Ray O. writes: The 1939 Jefferson nickel has a number of varieties. I have seen the reverse of 1938 (mushy steps), 1939, and 1939 with the reverse of 1940. My question is what is the difference between 1939 and 1939 with the reverse of 1940? (if any?)
If you look hard enough, every set of working dies have differences. Also, more changes occur as the die begins to wear. If you enjoy die varieties, stick, at least initially, to ones that have some significance such as the 1939 doubled Monticello or the 1942 D over D variety.
Die varieties on early U.S. coins are interesting because many of the design elements were struck into the working die by hand. That is why collecting Large Cents by Sheldon or Newcomb number is so popular. This kind of design latitude doesn’t exist for modern coins as all the design elements are transferred from the master hub. What is left are errors, or striking problems such as weak steps on the Jefferson Nickel.
T.L. writes:Â I am looking for any information about peace medals that were given by the U.S. government to native american chiefs in the early 1800’s. A friend has one that was given by president Madison in 1809 to a chief after some sort of a treaty was signed. I would appreciate any information you might have . Thank you.
From the time of the French and Indian War to practically the end of the 19th Century, Peace Medals were given as gifts to leaders of the indigenous Indian tribes. They were highly prized by the recipients and were designed to be suspended on a thong or chain and worn as a breast plate. When the first Mint was established in Philadelphia it became official policy to mint Peace Medals with the effigy of the current President.
The James Madison medal is dated 1809. The bust is facing left with the legend JAMES MADISON PRESIDENT OF THE U.S. A.D. 1809. There is the letter “R” at the lower edge of the Rim. The “R” is the initial of John Reich, the Mint designer. The reverse shows PEACE AND FRIENDSHIP with clasped hands below a crossed peace pipe and tomahawk.
Actually, the medal wasn’t issued until 1814 as there was a sufficient number of Jefferson medals available and there was a controversy over the use of the arm of the Indian encuffed by a Federal eagle (The cuff was removed). The medal is 76mm in diameter and exists in silver and bronze.
When the Mint began selling medals to the public in 1861, the Madison medal was reproduced in a smaller size, 62mm, and with a different bust. The post 1861 medal was minted in silver, bronze and white metal. There is also a smaller version, 51mm, that exists in silver and bronze. The Mint in Philadelphia is still making reproductions in a yellow metal alloy. These have only nominal value. The earlier bronze pieces are chocolate brown in color.
See:Â Indian Peace Medals
Larry M. writes: I would like information about hobo nickels. I was left one in a collection I inherited.
“Hobo” nickels were created by amateur engravers that carved a “hobo” from the bust of the Indian on the obverse of the Buffalo nickel. These “artists”, most likely hobos in their own right, created a whole culture of these carved nickels. The “Hobo” nickels appeared almost simultaneously with the introduction of the Buffalo nickel in 1913. Hobos discovered that they could trade a meal for these creations or sell them for a small fee. The majority of the Hobo nickels were made between 1913-1920.
There is a great deal more to the story of the Hobo Nickels and lots of uses were found for these creations. For more information, see: Hobo Nickels
U.T. writes:Â I found a 1943 nickel and it has an “S” on the back above the building. What significance is this? Is it worth much?
From 1942 to 1945 nickel was in dire need by the U.S. military for munitions. Silver was temporarily substituted for this important metal. To signify the change of alloy, the Mint placed a large mint mark above Monticello on the reverse of the Jefferson Nickel. The “S” means the coin was minted at the San Francisco Mint. You will also find two other mint marks on these nickels. “P”, for the Philadelphia Mint and “D” for the Denver Mint.
The coins always bring a premium depending on condition from about silver value (.05626 oz. pure silver) to hundreds of dollars for the famous 1943/2 Philadelphia overdate, or the 1945 Philadelphia double die reverse.
Stephen L. writes: I submitted a 1915 uncirculated Lincoln Cent to ANACS for grading. It received a Net Grade Of AU50 CLEANED. What do you look for if a coin is cleaned. It is a brown coin.
