Doubled dies are valuable because you can usually readily see the spread without a coin microscope. The naked eye or loupe is all you need.
You can easily go down the rabbit hole checking Wexler or Variety Vista, both of which are dedicated to die markers and varieties, along with hub doubling. There are just too many entries with obtuse markers for the beginning collector. Focus on these first so you can see what hub doubling actually looks like.
1972 Lincoln Cent (DDO-001):Another famous modern cent variety with a huge spread. NOTE: Go to the link to see other 1972 doubled dies. You might need a microscope to see them.
1995 Lincoln Cent (DDO-001): A popular modern find heavily distributed into regular circulation with easily seen doubling on “LIBERTY.”
1909 VDB Lincoln Cent (DDO-001): The first year of the Lincoln cent with doubling on the date and obverse text.
1917 Lincoln Cent (DDO-001): This cent features very strong, distinctive doubling on the date and the motto.
1936 Lincoln Cent (DDO-001): Philadelphia produced three separate DDOs this year, but Type 1 is famous for its wide, bold spread on the date and legends.
1970-S Lincoln Cent “Large Date” (DDO-001): A rare San Francisco variety with strong doubling on the mottoes and date.
1916 Buffalo Nickel (DDO-001): Heavily doubled and easy to see, one of the most coveted.
Veteran hobbyists forget that beginning collectors typically do not know VAMs for Morgan and Peace dollars and also for minor doubled dies–Wexler and Variety Vista is full of them.
Veteran hobbyists, especially on Facebook and social media, should remember that beginners do not know how to navigate those rabbit holds and think everything is a valuable doubled die. Few beginners and even long-time hobbyists may not know VAMs, obscure types of doubled dies (Classes I-IX), and common mint errors.
Keep it simple, as this article does.
If you are a collector of varieties and doubled dies, be sure to see our directory that features denominations that carry unique PCGS numbers. Articles there, too.
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Proxiblog also has thousands of followers on Facebook Coin Groups, YouTube and other social media. To get the latest discussion and commentary, be sure to friend us by clicking here.
You can find more information about types, varieties, errors, grading, bidding and buying in Coin News Updated: The Essential Guide to Online Bidding. Please consider buying or gifting the work for a friend, as it underwrites this hobbyist blog. Thank you.
The 2017 Lincoln cent carried the “P” mint mark to celebrate the U.S. Mint’s 225th anniversary. The Mint released the coins into circulation in January 2017 without any announcement, gaining publicity as collectors began noticing the change.
While unique, these cents are common. More than 4 billion of them were struck. Examples grading MS67+ retail for $80 but typically sell for about $30 in PCGS slabs. At MS68, graded by top companies, the price skyrockets to $500; but these are ultra rarities in such a high grade. Nevertheless, it is still fun to find the 2017-P cent in pocket change.
The “P” mint mark has never been used on a cent before or after 2017.
Hobbyists know that the Philadelphia Mint used no mintmark on coins because initially there were no branch mints. However, when other mints opened in Denver and San Francisco, for instance, they started using the “D” and “S” mintmarks on coins.
Beware of scammers claiming some 2017 cents are missing the “P” mintmark. That can only happen on grease strikes. Why? Because the “P” mintmark was etched on the master die for 2017 cents. You have to know how coins are made to realize why there is no missing “P” errors on 2017 cents.
In 2018, the Philadelphia Mint returned to the convention of no mintmark.
Other denominations have used the P mintmark. The nickel used the mintmark from 1942 to 1945 on 35% Silver “War Nickels” and then was removed. The “P” returned to nickels in 1980. Also in that year, dimes, quarters, half dollars started using the P mintmark. In 1979 the P mintmark appeared on the Susan B. Anthony dollar and henceforth was used on all Philly dollar coins, including the Sacagawea, Presidential, and American Innovation dollars.
Social media has hyped “missing mintmarks” as ultra rarities. Here’s a chart of them with odds of finding any.
If you would like to know more about these missing mintmarks, click here.
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Proxiblog also has thousands of followers on Facebook Coin Groups, YouTube and social media. To get the latest discussion and commentaries, click here.
You can find more information about errors and varieties as well as buying and bidding on coins in Coin News Updated: The Essential Guide to Online Bidding. Please consider purchasing the work for yourself or a friend, as it underwrites this hobbyist website. Thank you.
Everyone knows that Chinese counterfeits have flooded the coin market with some production estimates exporting between 100,000 to 500,000 counterfeit coins per month. The majority of these are offered as raw coins on eBay, Etsy and Temu, among others. But now a new threat has emerged: sellers offering counterfeits in fake PCGS holders with phony “Not PCGS” certification sites.
This is a much-overlooked consequence because it attacks the fundamental priority of top holdering companies: authentication.
