Want to be more detail-oriented with your coins? Skip Fazzari gives a crash course on simple ways to hone your “collector’s eye.”
While graders tend to look at coins for their overall eye appeal and attractiveness, many authenticators take a different approach. I have always examined coins closely for their flaws. This approach probably developed when I was a young collector searching through pocket change for minor minting errors. My attention to details really paid off when I began to learn coin authentication. I believe a person can be self-taught to be “detail-oriented.”
As soon as you put this column down, get a hand lens out and examine some of your coins. There is no such thing as a “junk” coin. Treat every coin as if you are trying to authenticate it. You will learn something from each coin you examine. Over time, depending on the number of coins you examine, you will really learn what coins should look like. If you are able to do this exercise using a stereo microscope, as is done in the ANA Authentication course, you will become more attuned to a coin’s details than most collectors. An added benefit to this type of training is the ability to identify many of the characteristics you will see on coins later when you only have access to a hand lens.
As you look at a coin, break it down into its component parts so that you can fully focus on what you see. Is the shape of the coin correct? Are its lettering and design artful and uniform? Is its color as expected? Experience plays an important role here. A golden-color Lincoln cent would raise some eyebrows here in the United States, yet many people from a foreign country would have no idea that the coin was unusual. Many of us may be in the same predicament when it comes to foreign coins. What shape and color is a Japanese Nibu Kin? Go look it up; I’ll have a test later.
Now let’s take a more detailed look at your coin. Start with its fields. Are they smooth? Do you find any evidence of metal flow at the edges of the letters, denticals, and relief of the coin? Do the fields appear rough, granular, or crystalline? Are there any depressions, craters, or microscopic holes? Do you see any odd shape lumps either in the field or next to the relief areas? Can you find any lines from die or planchet polishing operations?
Don’t forget to examine the coin’s rim and edge. Is there a raised seam or any lumps of metal around the edge? Has the edge been filed? Is the edge smooth, lettered, or reeded? Are the edge letters uniform? Is the edge reeding uniform? The list of details goes on and on. We can make a case for a coin’s authenticity out of any of the characteristics I have mentioned. For instance, on some coins, the presence of uniform, well-shaped edge lettering would raise suspicion that the coin was a counterfeit!
In coin authentication, there are exceptions to almost every rule. That is one reason why it’s so important to know what a genuine coin should look like. This “look” may change from country to country and for different time periods or coin type.
Occasionally, a collector will overlook the “genuine” details on their coin and go with their “common sense” perception. Once, while giving an authentication seminar, a student asked me to look at one of his coins. He was convinced that the coin was a cast fake because it did not “ring” when tapped, as a genuine silver half dollar should.
I looked at it with a hand lens and pronounced it genuine. As I gave my opinion and handed the coin back to the collector, he smiled and dropped the coin on to the desktop. The sickening “dull” sound that a lead cast counterfeit coin makes when it is dropped on a hard surface sent a shiver through my whole body. The collector looked amused by my reaction as I picked the coin up and examined it again more closely. It was an obviously genuine die-struck silver half dollar. The coin should “ring” when dropped, but it did not. It provided a great “lesson coin” for the class as my second “detailed” examination confirmed that the coin was real — and I discovered why it had lost its “ring.” There was a crack along part of the coin’s edge where the planchet had split after it was struck! That is what ruined the coin’s tonal quality and caused the collector to overlook all the other details of the coin that proved it to be authentic. Train yourself to pay close attention to a coin’s details so that you do not make the same error.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Coming Soon! Fractional-Weight American Buffalo Gold Coins
The Mint has at last released details of the 2008 Gold Buffalos, which will include one-tenth ounce, quarter ounce, and half ounce denominations for the first time.
The U.S. Mint will begin accepting orders for the fractional weights of the American Buffalo, or the Gold Buffalo Coin on July 22 at noon Eastern Time. The coin's proof and uncirculated versions will be sold in four sizes: one ounce, $50 denomination; one-half ounce, $25 denomination; one-quarter ounce, $10 denomination; and one-tenth ounce, $5 denomination, a Mint release said.
