Rotated Reverse on Korea Proof $1

Tag : copper alloy


Are you sure you know what's in your collection? New error findsprove that sometimes you might not.

It never ceases to amaze me that there are some significantly rareand valuable errors that have been squirreled away in collectionsfor decades that are just now being recognized by the hobby andtheir owners as even existing.

Two coins with values that normally fall within the two-figurerange have recently been identified with long overlooked featuresthat could catapult them into the four-figure to five-figureranges! They are a 1991-P Korean War commemorative proof silverdollar with a 90-degree rotated reverse and a 1973-S Eisenhowerdollar, normally struck in 40 percent silver, but in this case,struck on a copper-nickel clad planchet. More of either of theseerrors could be sitting in anybody's collection without them evenknowing it.

Brad Meadows, senior numismatist for Heritage Auction Galleriesnoted that the firm recently took in a consignment for a 1991-PKorean War commemorative proof dollar that has a 90-degree rotatedreverse die. He acknowledged that it certainly wasn't the mostmajor error that they have offered, but felt that it was an unusualfind saying, "I am anxious to see what kind of response it gets. Itstill surprises me how things like this can go unnoticed for solong."

Meadows indicated that the owner of the coin had just found it afew months ago. This is the first example of this error type that Ihave ever heard on a proof commemorative dollar of any type. Itwill be offered in an October Heritage auction, though as of presstime I am unaware of the specific date.

It should be noted here that even though this error type is mostoften referred to as a "Rotated Reverse," it is often impossible toknow if it was actually the reverse die that was rotated out ofposition.

The error type is defined in the Combined Organizations ofNumismatic Error Collectors of America Glossary ( http://conecaonline.org/content/glossary.html ) as follows: "Since, under normal circumstances, it is impossibleto tell which die has rotated, or perhaps both dies have rotated,the reverse die has been chosen as the offending element. Coins arestruck with coin alignment; that is, the top of one side is thebottom of the other side. If a die becomes loose in its holder orwas installed with an incorrect alignment, it is said to haverotated. Rotations under 15 degrees in either direction areconsidered within mint tolerances and have no collector value. Thegreater the rotation over 15 degrees, the greater the value tocollectors. Coins rotated 180 degrees are said to have medalalignment. A couple of recent examples include the 1989-D Congressdollar and the 1988-P Kennedy half, which, by the way, can be foundin mint sets." It should be noted that many foreign coins arenormally struck in "medal alignment."

Jay Fackelman who oversees the online Rotated Die Coin Census Website ( www.rotateddies.com ), a census for U.S. coins with major die rotations ranging from90-180 degrees, said, "Brad contacted me a while back about thispiece. It will be interesting to see what it sells for. I wouldn'teven venture a guess as a lot depends on if any commemorativecollectors decide they would not mind adding it to theircommemorative collection. If it is anything like the (2000-Duncirculated Library of) Congress commemorative (silver dollar),then the price could get up there a little bit compared to mostrotated errors. I will be looking forward to see what it reallygoes for."

Fackelman followed up later saying, "it is certainly a newexperience not only having a new series/date show up so late afterissue but especially with it being a proof. Now the big questionis, are there going to be any other ones found?

"I would be very surprised if at least one or two more did not showup but with the way the Mint handles proofs compared to regularbusiness strikes there is a chance they could have found someothers and pulled them before they were issued.

"At least there is a new item to look for whenever one of thesepieces come up for sale either online or in person."

Error coin dealer, Fred Weinberg of Encino, Calif., said, "FirstI've heard of on this commemorative. Proof - 90 degrees - I'd guessthat it would bring around $500-$1,000, or thereabouts. I'll beinterested to see what the others say. As is the case for manyerror types, a proof rotated reverse could be a hot item forcommemorative collectors, proof collectors, as well as errorcollectors. So you have at least three different groups that mightvie for such a coin."

Error dealer, Neil Osina of Best Variety/Sportscards & Coins,Glendora, Calif., said, "$1000 is not out of the question for majorproof errors."

Alan Herbert, who pens the popular Coin Clinic column forNumismatic News said, "I'd go for $2,500, which is probably low.There can't be more than three to four thousand, less if theyspotted the problem. The 180 degree Congress dollar sold for $2,000and that was not a proof."

My estimate of value tends to fall in line with that of Herbert'sand it will indeed be interesting to see what the hammer price onthis coin is in October.

On August 28, Numismatic Guarantee Corporation of Sarasota, Fla.,posted notice on its Web site (www.ngccoin.com) that it had gradedthe first known example of a 1973-S uncirculated Ike dollar struckon a copper-nickel clad planchet. This coin, struck at the SanFrancisco Assay Office, in its satiny uncirculated finish, wasoffered by the U.S. Mint struck exclusively for collectors in 40percent silver.