These fakes pop up when you try to access PCGS. To show how frequent, I now will access the site and report the results in 10 minutes of searching.
These are from different sellers. I could have published a dozen or more.
When viewing counterfeit “Not PCGS” coins on eBay, you’ll see that sellers have few sales. Never bid or buy from such sellers. Nevertheless, that is not the lesson here. It is the erosion of the reputation of the top holdering companies in the hobby.
While we cannot do anything about Chinese fakes, we can ask eBay to listen more closely to our messages and reports about counterfeits and perhaps fix their algorithm and provide more education for their customer service employees.
To be fair, eBay has honored many of our complaints about counterfeit coins. It has forced sellers to reimburse buyers of counterfeit coins. We know that.
But the issue now is the proliferation of counterfeits in fake PCGS holders. An algorithm or customer service employee may see that famous logo and–ironically!–believe the listing is authentic because … wait for it … it trusts PCGS’s reputation.
That is why counterfeiters are using fake PCGS holders, playing off of PCGS’s good name. They also play off the good name of top auction houses like GreatCollections with fake stickers.
Every hobbyist needs to know counterfeit detection. Click here for that. Here is a visual primer on how you, too, can identify counterfeit coins in fake PCGS holders:
Our concern here focuses on the hobby and the ramifications of using fake PCGS holders to fool hobbyists into thinking they have a genuine coin.
While many hobbyists have complained about counterfeits, the conventional wisdom is disappointing: nothing can be done because the Chinese government allows this as part of its economy.
That thinking results in defeatism. If nothing can be done, then the hobby is at risk. But that risk is becoming greater each day. If eBay in particular does little when informed about counterfeits, because (a) its algorithm cannot detect a fake based on die markers and (b) its customer service may not be schooled enough to know those markers, seeing only a slabbed PCGS coin; then (c) the corporate reputation of PCGS is at issue.
This is an article about that premise. eBay can argue that it has invested $X amount of dollars in counterfeit detection and even has customer service employees check listings when multiple complaints have been lodged; but if both are proving at many occasions ineffective, that is not a strong defense when it comes to PCGS. It only means that eBay’s methods need enhancement.
These are matters beyond the scope of this article.
Stephanie Sabin, president of PCGS, is aware of the ongoing issue.
She provided Proxiblog with this statement:
“Since founding PCGS in 1986, our mission has been to protect collectors through leading authentication, grading, and the most secure holders in the industry. However, a powerful brand inevitably attracts counterfeiters, and we treat combating these fraudulent holders as an aggressive, ongoing priority. True security requires staying multiple steps ahead, which is why we continually invest in advanced overt and covert security features across all our product lines. We applaud the dedicated individuals and organizations within our community who work tirelessly to educate collectors on the dangers of counterfeit holders; their vigilance to eliminate altered and fraudulent collectibles is essential to protecting consumers and preserving the integrity of the numismatic marketplace. By combining their grassroots educational initiatives with our ongoing technical innovations and strengthened marketplace partnerships, we will continue to build a safer, more secure hobby for all.”
In recent years, Chinese counterfeiters have upped the ante, targeting PCGS, often cited as the most reliable and top holdering company. Not only are the coins fake; the holders are too. And the certs open to a fake PCGS authentication site.
Proxiblog’s Jack Young, Jack Riley and Michael Bugeja have been monitoring the proliferation of “Not PCGS” counterfeit coins.
In January, Jack Young wrote, “As if the Chinese counterfeit coins in fake PCGS slabs isn’t bad enough, now there appears to be a fake Chinese PCGS website to verify them.”
Young identified this counterfeit:
Of course he checked the cert and found no similar or other coin. His next step was to try to read the reverse label QR code. He got this:
A fake coin. A fake holder. A fake site. (If you are interested in the complete article about this fake coin and site, click here.) Jack Young has found that this trifecta is happening again.
He has found two more sellers that offer fake coins in fake PCGS holders with certs going to a fake PCGS site.
Jack Young says “Michael and I have been discussing what I have termed the ‘proliferation’ of counterfeit coins using stolen PCGS Intellectual Property, fake ‘PCGS’ holders on eBay. I see all of the listings ‘allowed’ there as a huge failing of eBay. And their AI reporting process is also an apparent failure to many collectors and hobbyists as well.
“So, going forward I use eBay for new material to write counterfeit articles on, and today’s usual browse of ‘US Coins’ on the Bay resulted in 44 counterfeit coins in fake PCGS slabs listed on just the 1st page. I screen-printed a number but quite frankly got tired of the effort after documenting these below.”