Collectors can also opt to buy a full set of four coins. Customer demand will dictate the mintage and product limits for the proof and uncirculated coins.
The proof version of the American Buffalo Gold Coin debuted in 2006, containing one ounce of 24-karat. The Presidential $1 Coin Act of 2005 authorized the coin's production, creating history by making it the first-ever pure (.9999 fine) 24-karat gold coin minted for the public. The coin's obverse and reverse designs feature images by noted American sculptor James Earle Fraser, a student of Augustus Saint-Gaudens, for America's 5-cent coin (nickel).That Indian Head, or Buffalo, nickel was launched in 1913 and showcases the native beauty of the American West. The depiction on the coin’s obverse is believed to be based on three different American Indians, of which Fraser named Chief Iron Tail of the Lakota Sioux and Chief Two Moons of the Cheyenne before his death. The bison on the coin’s reverse is believed to be modeled after Black Diamond, a popular attraction at the New York Zoological Gardens.
The fractional denominations of the gold coins were authorized to be issued by the Secretary of Treasury based on a market research. Both the proof and uncirculated American Buffalo Coins feature designs based on the classic 1913 nickel. The "W" mintmark of the United States Mint at West Point is inscribed on the coin's obverse along with the word "Liberty" and year. Inscriptions on the reverse include the face value and weight
Each coin comes with a Certificate of Authenticity, is encapsulated in protective plastic and mounted in a custom-designed hardwood presentation case. Prices for the four proof versions range from $159.95 for the proof one-tenth ounce to $1,199.95 for the proof one ounce. The complete set of four is marked at $2,219.95.
The uncirculated versions range from $129.95 for the one-tenth ounce to $1,059.95 for the one ounce coins. The complete set is priced at $1,959.95.
The U.S. Mint will begin accepting orders for the fractional weights of the American Buffalo, or the Gold Buffalo Coin on July 22 at noon Eastern Time. The coin's proof and uncirculated versions will be sold in four sizes: one ounce, $50 denomination; one-half ounce, $25 denomination; one-quarter ounce, $10 denomination; and one-tenth ounce, $5 denomination, a Mint release said.
Collectors can also opt to buy a full set of four coins. Customer demand will dictate the mintage and product limits for the proof and uncirculated coins.
The proof version of the American Buffalo Gold Coin debuted in 2006, containing one ounce of 24-karat. The Presidential $1 Coin Act of 2005 authorized the coin's production, creating history by making it the first-ever pure (.9999 fine) 24-karat gold coin minted for the public. The coin's obverse and reverse designs feature images by noted American sculptor James Earle Fraser, a student of Augustus Saint-Gaudens, for America's 5-cent coin (nickel).That Indian Head, or Buffalo, nickel was launched in 1913 and showcases the native beauty of the American West. The depiction on the coin’s obverse is believed to be based on three different American Indians, of which Fraser named Chief Iron Tail of the Lakota Sioux and Chief Two Moons of the Cheyenne before his death. The bison on the coin’s reverse is believed to be modeled after Black Diamond, a popular attraction at the New York Zoological Gardens.
The fractional denominations of the gold coins were authorized to be issued by the Secretary of Treasury based on a market research. Both the proof and uncirculated American Buffalo Coins feature designs based on the classic 1913 nickel. The "W" mintmark of the United States Mint at West Point is inscribed on the coin's obverse along with the word "Liberty" and year. Inscriptions on the reverse include the face value and weight
Each coin comes with a Certificate of Authenticity, is encapsulated in protective plastic and mounted in a custom-designed hardwood presentation case. Prices for the four proof versions range from $159.95 for the proof one-tenth ounce to $1,199.95 for the proof one ounce. The complete set of four is marked at $2,219.95.
The uncirculated versions range from $129.95 for the one-tenth ounce to $1,059.95 for the one ounce coins. The complete set is priced at $1,959.95.
