THE ERRORS ARE STILL OUT THERE

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V24 2021 INDEX E-SYLUM ARCHIVE

The E-Sylum: Volume 24, Number 49, December 5, 2021, Article 29

An article by Jason Kim in the December 2021 issue of ErrorScope from the Combined Organizations of Numismatic Error Collectors of America (CONECA) discusses a great junkbox find. With permission, we're republishing it here. Thanks to editor Allan Anderson for passing along the text and images. -Editor

I was at my local coin shop going through a junk bin of silver dimes. I had a list of dates I needed for my album and began to search. The mint marks on silver dimes appear on the back so I was flipping each coin checking for mintmarks. As I was flipping a Mercury dime, I noticed a peculiar ‘S mint mark. It looked different but I knew immediately what it was.

In 1942, a mint employee took his rod and unknowingly struck an S mint mark upside down into a working die. That very same die went on to strike some Mercury Dimes at the San Francisco Mint. The Mercury dimes went into the hands of the public, and circulated separately for a long period of time. One was pulled out of circulation and somewhere along the line, ended up in a junk bin. That very coin was being held in my hand!

If you haven't already guessed, the coin I had found was the 1942-S, 10 cent inverted S mint mark (and for all the cherrypickers guide fans: FS-10-1942S-501). I couldn't believe my luck! I put the coin to the side and continued to look for the dates I needed. I ended up buying 15 dimes including the Inverted S. I was given a great deal as well. After doing the math I paid about $1.66 for the inverted S.

It is times like these that really make coin collecting and error collecting fun! I would like to personally thank the coin shop for that awesome find! Don't give up, the errors are still out there! Thank you for reading and Happy Hunting!

See also an item in this issue's "Loose Change" section about a recent find of an off-metal Kennedy Half dollar. The errors really are out there for those willing to look.

Another great item pictured in the issue is this 1971-D Jefferson Nickel double struck on a dime blank. Thanks again. -Editor

THE BOOK BAZARRE

1946–2021: CELEBRATING 75 YEARS of the RED BOOK. The 75th edition of the Guide Book of United States Coins will release next week, April 7, 2021. Preorder now to reserve your copy—online at Whitman.com , or call 1-800-546-2995.