Snippet of the 44 listings available on 1-page of eBay US Coin listings 6-11-26
The frustration with eBay stems from counterfeit experts using the eBay reporting system only to be told that the fraudulent listing is fine and nothing will be done. Example:
But it gets worse. Jack Young has been warned about reporting counterfeit coins on eBay, further damaging its supposed defense that it vets all reports of fake offerings on the platform. Example:
Because of the proliferation of “Not PCGS” counterfeits, Jack Young and Proxiblog have received or seen requests on Facebook coin groups to check if an actual authentic PCGS coin is, well, authentic!
In sum, scam sellers acting in effect as agents of Chinese counterfeiters are eroding the very heart of what top holdering companies do: authenticate.
The question now, of course, is what can be done collectively.
Jack Young and I have contacts at PCGS, which has encouraged us to report fake offerings and to do one more thing: inform the company if eBay refuses to take action. But that will hardly fix the problem. The issue at hand is what can be done when popular platforms like eBay get it wrong at the expense of its bidders and holdering companies.
That will have to be decided by others.
Proxiblog can help by continuing to grow our subscriber base and influence on Facebook. Jack Young and Jack Riley also have large spheres of influence. But we need the American Numismatic Association, the U.S. Mint and the National Coin and Bullion Association to understand this new threat of corporate reputation and to break the defeatism that nothing can be done.
Let’s review legalities:
Counterfeiting or knowingly passing fake coins is a federal crime punishable by up to 15 years in prison and severe fines. The U.S. Secret Service investigates all suspected counterfeit coins.
The creation, sale and distribution (pertinent here) of fake coins can be prosecuted under United States Codes:
Manufacturing and Forging (18 U.S. Code § 485): Falsely making, forging, or counterfeiting any coin (valued higher than 5 cents) or any gold or silver bar is punishable by up to 15 years in prison and substantial fines.
Passing or Possessing (18 U.S. Code § 485): Passing, selling or bringing counterfeit coins into the United States with the intent to defraud carries a penalty of up to5 years in prison.
There is also the Hobby Protection Act, which states, it is illegal to buy, sell or possess counterfeit coins. Moreover, all replica, copy or imitation numismatic items must be plainly and permanently marked with the word “COPY”.
Jack Young, Michael Bugeja and Proxiblog subscribers have encountered sellers who bought a counterfeit coin, are reselling it as genuine and refuse to take it down.
We present one example here, but we encounter this regularly.
Here are exchanges by Bugeja and subscriber Tim Scott, trying fruitlessly with eBay to take down this obvious fake. Our complaints were ignored by eBay.
Despite our concerns, shared across Facebook coin groups, the fake coin in a fake PCGS holder sold for $607.33. You can see it had 24 bids.
We thank Stephanie Sabin and PCGS for helping us safeguard their reputation and our hobby.
If you like posts like this, please go to our counterfeit archive with reports from Jack Riley, Jack D. Young, John Lorenzo and Michael Bugeja. Also, please subscribe so you be informed whenever there is a new article or column.
Proxiblog also has thousands of followers on Facebook Coin Groups, YouTube and social media. To get the latest discussion and commentary, be sure to friend us by clicking here.
You can find more information about errors and varieties as well as buying and bidding on coins in Coin News Updated: The Essential Guide to Online Bidding. Please consider purchasing the work for yourself or a friend, as it underwrites this hobbyist website. Thank you.
Grease or debris, coupled with die deterioration, causes a filled mintmark, evidenced on many coins, including Morgan dollars. But the “1921-S VAM 6B, Filled S” dollar is special because the mintmark has a flaw in the die as well as a gouge on the obverse.
Before we delve into this variety, we need to define some terms, beginning with VAMs, initials of numismatists Van Allen and Mallis who cataloged die varieties of U.S. Morgan and Peace silver dollars.
As noted earlier, the specific die marker for this coin is: VAM 6B.
In addition to the filled “S” mintmark, the 1921-S variety has a die gouge on the obverse, making it more valuable than a regular issue.
A die gouge can be mistaken at times for a die crack. So we have to define those, too.
Die gouges occur when a foreign object is dragged across the die face, allowing metal to fill the divot, resulting in a raised area. Sometimes the dragged object creates a line, as in the 1921-S VAM 6B dollar. It may appear like a die crack. The difference is a gouge is created by that foreign object whereas a die crack results from pressure during the striking process.
Here’s an example:
Now that we know those terms, we can discuss the die markers of the 1921-S VAM 6B.
Let’s look at the filled S mintmark first:
The filled mintmark of this Morgan variety differs from a grease strike because the “S” also exhibits a flaw in the die, distorting the S. Compare:
Now let’s look closely at the die gouge:
Not all die gouges are straight lines as here. In this case, the dragged object caused the line.
This particular variety carries a unique number in the PCGS catalogue (412698) from which these photos have been taken.