Class of '22
David W. Lange takes us back to the year 1922, when an interruption in minting met a number of unconventional purposes — and resulted in a variety of fascinating coinage.
In 2008, when our coins are produced as much for sale to collectors as for legitimate commercial needs, it seems that each and every denomination is produced annually at multiple mints, regardless of circulating requirements. This has not always been the case. In the early decades of United States coinage, interruptions in minting were commonplace. It was not unusual for certain denominations to go several years without production. For example, before 1818, the quarter dollar was struck only in 1796, 1804-07, and 1815. By the 20th century, however, such lapses were quite rare and typically were confined to just one of several mints in any given year.
It thus came as quite a surprise to collectors in 1922 when the U.S. Mint coined only cents, silver dollars, double eagles, and commemorative pieces. So many coins had been produced during the booming wartime economy of 1916-20 that the post-war recession resulted in a glut of these issues for the next two or three years. For example, at the end of fiscal year 1922 (June 30), the San Francisco Mint still held in its vaults some 15,493,230 undistributed cents. The Denver Mint had on hand a total of 20,250,700 unwanted pennies! The situation wasn’t as severe in Philadelphia, but that mint still had no need to coin additional cents from November of 1921 to March of 1923. A similar redundancy existed for the other denominations, from five cents through half dollar.
As is well known, all cents dated 1922 were coined at Denver. The entire mintage of 7,160,000 pieces was produced during January and February, and the reason for striking additional cents during an obvious surplus is unknown. It’s not impossible that the director’s office in Washington simply wanted to maintain date continuity by producing just enough pieces to discourage speculation. If this was the plan, however, it backfired, as these coins were sought by collectors almost from their inception. In the June 1927 issue of The Numismatist, frequent contributor Robert H. Lloyd observed that 1922-D cents “are much sought after and are difficult to find in circulation.”
Compounding their desirability was the fact that a certain percentage of this issue lacked a visible mintmark. It took some years for the hobby to accept that all were indeed coined at the Denver Mint, and the 1922 “plain” cents became a popular speculation within an already scarce issue. One collector and small-time dealer named Maurice D. Scharlack made 1922-dated cents his specialty and boasted in 1937 that he possessed some 25,000 examples of this coin and its assorted varieties. Collectors were urged by him to acquire examples of the regular strike having a clear mintmark, the “partial D” variety and the “no D” variety.
Indeed, the 1922-D cents were made quite hastily and without regard to quality control. The dies became severely eroded, resulting in distorted and missing features, among these being the mintmark. For any other year, such coins would have gone without much notice, but knowledge that all 1922 cents were coined at the Denver Mint made such defective pieces desirable to collectors.
Most of the United States coins produced during 1922 were not expected to circulate in the conventional sense. The nearly 85,000,000 silver dollars struck at the three mints that year were simply replacements for other pieces melted during 1918-19. Since the coins melted had mostly sat idle in vaults for decades, this was largely the fate of the new silver dollars, too. Worn examples from all three mints are common today, but so too are nearly equal numbers of uncirculated ones.
The mints at Philadelphia and San Francisco also coined gold double eagles in 1922, but these coins were intended primarily for international exchanges. Gold coins had not enjoyed much circulation in the eastern United States after 1861, when banks and the Treasury suspended specie payments. Even after the new paper money achieved value parity with gold in 1878, most Americans preferred the former for its convenience. Gold coins were a common medium in the West until 1917 or thereabouts, World War I finally disrupting this practice and forcing the use of paper on skeptical westerners, too. While gold coins remained available in 1922 upon request, it seems that the quarter eagle was the denomination most sought by Americans, and these solely for gift-giving purposes. Bank tellers usually charged a slight premium over face for the popular coins, and this premium was even higher for the old Coronet Liberty type.
