NORSE-AMERICAN COPPER DIE TRIAL DISCOVERED

A new example of a very rare copper die trial of the Norse-American commemorative struck at the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia has recently been discovered by a Midwest coin shop. It’s only the second Norse die trial known in copper. An unconfirmed piece with an unknown metal composition is rumored to have surfaced a few years ago in the eastern U.S. and a uniface example is known, also in an unverified metal composition.

According to Brian Timmons of Harbor Coin in Winthrop Harbor, Illinois, a local customer brought the Norse commemorative into the shop along with a few other coins he wanted to sell. “An employee of the shop told the man we weren’t interested, but passed the piece to me anyway. I was familiar with the Norse commemorative, but up to that point I had never seen one in copper. At first I was skeptical, but after examining the piece I decided to buy it.”

The Norse-American commemorative is a long-time favorite among collectors of early U.S. commemorative coins. Technically a medal, because it doesn’t have a denomination, the Norse-American commemorative was issued in 1925, right along with a bevy of similar silver commemorative half dollars. While other proposed commemorative issues were bogged down in Congress, the Norse commemorative was authorized for striking without a denomination so it could be available in time for the Norse-American Centennial celebration in St. Paul, Minnesota held June 6 to 9, 1925 at the Minnesota State Fair Grounds.

To read the complete article, see: Important New Norse-American Copper Die Trial Recently Discovered (www.coinweek.com/commemoratives/important-new-norse-american-copper-die-trial-recently-discovered/)

	NBS (coinbooks.org) Web