PCGS CoinFacts also lists values for this variety. Compare the prices with a regular 1921-S:
As you can see, the higher the grade on this variety, the more valuable.
While you may not be interested in this Morgan, going through the die markers here–or any VAM–will help you learn more about the minting process.
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You can find more information about types, varieties, errors, grading, bidding and buying in Coin News Updated: The Essential Guide to Online Bidding. Please consider buying or gifting the work for a friend, as it underwrites this hobbyist blog. Thank you.
1944 steel cents from all three US Mints are extremely rare transitional errors occurring when leftover 1943 zinc-coated steel planchets became stuck in annealing furnaces, tote bins or coining presses. Because of their rarity, however–a few dozen have been actually found and authenticated–there are thousands of counterfeits, altered dates and copies flooding online coin venues.
The most common of these ultra rarities came from the Philadelphia Mint, which was using steel planchets to produce foreign coins. Some of those planchets got into the Lincoln cent bin. Fewer than 10 1944-D steel cents have been authenticated. These steel planchets were left over when the Mint started making copper cents that year. Steel planchets were mixed in totes mistakenly and were struck as 1944-S cents.
Step-by-Step Method
To test if you have one of these ultra rarities, use a magnet. If it sticks, you can continue to check if real.
Weigh the coin. If it weighs more than 2.7 grams, typically 3.1 grams, you have a fake.
If not, look at the second “4” in the date. If you spot anything suspicious, such as a scratch or tool mark–or weird spacing between numbers–you have an altered date.
Look for plating bubbles–tiny bumps–in the fields especially. You also might find pitting in these.
Check for strike. Zinc-plated counterfeits have mushy devices and dates. Authentic ones have sharper devices.
A key diagnostic is the word “Liberty.” Again, if mushy, you probably have a fake. In authentic examples, the word not only is sharp but also close to the edge. Striking copper differs from striking steel. The later has more hardness, pushing the “L” close to the rim.
Comparison of “Liberty”
Examples of Fakes
Online sellers on Temu and Etsy have flooded the market with all manner of fakes and replicas.
REPLICAS
CASTING BUBBLES
ZINC PLATED
It goes without saying that you should never bid on or buy a raw 1944 P/D/S steel cent that isn’t certified by a major holding company such as PCGS, NGC, ANACS and CAC. Even then, look up the certification number and check to make sure you are looking at the same coin because China also packages fake coins in fake holders. The best way is to wait for one of these rarities featured on a major auction house such as GreatCollections, Heritage or Stacks Bowers.
f you like posts like this, please go to our counterfeit archive with reports from Jack Riley, Jack D. Young, John Lorenzo and Michael Bugeja. Also, please subscribe so you can be informed whenever there is a new article or column.
Proxiblog also has thousands of followers on Facebook Coin Groups, YouTube and social media. To get the latest discussion and commentary, be sure to friend us by clicking here.
You can find more information about errors and varieties as well as buying and bidding on coins in Coin News Updated: The Essential Guide to Online Bidding. Please consider purchasing the work for yourself or a friend, as it underwrites this hobbyist website. Thank you.
A woody–woodgrain marks on a coin–is caused by an improper alloy mix whereas similar marks are caused by dirty rollers at the Mint. Woodies are collectible. Roller marks are not.
A woody has irregular, streaky, wood-like toning, usually red brown often mixed with lighter brass-like colors. The lines are uneven, splotchy and on both sides of the coin. They often appear on older Wheat and Indian Head Cents.
Roller marks are easy to identify. They are straight and parallel. They usually appear on both sides of a coin, especially ones minted between 1978-1984.
Here is a handy chart:
Feature
Woody (Improper Alloy)
Roller Marks (Damage)
Appearance
Irregular, splotchy, wood grain texture
Straight, uniform, parallel lines
Color
Varies (Red/Brown/Brass)
Same as the rest of the coin
Depth
Surface toning, usually flush with metal
Shallow, incuse lines (cut into the metal)
Texture
Usually smooth
Scratched, feels textured
Consistency
Random streaking
Uniform, consistent width
Woodies are collectible but values depend on the condition and mintage/rarity of the coin. Most Wheat cents sell for $5-50; Indian cents, $10-75. Uncirculated ones can command high prices–basically, what one is willing to pay. Example:
If you are bidding on or buying a coin, make sure you can tell the difference. Roller mark coins are often mislabeled as woodies. Examples:
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Special issue coins typically are made for collectors and have their own designations, devices and mintmarks. Ones featured here are readily available. Some hobbyists collect all of them.
1996-W Roosevelt Dime
One of the most popular special issues is the 1996-W Roosevelt dime, marking the half-century of the design. This was the first base metal coin struck at the West Point mint.
The 1996-W Roosevelt dime is the lowest-mintage business-strike coin in the series (1,457,949). The next lowest was the 1955 dime (12,450,000).