The final players in 1922’s coinage were silver half dollars and gold dollars minted to honor the centennial of Ulysses S. Grant’s birth. These, of course, were sold to collectors at more than face value, though some of the halves later found their way into circulation during the hard times of the 1930s. The common design for both denominations was sculpted by Laura Gardin Fraser. Each coin was struck first with an incuse star in its obverse field, and this was then polished out of the die to produce a second, starless variety. There was no real significance to this extra element; it was simply a means by which to sell collectors two of the same coin. While the gold dollars are of about equal rarity for both varieties, the half dollar with star is noticeably scarcer than its plain companion.
In 2008, when our coins are produced as much for sale to collectors as for legitimate commercial needs, it seems that each and every denomination is produced annually at multiple mints, regardless of circulating requirements. This has not always been the case. In the early decades of United States coinage, interruptions in minting were commonplace. It was not unusual for certain denominations to go several years without production. For example, before 1818, the quarter dollar was struck only in 1796, 1804-07, and 1815. By the 20th century, however, such lapses were quite rare and typically were confined to just one of several mints in any given year.
It thus came as quite a surprise to collectors in 1922 when the U.S. Mint coined only cents, silver dollars, double eagles, and commemorative pieces. So many coins had been produced during the booming wartime economy of 1916-20 that the post-war recession resulted in a glut of these issues for the next two or three years. For example, at the end of fiscal year 1922 (June 30), the San Francisco Mint still held in its vaults some 15,493,230 undistributed cents. The Denver Mint had on hand a total of 20,250,700 unwanted pennies! The situation wasn’t as severe in Philadelphia, but that mint still had no need to coin additional cents from November of 1921 to March of 1923. A similar redundancy existed for the other denominations, from five cents through half dollar.
As is well known, all cents dated 1922 were coined at Denver. The entire mintage of 7,160,000 pieces was produced during January and February, and the reason for striking additional cents during an obvious surplus is unknown. It’s not impossible that the director’s office in Washington simply wanted to maintain date continuity by producing just enough pieces to discourage speculation. If this was the plan, however, it backfired, as these coins were sought by collectors almost from their inception. In the June 1927 issue of The Numismatist, frequent contributor Robert H. Lloyd observed that 1922-D cents “are much sought after and are difficult to find in circulation.”
Compounding their desirability was the fact that a certain percentage of this issue lacked a visible mintmark. It took some years for the hobby to accept that all were indeed coined at the Denver Mint, and the 1922 “plain” cents became a popular speculation within an already scarce issue. One collector and small-time dealer named Maurice D. Scharlack made 1922-dated cents his specialty and boasted in 1937 that he possessed some 25,000 examples of this coin and its assorted varieties. Collectors were urged by him to acquire examples of the regular strike having a clear mintmark, the “partial D” variety and the “no D” variety.
Indeed, the 1922-D cents were made quite hastily and without regard to quality control. The dies became severely eroded, resulting in distorted and missing features, among these being the mintmark. For any other year, such coins would have gone without much notice, but knowledge that all 1922 cents were coined at the Denver Mint made such defective pieces desirable to collectors.
Most of the United States coins produced during 1922 were not expected to circulate in the conventional sense. The nearly 85,000,000 silver dollars struck at the three mints that year were simply replacements for other pieces melted during 1918-19. Since the coins melted had mostly sat idle in vaults for decades, this was largely the fate of the new silver dollars, too. Worn examples from all three mints are common today, but so too are nearly equal numbers of uncirculated ones.
The mints at Philadelphia and San Francisco also coined gold double eagles in 1922, but these coins were intended primarily for international exchanges. Gold coins had not enjoyed much circulation in the eastern United States after 1861, when banks and the Treasury suspended specie payments. Even after the new paper money achieved value parity with gold in 1878, most Americans preferred the former for its convenience. Gold coins were a common medium in the West until 1917 or thereabouts, World War I finally disrupting this practice and forcing the use of paper on skeptical westerners, too. While gold coins remained available in 1922 upon request, it seems that the quarter eagle was the denomination most sought by Americans, and these solely for gift-giving purposes. Bank tellers usually charged a slight premium over face for the popular coins, and this premium was even higher for the old Coronet Liberty type.
