some of your dimes?
For sure, you don't see too many errors on these pieces so it is possible a collector might pay a premium for your piece.
I have called the "fact sheets" a souvenir card since they seem to have been sold as such. The dime is actually affixed to the card with double faced tape. Occasionally, one will fall off as the tape ages. These cards have become pretty scarce on Ebay over the last few years and command a much higher price than long ago. I sold one of my ORNL duplicates last year and it sold for $271 as there was spirited bidding!
“In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock." - Thomas Jefferson
My digital cameo album 1950-64 Cameos - take a look!
TTT for new piece
“In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock." - Thomas Jefferson
My digital cameo album 1950-64 Cameos - take a look!
I saw that piece on ebay. It’s awesome and I have no doubt it is authentic and original to the period. My only cause for concern is that, unlike I believe every other example, this one doesn’t say “irradiated.”
Is it possible someone simply used some leftover encasements to put this together and that it wasn’t actually irradiated? 🤔
ANA LM
USAF Retired — 34 years of active military service! 🇺🇸
Good question. I suppose that it is possible that the dime was not irradiated. For sure, they ran out of room to designate this. In my opinion, it is the earliest example that I own of this type of encasement - irradiated or not. By now, I doubt that taking a Geiger counter reading will have much meaning. I plan to ask the seller what other details they might know about this piece.
“In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock." - Thomas Jefferson
My digital cameo album 1950-64 Cameos - take a look!
Let us know what you find out. 👍🏻
ANA LM
USAF Retired — 34 years of active military service! 🇺🇸
What do we know about the window of time Oak Ridge was irradiating coins? Is 1949 inside or outside the known period?
ANA LM
USAF Retired — 34 years of active military service! 🇺🇸
Several articles reference the start date when dimes were irradiated as 1949. The Coin World article by Klingler states: "Gates were opened to the public on March 19, 1949, when the first irradiated dimes were supplied as souvenirs" - he later writes that they were irradiated until 1967.
I have just received this information from then seller of the dime;
"Hi. My parents did say it was irradiated. I don't know how they were distributed. They went to high school in Oak Ridge TN and both graduated in 1948. My grandfather (dad's father) was the coin collector. He worked as a detective. My mother's father worked on the bomb. That's all I know. The whole Oak Ridge "secret city" is fascinating and I wish I had asked them more about it when they were alive."
“In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock." - Thomas Jefferson
My digital cameo album 1950-64 Cameos - take a look!
OLD THREAD ALERT
I suspect that what happened was that as the aluminum disc was being stamped out of sheet aluminum, this one slightly overlapped a previously cut hole in the aluminum sheet. Basically what happens of a "clipped" coin. When the edge of the aluminum disc was rolled up around the insert, the void happened to end up at 6 o'clock relative to the dime.
I have probably6 handled about a hundred irradiated dimes in my career, and I have never seen one with this production error on it.
I agree Tom, exactly the way it likely happened. I have seen many hundreds of these and have never seen one with that particular error either.
“In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock." - Thomas Jefferson
My digital cameo album 1950-64 Cameos - take a look!
I had an uncle who worked in a Sears store in the mid 50's. We would periodically visit him at work, The highlight (for me) was the machine used to see your feet in the shoe. I was wondering why my feet glow at night.