Unlike other business strikes, the coin was not released into circulation. It was a bonus coin included in that year’s U.S. Mint Uncirculated Coin Sets.
It is the only business strike dime carry the W mint mark for West Point.
PCGS recounts the trouble that the Mint had in adding the W mintmark. For the occasion, engraver John Mercanti was asked to hand-punch the mintmark into the die directly. But the steel die was not properly prepared (heated) so the force of the punch made it mushroom. It could not be used. Another engraver had to create an entire new dime model, carving the mintmark directly into the master plaster. This is why the mintmark looks different than on ones used for other W mintmark issues.
If you want to buy or bid on this dime, make sure that it has full bands. PCGS estimates it has holdered some 6,700 dimes that are not full bands compared with 4,500 that have them.
An MS68FB retails for about $60; in MS69FB, about $260.
2019-W Lincoln Cent
The 2019-W cent was produced to celebrate the 110th anniversary of the Lincoln cent. PCGS lists three finishes for the dime, released as a bonus in these sets:
Proof finish: Included with the standard 2019 Proof Set.
Reverse Proof finish: Included with the 2019 Silver Proof Set.
Uncirculated finish: Included with the 2019 Uncirculated Mint Set.
As with all coins manufactured for collectors, the overwhelming number of coins will be uncirculated still and not worth much unless in extremely high grades. Examples of the business strike in MS69 are worth about $30 whereas an MS70 retails for about $350.
2020-W Jefferson Nickel
This was the first U.S. nickel to bear a “W” mintmark. The regular nickel came inside the 2020 Mint Proof Set. A 2020-W Jefferson Nickel in a Reverse Proof format came inside the 2020 Silver Proof Set.
The Mint planned to make a 2020-W nickel with an uncirculated finish to be included in the 2020 Uncirculated Coin Set. The COVID-19 illness limited production, however, and the issue was canceled.
The 2020-W Proof Nickel had a mintage of 464,039; the 2020-W Reverse Proof Nickel, 313,185. These typically retail online for $35 in PR69 and $80 in PR70.
2015-W March of Dimes
The 2015-W March of Dimes Proof Silver Dime and the 2015-P March of Dimes Reverse Proof Silver Dime also were special release issues. They were available only when collectors bought the 2015 March of Dimes Special Silver Set.
2015-W Proof Silver Dime was the first ever silver proof Roosevelt dime to carry the “W” mint mark and also the first non-dollar denomination coin to ever be produced with a reverse proof finish.
The set was limited to 75,000 units. As such, both silver dimes are some of the scarcest in the Roosevelt series.
Depending on the price of silver, the 3-Coin Set typically sells for about $200.
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You can find more information about errors and varieties as well as buying and bidding on coins in Coin News Updated: The Essential Guide to Online Bidding. Please consider purchasing the work for yourself or a friend, as it underwrites this hobbyist website. Thank you.
When looking through my great grandfather’s coin collection I discovered several medals. For those who are not familiar with me or my previous articles, my great grandfather was a bartender in Brooklyn, NY, around 1900. At that time, Ellis Island was admitting people from all over the world, and thus, he took payment of different currencies. I’m sure he also traded and perhaps purchased items that led to a vast collection containing hundreds of coins and medals which hold stories of the past.
First, let’s address what is a medal. We know from winning a contest in school or watching the Olympics that medals can show achievement. We understand today that a gold medal is the most important, then silver and bronze (due to metal value). We know medals have been made throughout history as recognition, often depicting a person or event and can be minted for one person or for the masses. We see this today in the US mint where medals are sold to commemorate the 250th Anniversary of the United States of America.
Medals belong to the genre Exonumia, with medals serving as a major category of this classification. Medals fall into these subcategories: military medals, commemorative medals, souvenir medallions, and, at times, challenge coins.
They can also be contemporary and express social concerns. One of the top medal artists is sculptor Heidi Wastweet who also has served in the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee of the U.S. Mint. Here is one of her popular medals, “Abbreviated Liberty,” about the power of free speech and the muzzling thereof. Proxiblog publisher Michael Bugeja has the 1st of 40 strikes.
But what about historic medals? Why are they so special? First, expert engravers were needed to work by hand, and perfection was necessary. Second, as Betts notes “medals are original documents in metal.” They are story tellers and tangible connections to the past. They are art, but unlike a historic painting or sculpture in its original form, medals can be reproduced, although die deterioration (having been struck several times) will cause the quality of later medals to diminish. Some medals were only struck once, or a few times, so let’s talk about mine.