The final players in 1922’s coinage were silver half dollars and gold dollars minted to honor the centennial of Ulysses S. Grant’s birth. These, of course, were sold to collectors at more than face value, though some of the halves later found their way into circulation during the hard times of the 1930s. The common design for both denominations was sculpted by Laura Gardin Fraser. Each coin was struck first with an incuse star in its obverse field, and this was then polished out of the die to produce a second, starless variety. There was no real significance to this extra element; it was simply a means by which to sell collectors two of the same coin. While the gold dollars are of about equal rarity for both varieties, the half dollar with star is noticeably scarcer than its plain companion.
Smithsonian to Display Rare Proof Coins at Numismatic Convention in Baltimore
The Smithsonian will showcase 21 numismatic rarities from its National Numismatic Collection at the World's Fair of Money convention. Collectors in the Baltimore area won’t want to miss this extraordinary event.
Washington, D.C., July 7—The Smithsonian's National Museum of American History will showcase 21 numismatic rarities from its National Numismatic Collection at the World's Fair of Money convention hosted by the American Numismatic Association from July 30 to Aug. 3 at the Baltimore Convention Center. "Historic Rarities: Early United States Proof Coins," will include the 1860 double eagle proof pattern with the Paquet reverse, a special design made by its engraver, Anthony Paquet, and a previously unknown variety of an 1818 proof half dollar as part of the traveling display.
Initially, the Philadelphia Mint made proof coins as showpieces to demonstrate American talent and innovation. These early proofs are recognized by their mirror finish and feature sharper relief than found on coins made for circulation. The coins in the "Historic Rarities" display are part of a larger collection transferred to the Smithsonian by the U.S. Mint in the 1920s.
"This traveling display provides an opportunity to showcase extraordinary and rare proof coins, including an 1818 silver half-dollar proof which our curator recently reclassified as unique as it is the only one made at the time," said Brent D. Glass, director of the National Museum of American History. This display represents the museum's second appearance at the Baltimore convention.
"NGC and NCS are immensely proud to be presenting sponsors of this exhibition; proof coinage and Paquet's pattern demonstrate first hand the beauty of coinage and the active human role of designers and engravers. Showcasing these rarities is a wonderful opportunity for the numismatic community," said Mark Salzberg, chairman of the Numismatic Guaranty Corporation.
The display is divided into four sections: Early Proofs, 1843 Proofs, the Anthony Paquet double eagle pattern and Baltimore national currency proofs.The objects in the group of early proofs include coins of several denominations dating from 1818 to 1821. The coins were minted in several different metals, including copper, silver and gold. The group dated 1821 is likely the only such grouping in existence.
The set of coins dated 1843 includes rare examples of the artistry and evolving techniques of the period, including coins of which fewer than 10 examples survive today. Here, visitors will see an 1838-O half dollar from New Orleans , a legendary coin among collectors as only about a dozen of them survive.
The 1860 double eagle pattern is unique because of its special Paquet reverse and the fact that it was struck in gold. All other examples of this coin were struck in copper. The fourth set of items will be of special interest to Baltimore residents because it includes paper proofs of currency circulated by Baltimore's national banks. The two paper proofs provide a window into the city's prominent role in American banking during the immediate post-Civil War period.
The "Historic Rarities" display draws from the museum's National Numismatic Collection, which consists of more than 1.5 million objects, including coins, medals and paper currency and preserves the role of money in economic history. Previously, the museum has sent displays to Denver and Orlando. Each exhibition in the traveling coin program is designed specifically for its particular venue.
Washington, D.C., July 7—The Smithsonian's National Museum of American History will showcase 21 numismatic rarities from its National Numismatic Collection at the World's Fair of Money convention hosted by the American Numismatic Association from July 30 to Aug. 3 at the Baltimore Convention Center. "Historic Rarities: Early United States Proof Coins," will include the 1860 double eagle proof pattern with the Paquet reverse, a special design made by its engraver, Anthony Paquet, and a previously unknown variety of an 1818 proof half dollar as part of the traveling display.
