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Coin Values Spotlight: 1990s Matte Finish 5-cent coins

In his “Coin Values Spotlight” column in the June 10 issue of Coin World, Paul Gilkes writes about two special coins offered to collectors 20-some years ago, one a stealth release, unacknowledged until after sales closed for the set it was included in, and a second that was promoted as special and that would skyrocket in value in the secondary market.

The first such coin was the Matte Finish 1994-P Jefferson 5-cent coin, issued as part of a special commemorative coin set honoring the nation’s third president. Mint officials did not promote the coin as having a special finish and collectors did not learn the truth until after sales closed.

The second piece was a Matte Finish 1997-P Jefferson 5-cent coin. Its special finish was promoted from the very beginning and was sold in much smaller numbers than the 1994 coin. Demand immediately drove prices for the set and its special 5-cent coin much higher.

To learn more about the two coins, plus another promotional mistake with the first set, and see what today’s market for both coins looks like, read the column, found exclusively in the print and digital editions of Coin World.

Detecting Counterfeits: Fake 1915 gold bullion coin

Michael Fahey reports in his “Detecting Counterfeits” column on a counterfeit Austrian 1915 gold 4-ducat coin recently seen at ANACS, the oldest active authentication and grading service in the country.

As he points out, the real coins are really restrikes, struck as bullion pieces for collectors and investors. The counterfeit version is apparently struck from transfer dies that are of decent quality though not perfect, but the piece is made of brass with only a thin coating of gold.

To learn how to detect these fakes, read Michael’s column in the digital or print version of the June 10 issue of Coin World.

Collectors’ Clearinghouse: Odd notches on dime planchet

“Collectors’ Clearninghouse” columnist Mike Diamond writes about a coin (actually, a planchet) recently discussed at a coin forum. A planchet, for those unfamiliar with the term, is the blank disc of metal that, when struck between dies, becomes a coin.

The dime planchet in question features no obverse or reverse design elements, as is typical for planchets. It does have two opposing notches, one of which has an impression of reeding from another dime. Mike explores several theories about how this could occur, before settling on one that seems likely.

To learn what he thinks caused the error, read the column, found only in the June 10 issue.