I came across this large 67mm, well struck bronze medal that captivated me with its beautiful details and size. After finding out (through the internet) that this was from the Netherlands, I found information was scarce. That is until I found a picture of my medal in gold on the website of Massachusetts Historical Society located in Boston. The website states “This gold medal was presented by the States-General of the United Provinces of Holland to John Adams upon his departure as minister on 6 March 1788. Adams was the first envoy to Holland from the United States. This medal is believed to be the only known 18th century diplomatic medal presented to a United States minister.”
As I examined the pictures, I could see the same engravers mark on my medal.
John Adams’ Gold Medal
Collection of The Massachusetts Historical Society
I eagerly contacted the Historical Society by phone and explained what I had. To my surprise, Susanna from MHS Library Reader Services, said they were interested in the history of mine, as they were identical apart from the metal. I was asked to send an email the details of my medal with pictures. I was delighted to get a response within a week from the Curator of Art & Artifacts, Anne, with information on the engraver and manufacturer, as well as other interesting articles and John Quincy Adams journal entries.
Details and Engraver
The medal’s engraver, Nicolaas van Swinderen, was born in November 1705 in The Hague. His work began in 1720 as a prominent engraver and medalist. He lived on The Lutherse Burgwal (Lutheran Canal/Street) in The Hague, specializing in engraving and cutting dies. His works were often struck in the workshops of other medalists.
Over one hundred of his medals are on display in the Rijksmusum, the Teylers museum, and in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Although there are several medals like mine (and Adams), I could not find another identical. It is unknown when and who this medal was originally made for, however, you will see that his medal dies remained active even after his death in 1760. The Commemorative Medal given to John Adams was struck using dies from van Swinderen in 1788 by Willen de Koning, a manufacturing jeweler, as Swinderen had passed away 28 years earlier.
Details:
Size: 67 mm
The obverse shows the arms and supporters of the United Provinces (lion wild with sword in shield, surmounted by crown) with the motto, “CONCORDIA RES PARVÆ CRESCUNT”. This translates: “By concord small things increase” and signed “N VS” above PARVÆ.
The reverse depicts the arms of the House of Orange-Nassau, surrounded by seven provinces, entwined with leaves and orange fruit. The motto, “DISCORDIA MAXIMÆ DILABUNTUR” translates to “By discord great things are destroyed”.
Edge: Plain, raised with integral suspension loop. Assay stamp on loop (Betts)
John Adams
(americanacorner.com)
John Adams retired from 2nd Continental Congress in November 1777 and soon went overseas. After spending time in Britain and France, Adams sought American Diplomacy in the Netherlands to secure recognition of American independence. Adams also had the job of obtaining a loan which would provide much needed assistance to the financially strapped colonies and help establish credit for the young nation.
During the 1700’s the Dutch Republic had internal political stress, but it maintained peace. The Stadholder (Dutch: Hoog-Mogenden) referred to the States-General of the United Netherlands. The Princes of Orange held this office and were referred to as “their Mighty Mightiness”. The Hague served as administrative seat of government for the Dutch Republic. Until 1810, when Amsterdam officially became capital. (Britanica)
On October 8, 1782, Adams and Dutch representatives successfully concluded the Dutch American Treaty of Amity and Commerce, primarily dealing with trade, shipping, and other commercial ventures. Adams had also made a successful application for a three-million-guilder (Dutch currency) loan. This would help fund the American Revolution.
In 1787 Adams requested to close his commission and return to America. The president of the assembly (De Wassenaar Caywyke) brought this to their High Mightiness (William V) who granted this resolution. The following is an excerpt from an account regarding the medal:
Whereupon, it having been considered, it seemed good, and was hereby ordered, that leave be taken of the said Mr. Adams, at the same time declaring that his person and conduct have been agreeable to their High Mightiness, and that the usual present of a chain and medal of gold, of the value of thirteen hundred florins, be transmitted to him; the jeweler de Koning having it in charge to prepare the same forthwith.
Passing Down Adams Medal – John Quincy Adams Diary Entries
John Quincy Adams, the son of John Adams, had quite an extensive collection of diaries. The following are excerpts regarding John Adams passing his medal down to his grandson:
27 Sept. 1819: [My father (President John Adams) called me and my son John, who was going away, into his bedchamber,] and gave him a gold medal and chain, which at the close of his Mission to the Netherlands was presented to him by the then existing States-General. My father told my son John, and directed me to remember and witness that he gave him this, rather than his gold-watch, which was a trinket, for the sake of his name; because it was John Adams; and that it should be disposed of for his benefit according to my directions.
Oct. 1819: I told John what I proposed to do with the medal and chain given him by his grandfather. Which is to keep the medal as a memorial of the giver, and to send the chain to the Mint, and have its proceeds vested in Stocks yielding interest, till he shall come of age: with this arrangement, John said he should be satisfied.