Initially, the Philadelphia Mint made proof coins as showpieces to demonstrate American talent and innovation. These early proofs are recognized by their mirror finish and feature sharper relief than found on coins made for circulation. The coins in the "Historic Rarities" display are part of a larger collection transferred to the Smithsonian by the U.S. Mint in the 1920s.
"This traveling display provides an opportunity to showcase extraordinary and rare proof coins, including an 1818 silver half-dollar proof which our curator recently reclassified as unique as it is the only one made at the time," said Brent D. Glass, director of the National Museum of American History. This display represents the museum's second appearance at the Baltimore convention.
"NGC and NCS are immensely proud to be presenting sponsors of this exhibition; proof coinage and Paquet's pattern demonstrate first hand the beauty of coinage and the active human role of designers and engravers. Showcasing these rarities is a wonderful opportunity for the numismatic community," said Mark Salzberg, chairman of the Numismatic Guaranty Corporation.
The display is divided into four sections: Early Proofs, 1843 Proofs, the Anthony Paquet double eagle pattern and Baltimore national currency proofs.The objects in the group of early proofs include coins of several denominations dating from 1818 to 1821. The coins were minted in several different metals, including copper, silver and gold. The group dated 1821 is likely the only such grouping in existence.
The set of coins dated 1843 includes rare examples of the artistry and evolving techniques of the period, including coins of which fewer than 10 examples survive today. Here, visitors will see an 1838-O half dollar from New Orleans , a legendary coin among collectors as only about a dozen of them survive.
The 1860 double eagle pattern is unique because of its special Paquet reverse and the fact that it was struck in gold. All other examples of this coin were struck in copper. The fourth set of items will be of special interest to Baltimore residents because it includes paper proofs of currency circulated by Baltimore's national banks. The two paper proofs provide a window into the city's prominent role in American banking during the immediate post-Civil War period.
The "Historic Rarities" display draws from the museum's National Numismatic Collection, which consists of more than 1.5 million objects, including coins, medals and paper currency and preserves the role of money in economic history. Previously, the museum has sent displays to Denver and Orlando. Each exhibition in the traveling coin program is designed specifically for its particular venue.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
NumisMedia FMV Price Guide Now Available on NGC Web Site
The complete NumisMedia FMV Price Guide is now available on NGC's Web site. The price guide compiled and edited by NumisMedia is an independent report of prices for US coins offered by dealers to collectors. It will be available for free to all site users and updated monthly.
NumisMedia is a leading independent and impartial source for U.S. rare coin values. Since 2005, NumisMedia has served as the official price guide of NGC and the Collectors Society. NumisMedia provides comprehensive pricing available for US coins, including prices for the full range of AU and MS grades, as well as prices for a broad number of modern issues.
"Collectors have come to expect the highest quality resources from NGC. Along these lines, we're very pleased to provide pricing information from NumisMedia. As a truly independent source, NumisMedia is widely acclaimed for the accuracy of its unbiased report of US coin values. By making price information of this caliber more readily accessible, we can enhance the hobby for countless collectors," said NGC Chairman, Mark Salzberg.
The price guide is part of a suite of collecting resources available on NGC's Web site, including a coin encyclopedia and variety attribution guide. To access NumisMedia values and other site resources, a login account is required. NGC Authorized Dealers and Collectors Society members should use their existing account login information, and new members can quickly create a free Pass Key account.
In addition to the price guide now available, NumisMedia FMV prices are also reported to participants in the NGC Registry, providing an independent valuation of the coins that they have registered.
NumisMedia is a leading independent and impartial source for U.S. rare coin values. Since 2005, NumisMedia has served as the official price guide of NGC and the Collectors Society. NumisMedia provides comprehensive pricing available for US coins, including prices for the full range of AU and MS grades, as well as prices for a broad number of modern issues.
"Collectors have come to expect the highest quality resources from NGC. Along these lines, we're very pleased to provide pricing information from NumisMedia. As a truly independent source, NumisMedia is widely acclaimed for the accuracy of its unbiased report of US coin values. By making price information of this caliber more readily accessible, we can enhance the hobby for countless collectors," said NGC Chairman, Mark Salzberg.