NCG said: "Coins accidentally struck on planchets intended forother issues are known for quite a number of United States cointypes, but they are rarely more spectacular than when occurringwith dollar coins. This superb gem Eisenhower dollar was struck atthe San Francisco Mint for inclusion in the series of 'blue pack'silver-clad dollars offered by the U.S. Mint at $3 apiece from 1971to 1974.

"At first glance it could almost pass for one of these silver-cladpieces, but inspection of its edge (made all the more easy throughNGC's unique EdgeView" holder) reveals the bright orange-red glowof a copper-nickel-clad planchet! This coin has the satiny texturetypical of most silver-clad dollars and confirms that it was struckaccidentally as part of that series.

"The Denver Mint was assigned the role of preparing planchets forSan Francisco's production of the "blue" Ikes, but it wassimultaneously making planchets of the copper-nickel-cladcomposition for its own press run of circulating coins. One ofthese ordinary planchets evidently found its way into a shipment ofsilver-clad planchets going to San Francisco and was struck andpackaged as a silver-clad issue. While this scenario describes howsuch an error could have occurred, it did not play out very often.This is the first report of a 1973-S dollar struck on acopper-nickel planchet.

"If that weren't enough to excite collectors, this coin is also adoubled-die obverse variety! It is DDO-2, as listed and illustratedin the book CONECA Attribution Guide to Eisenhower Dollar DieVarieties by James Wiles, Ph.D. This variety, previously known onlyin the normal silver-clad composition, is now confirmed on acopper-nickel-clad planchet intended for currency strikes.Collectors should check their 'blue packs' for more newdiscoveries."

It should be noted here that San Francisco also struck millions ofthe copper-nickel clad planchets for proof dollars that wereincluded in the standard six-coin proof sets that contained thecent through dollar. Thus, the mix-up may not have occurred atDenver at all. If a copper-nickel clad planchet (or more) remainedin the bottom of a tote bin that was later filled and used totransport 40 percent silver clad planchets to a press striking the40 percent uncirculated silver dollars, the wayward copper-nickelclad planchet(s) would have gotten mixed in and could have easilyhitchhiked a ride into a press striking the 40 percent uncirculateddollars. Exactly were the planchet(s) got mixed up, we'll probablynever know.

In regard to its value, Herbert said, "I'd go for at least $5,000.Other transitionals have been selling for $1,500 for years."

Error dealer, Mike Byers of San Clemente, Calif., said, "I'vehandled many Ike off metals, both in Mint State and proof. Alsomany of the Ike dollar and Kennedy Half transitionals as well. Thismay be scarcer than the other halves and dollars struck in silverinstead of clad, or clad instead of silver, due to planchets beingmixed up. I would estimate a wholesale price of $7,500 and a retailprice of $10,000.

"As one who has been tracking the values of these transitional typeerrors over the past few years, my assessment of value is $10,000for this coin. It will be interesting to see were it ends up whenit finally comes up for sale. The hobby will be eagerly waiting!"

Many collectors refer to these "wrong composition planchet" typeerrors as "transitional errors" since most occur during atransitional period when a coin's composition is changed from onealloy to another. For example, a few 1943 cents from all mints,which are normally struck on zinc-coated steel planchet, are knownto have been struck on copper alloy planchets left over from 1942.While this Ike dollar is not technically a "transitional," it isoften referred to as such anyway.

Readers should note that both of the errors described here are oftypes of which more could have been made and released tocollectors. Identifying them should be easy, simply look for thewidely rotated reverse on the Korean dollars and the tell-talecopper-core on the Ike dollars. Let Numismatic News know or contactme directly about what you find at the contact addresses listedbelow. I would like to thank NGC and Heritage Auctions for thephotos used with this story.



Ken Potter is the official attributer of world doubled dies for the CombinedOrganizations of Numismatic Error Collectors of America and for theNational Collectors Association of Die Doubling. He also privatelylists other collectible variety types on both U.S. and world coinsin the Variety Coin Register. He is a regular columnist in"Numismatic News"' sister publication, "World Coin News," where hepens the Visiting Varieties column. More information on either ofthe clubs or how to get a coin listed in the Variety Coin Registermay be obtained by sending a long self-addressed envelope with 59cents postage to P.O. Box 760232, Lathrup Village, MI 48076, or bycontacting him via e-mail at KPotter256@aol.com . An educational image gallery may be viewed on his Web site at www.koinpro.com .





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