In Conclusion
Historical coins, tokens, and medals are fascinating in the history they hold and stories they tell. Although I will never know for whom my bronze medal was struck or where it came from, it led me down a path to history. I certainty did not expect that my research would lead to John Adams and his family, who had a tremendous impact on Early America. I found working with The Massachusetts Historical Society to be a wonderful experience. I will continue to dig further into this medal because I would love to know the origin.
References
“#7 Johnny Goes Dutch.” Hollandsociety.org, 2024, hollandsociety.org/2024/01/7-johnny-goes-dutch/.
“Adams Papers Digital Edition – Massachusetts Historical Society.” Masshist.org, www.masshist.org/publications/adamspapers/index.php/volume/PJA16/pageid/PJA16p265.
Betts, Charles Wyllys. American Colonial History Illustrated by Contemporary Medals. New York: Scott Stamp and Coin, 1894, pp. 275–276.
C.F.A.; Ed. The Works of John Adams. Vol. VIII, Boston, Mass, Little Brown and Co., 1853, pp. 482–483.
This is a roundup article with markers. Several of these altered coins are profiled in Proxiblog articles. Read the summary and then, for more knowledge, access the article.
1909-S V.D.B. Lincoln Cent
The “S” is added to common 1909 Philadelphia cents. This is the No. 1 faked coin.
We need some background on why this coin is valuable and how decisions by the US Mint created opportunities for counterfeiters.
Secretary of the Treasury Franklin MacVeagh disliked the prominence of Victor David Brenner’s initials on the reverse and stopped production in August of that year, removing initials entirely on the remaining 1909 and 1909-S cents. That is why you only find the initials on some 1909 and 1909-S examples. In fact, those initials did not appear again until 1918 when the VDB appears below Lincoln’s shoulders. That’s how angry MacVeagh was. But he wasn’t thinking about counterfeits at the time even though his actions inadvertently made altered dates easy.
Scammers realized they stood to make big profits merely by adding:
An “S” to a 1909 VDB cent. VDB to a 1909-S cent. An “S” and “V.D.B” to a 1909 cent.
Now compare mintmarks with a genuine, added mintmark and cast replica mintmark:
1914-D Lincoln Cent
Scammers alter 1944-D cents, shaving down the first “4” to make it look like a “1.”
The most counterfeited coin is the 1909-S VDB; but the 1914-D Lincoln Cent actually has a smaller surviving population. This makes the 1914-D a prime target for counterfeiters.
Look for a large gap between the “9” and the second “1” in date. 1944-D cents are commonly altered to appear as 1914-D cents, but this leaves too much space between the first two digits and the last two digits.
See this example from NGC:
1922 Plain Cent
The Denver Mint was the only facility to produce pennies in 1922, so technically, every legitimate 1922 cent should have a “D” mintmark. A mint employee screwed that up, however, polishing the die and accidentally erasing the “D” on a very small number of cents.
The difference in value for a low grade 1922-D, worth about $5, and 1922 Plain No D Strong Reverse, $500, is significant. High mint state of “Strong Reverse” go for thousands of dollars.
The 1922 Cents are thus categorized:
Standard 1922-D (Normal mint mark)
1922 “Weak D” (Faint, blurry, or partially filled mint mark)
1922 “No D” / Plain (Mint mark completely missing)
In addition, value is assessed by die pairs:
Die Pair #1 (Weak D / No D – Weak Reverse). Mushy or missing lines on wheat stalks. Die Pair #2 (“No D” Strong Reverse). Clear lines on wheat stalks. Die Pair #3 (Weak D / No D – Weak Reverse). The final “2” in the date is notably weaker than the first “2”. Die Pair #4 (Weak D / No D – Weak Reverse): Very similar to pairs 1 and 3 but typically even mushier.
You can read more about this rarity, including differences between die pairs, by clicking here.
Scammers find it easy to erase the “D” on a well-defined 1922-D normal mintmark coin. They do so by tooling or filling the area where the mintmark should be. Do not bid or buy this coin unless you can distinguish die pairs.
1916-D Mercury Dime
Scammers add a “D” mint mark to a 1916 Philadelphia dime. It is one of the second frequently faked coins, after the 1909-S VDB. You can also find them in fake PCGS and NGC holders. There are replicas, too. And more.
Learn about all the ways scammers are altering or faking this rarity. See: “Deceptive 1916-D Dimes” by counterfeit expert Jack D. Young.
Excerpt:
As Jack always says when reviewing a subject coin, ATTRIBUTION is the key! And with help from a few friends he pulled this template together of the 4 known reverses/mint-mark positions and shapes for use in evaluation of the 1916-D. He also has added this fake example in the middle of the template for a good comparison of good versus bad.
Template of four good mintmark positions and bad one in the middle.