The color of the copper is not an indication of whether the coin has been cleaned, only the amount of oxidation that has occurred. Graders look for surface disturbances such as circular polishing marks, large groups of parallel lines that cross over into the coin’s devices and subtle color differences that might indicate that a coin had been stripped and artificially colored.
Jeff H. writes: I’m currently researching a stage coach robbery that took place near Prescott, AZ in 1873. The only 700 1873-S Silver dollars minted that year were taken and have never been seen. Do you know what month of the year this took place and any other useful info? Thanks Jeff.
This story, though fascinating, is probably is not true. While there is a reported mintage of 700 San Francisco Seated Liberty dollars for 1873, none are known today. There was quite a controversy at the time involving the value of silver vs. gold coinage. Congress, in its wisdom or insanity, abolished the dollar in 1873 in favor of the heftier Trade Dollar (with a mintage of 703,000 for 1873 San Francisco coin, an issue readily available today). A year later they demonetized all previous silver dollars. The silver interests and their supporters called the bill the “Crime of ’73.” (The dollar was restored to legal tender status on 2/28/1878, the birth year of the Morgan Dollar).
Since the 1873-S dollar was no longer current money, standard procedure would be to melt them just like other minor coinage minted prior to 1873. (The silver content of minor coins was increased in 1873, previously minted silver coins were melted as the mints received them. Arrows placed at the date signified a change in the silver content.) In any case, no 1873-S Seated Dollars seemed to have survived.
CW. writes:Â My father had a WEB DuBois half dollar. I can’t find any information about it. Please advise. Thanks.
The DuBois family was involved with the Philadelphia Mint from the early days of the United States. You may be referring to William Ewing Dubois who authored Pledges of History: a Brief Account of the Collection of Coins Belonging to the Mint of the United States in 1846. The Dubois and Eckfeldt families were part of the “dynasty” of Mint workers that ran the Mint and sometimes surreptitiously minted coins for their own uses. You may be referring to one of the Dubois, Eckfeldt concoctions or simply a reference in one of their books.
Both William and Patterson Dubois are associated with restrikes of the 1801, 1803 and 1804 dollars and these later fabrications were peddled by Theodore Eckfeldt in 1858. See also: A Manual of gold and silver Coins of All Nations Struck Within the Past Century by Jacob Reese Eckfeldt and William Ewing DuBois and New varieties of Gold and Silver Coins, Counterfeit Coins and Bullion: with Mint Values by the same authors published c. 1850.
Don J. asks: Is a 1974 aluminum penny worth anything. In 1975 it was selling on the market for 30000.00 to 35000.00. Is there any value today?
Due to a rise in copper prices in 1973 the mint resolved to do away with copper cents. 1.5 million aluminum cents dated 1974 were produced by the Philadelphia Mint. Intense opposition by the vending machine industry caused Congress to change its mind. All the aluminum cents were ordered to be recalled, counted and melted. None were released to the public. Only 12 examples remain unaccounted for, not counting one example in the Smithsonian. Several Congressmen and other government officials who were recipients of this experimental issue either claimed the pieces were lost or refused to return them.
If one of these coins was offered for public sale the government would most likely confiscate it, as its legal existence is questionable. Any surviving pieces must be melted by law. Even a sale outside the United States might not work if you follow the precedent of the 1933 St. Gaudens $20. That coin was removed from the King Farouk sale in Egypt in 1950 and recently, another (or the same) example surfaced and caused great legal grief for the owners.
There certainly is contradiction in government policy. Why is it legal to own 1913 Liberty nickel, a coin made surreptitiously by a mint employee, but a 1974 aluminum cent, made officially, is outlawed?
Update: In 2005, PCGS authenticated, graded and certified an example of an experimental 1974 aluminum Lincoln cent struck at the Philadelphia Mint. It is graded PCGS MS62. In January 2014, PCGS confirmed that they authenticated a 1974 aluminum cent struck at the Denver Mint. It is certified PCGS MS63 and pictured below.