The price guide is part of a suite of collecting resources available on NGC's Web site, including a coin encyclopedia and variety attribution guide. To access NumisMedia values and other site resources, a login account is required. NGC Authorized Dealers and Collectors Society members should use their existing account login information, and new members can quickly create a free Pass Key account.
In addition to the price guide now available, NumisMedia FMV prices are also reported to participants in the NGC Registry, providing an independent valuation of the coins that they have registered.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
NGC Releases SS New York Population Report
A comprehensive population report of all the NGC-graded gold coins from the SS New York is now available. The SS New York operated a light cargo and passenger service between New Orleans and Galveston until it sank during a storm on September 7, 1846. Coins recovered were conserved by Numismatic Conservation Services (NCS) and then certified by NGC. The newly released population report includes 297 gold coins representing a broad cross-section of coins used in commerce along Gulf of Mexico trade routes during the early nineteenth century.
Download: SS New York Graded Gold Coin Population Report (PDF)
Coins recovered from the SS New York are from Western Europe, South and Central America, and the United States. The US coins include several exemplary condition coins from southern mints. For example, an 1845-D $2.50 graded NGC MS 64 is the highest graded example of this Dahlonega issue. Other notable examples include an 1844-D $5 NGC MS 63 PL, the only prooflike example of the date to be certified, and two 1844-O $10 NGC MS 63 pieces, tied as the two finest examples of the issue certified.
1844-O $10 NGC MS63. Click picture to enlarge.
Among the notable foreign coins are a Colombia 1816PN FR 8 escudos and a Denmark 1844 FF 2 Christians D’Or graded NGC MS 62. Both are scarce issues. The earliest gold coin recovered from the ship was a Prussia 1776A 2 Friedrich D'Or grading NGC F 15, which was 70 years old when the ship sank.
COLOMBIA 8 Escudos 1816PN FR NGC AU58. Click picture to enlarge.
The SS New York population report can be downloaded from NGC’s Web site as a PDF file. Additionally, these coins will be incorporated into the only NGC Census as of June 16, 2008.
The majority of gold coins recovered from the SS New York showed no evidence of salt water exposure following conservation and were eligible for grading on the 70-point grading scale. Gold coins receiving Shipwreck Effect designations will be itemized in a second report, yet to be released, which will also include silver coinage.
1845-D $2.5 NGC MS64. Click picture to enlarge.
Download: SS New York Graded Gold Coin Population Report (PDF)
Coins recovered from the SS New York are from Western Europe, South and Central America, and the United States. The US coins include several exemplary condition coins from southern mints. For example, an 1845-D $2.50 graded NGC MS 64 is the highest graded example of this Dahlonega issue. Other notable examples include an 1844-D $5 NGC MS 63 PL, the only prooflike example of the date to be certified, and two 1844-O $10 NGC MS 63 pieces, tied as the two finest examples of the issue certified.
1844-O $10 NGC MS63. Click picture to enlarge.
Among the notable foreign coins are a Colombia 1816PN FR 8 escudos and a Denmark 1844 FF 2 Christians D’Or graded NGC MS 62. Both are scarce issues. The earliest gold coin recovered from the ship was a Prussia 1776A 2 Friedrich D'Or grading NGC F 15, which was 70 years old when the ship sank.
COLOMBIA 8 Escudos 1816PN FR NGC AU58. Click picture to enlarge.
The SS New York population report can be downloaded from NGC’s Web site as a PDF file. Additionally, these coins will be incorporated into the only NGC Census as of June 16, 2008.
The majority of gold coins recovered from the SS New York showed no evidence of salt water exposure following conservation and were eligible for grading on the 70-point grading scale. Gold coins receiving Shipwreck Effect designations will be itemized in a second report, yet to be released, which will also include silver coinage.
1845-D $2.5 NGC MS64. Click picture to enlarge.
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