Jack is one of the top counterfeit detectives in the country. Read the aforementioned article to become familiar with his methods.
You can also find telltale markers on genuine coins in the aforementioned article.
1932-D and 1932-S Washington Quarters
Common 1932 quarters are altered with an added “D” or “S” mintmark.
The 1932-D Quarter (436,800 minted) and 1932-S Quarter (408,000, lowest mintage in the series) are a coveted pair for collectors. The 1932 Philadelphia Quarter has a mintage of 5,404,000 with no mintmark, of course, on the reverse, making it a target for added mintmark fakes.
You can see how scammers add the mintmark as well as become familiar with die markers.
Except:
The most obvious die marker for a genuine coin concerns the filled mint mark (“D”) with visible serifs and bloated appearance, even in uncirculated grade.
Here’s how the mintmark looks in more common circulated grades (note you can see still serifs).
You should also look for die cracks on the reverse, especially near the eagle’s left wing or the motto “PLURIBUS.” Many but not all display this.
Go to the article to see the 1932-S die markers.
1943 P/D/S Copper Cent
Steel cents from this year are often copper-plated or the date is altered on a 1948 or 1949 cent.
You’ll also find replicas on Temu and Etsy shopping sites.
Approximately 40 copper-alloy cents were accidentally minted across all three U.S. Mints (Philadelphia, Denver, San Francisco) in 1943. The 1943-D is the rarest (1 known), while 1943-S (San Francisco) is exceptionally rare (fewer than 5 known). Some 20+ 1943 cents are said to exist.
A magnet. If the coin sticks to it, it isn’t copper.
A coin scale to see if your specimen weighs 3.1 grams. (Steel cents weigh 2.7 grams.)
A lupe to view the date and to detect if it has been altered.
Here’s an example of a 1948 cent altered to look like a 1943 copper cent weighing 3.1 grams and passes the magnet test:
Go the article to see the die markers of each copper cent. You’ll also learn to identify replicas.
1989-CC Morgan
Fortunately, the 1889-CC Morgan dollar has only three known major die varieties (VAMs), each with specific die markers. This makes it easier than other dates with more markers when identifying counterfeits.
The most common practice is to add a CC to the common 1889 Philadelphia Morgan. That is why knowing the die markers for authentic coins is so important.
A mere 350,000 coins in 1889 were struck at the Carson City Mint, and hundreds of thousands of those were melted after 1918 due to the Pittman Act. This makes it a nifty target for criminals. Moreover, the common date 1889 Philadelphia is used for an added mintmark. Here is an example from NGC:
Right off the bat, veteran hobbyists know that the mintmark used in the above example is the wrong one for an 1889-CC dollar. Scammers typically take the “CC” from a lesser value 1878-CC dollar.
Let’s start there by showing the mintmark of an 1878-CC and 1889-CC Morgan:
The aforementioned article also discusses the VAMs of genuine 1889-CC Morgans. You will want to know those, too.
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Proxiblog also has thousands of followers on Facebook Coin Groups, YouTube and social media. To get the latest discussion and commentaries, click here.
You can find more information about errors and varieties as well as buying and bidding on coins in Coin News Updated: The Essential Guide to Online Bidding. Please consider purchasing the work for yourself or a friend, as it underwrites this hobbyist website. Thank you.
Have you noticed that people, often from different countries, hijack Facebook coin group posts and show their own coins rather than commenting or answering questions? Here’s an example:
The above hijackers were responding to this post:
To many, this is just a nuisance.But it also can be hazardous as many such posters have malicious intentions including scamming you, phishing your email or Facebook site, and worse–algorithmic manipulation.
Let’s define that: Algorithmic manipulation is the intentional use of computer data to exploit your vulnerabilities or pull information from and about you, often via a bot or program to scrape data.
They also might appear on a FB post that solicits lots of comments–like the post above about the 1982-D Small Date Cent.
These scammers might have stolen or fake accounts. They hijack posts and show coins that they do not own, trying to get you to engage them about buying. Or they just might want your personal data for some other spurious reason.
Some cannot get a legitimate FB account and so use “likes” or engagement as a ruse to operate without being blocked.
If you are the target of a scammer, file a report with the group moderator. Many people do not know how to do this. Here’s a video about this with easy instructions:
You can also use Facebook’s contact form to report impostor.
If you like posts like this, please subscribe so you can get our weekly newsletter and be informed whenever there is a new article or column.
Proxiblog also has thousands of followers on Facebook Coin Groups, YouTube and social media. To get the latest discussion and commentaries, click here.
You can find more information about errors and varieties as well as buying and bidding on coins in Coin News Updated: The Essential Guide to Online Bidding. Please consider purchasing the work for yourself or a friend, as it underwrites this hobbyist website. Thank you.
