The E-Sylum:  Volume 10, Number 44, October 28, 2007, Article 15

JIM JOHNSON AND THE 1802 DIME

Last week Ginger Rapsus cited the 1802 Half Dime as a 
rare U.S. coin actually intended for circulation, as 
opposed to fantasies such as the 1804 dollar and 1913 
Liberty Head nickel. 

Tom DeLorey writes: "I have a cute story regarding an 
1802 Half Dime. Many years ago I collected error coins, 
and avidly read Coin World's "Collectors Clearinghouse" 
column written by James G. Johnson. Eventually I went 
to work for that column, and worked with him for several 
months in 1974 as he wrapped up his affairs prior to 
retirement.

"In his lifetime Jim had collected a complete date and 
mint mark set of half cents through silver dollars actually 
issued for circulation, including an 1894-S dime. He was a 
teacher before his hearing loss drove him to writing, and 
never had much money to spend on coins. As a result, many 
of his coins were in low grade, but he said that he wanted 
coins that people had actually used. When I was able to 
convince him that the 1864 Half Dime was not a Proof only 
issue, I sold him one that had turned up in Sidney.

"Fast forward to an ANA convention in the late 1990s. A man 
came up to our table with a very low grade 1802 Half Dime. 
The piece was worn almost smooth, but because it had been 
bent early in its lifetime the date area was somewhat protected, 
and clearly showed the 1802. I looked at the coin and told 
the owner that I used to work with a man that this would have 
been absolutely perfect for, and told him briefly about Jim's 
collection and finished by saying 'His name was James G. Johnson 
from Sidney, Ohio.' The man visibly started, and said 'That 
was my father!' It was indeed Jim's coin!"

REAL COINS VS FANTASIES
esylum_v10n42a14.html

  Wayne Homren, Editor

	coinbooks.org Web

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