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My New Online Book – Coming Soon – A Guide to Successful Roll Searching

Saturday, June 20th, 2009

Hi All,

I haven’t added any new articles recently but there is a GREAT reason for that! I have been busy putting together my “Guide to Successful Roll Searching”. Many people have asked me questions about how I go about finding all kinds of rare and interesting coins in rolls that I obtain at local banks.

As the author of the “FOUND IN ROLLS” column as seen in CoinWorld Magazine, I will give you some ideas and tips that can make your Roll Searching activities much more fruitful!

This book is already full of great pictures and I still have more to add.

Designed to be a book for readers of all levels of numismatic knowledge, I cut through the mystery of things like Varieties, Die Varieties and Errors. I will also show you what kinds of seemingly common coins can have great numismatic value.

Whether you are a Brand New Collector or a Seasoned Roll Searcher, this book is for you!

Check back often, the “Guide to Successful Roll Searching” should be online and ready to go within the next few weeks.

Have Fun,
Bill O’

Posted in Books, Die Varieties, Error Coin, For Sale, Found in Rolls | Comments Off

1937 D Three Legged Nickel is Found In A Roll !

Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009

I am sometimes asked if any of the “Big Ones” ever turn up when I am searching through rolls. Collectors really want to know if any of the known, classic rarities are ever found as I am in pursuit of valuable coins as I search through rolls of coins that I obtain from local banks. My answer to this question is a resounding, YES, THEY ARE FOUND !!! and it is truly a FUN feeling of excitement when a fantastic find emerges from inside a roll of what should be very common coins!

In October of 2007, I was looking through some rolls of nickels that I had recently acquired from a local bank. The first unusual coin to emerge was a dateless Indian Head five-cent piece. I always get a kick out of finding any obsolete coinage in a roll so I was already grinning from ear to ear. The fact that this piece was dateless really didn’t matter to me, it was still fun!

What happened next was even more exciting! Also known as Buffalo nickels, another 1936 dated specimen was found in a roll. So, now there were two of these obsolete type coins on my table. Finally a third Buffalo nickel was found and it was dated 1937 D (Denver Mint). The mintmark, D can be found below the words FIVE CENTS in the exergue on the reverse of the coin.

1937 D Indian Head (Buffalo) Nickel - Mintmark

The 1937 D Indian head or Buffalo five-cent piece is famous for a very particular rarity. That is, of course, a coin known as the Three-legged Buffalo five cent piece. In the process of preparing or repairing a die, the die in the area of one of the bison’s legs was abraded in such away that the defining edges of the legs were merged into the field of the coin. The end result is that on the struck coin, the leg seems to have been removed.

I turned the coin in order to take a closer look at the reverse and I couldn’t believe my eyes! It sure looked to me like this Buffalo(Bison)was standing on three legs.

1937 D Three-Legged Buffalo Nickel

The next thing I had to do was to determine if this coin was genuine or one of many fakes that have been manufactured. Normal 1937 D nickels are often encountered that have been tampered with to make it appear as though the Buffalo had a leg missing.

Small Raised Diagnostic Marks

The first thing to look for as a diagnostic marker on a genuine coin is what looks like a line of raised dots from the middle of the bison’s belly to the ground. Not to sound crass, it is sometimes refered to as a peeing buffalo. This coin has the raised dots so I was halfway home on this one. The next thing to check is the motto E PLURIBUS UNUM seen above the buffaloes back. On a genuine example, the P of PLURIBUS and the U of UNUM do not touch the upper portion of the animal.

1937 D Three Legged Buffalo Nickel - E PLURIBUS UNUM

All the diagnostic markers were present on this coin and they were easy to identify as the coin is in Extremely Fine condition. Although I’ve been able to find some pretty amazing die varieties as I search through rolls of coins, I never expected that I could find this rarity in a roll of nickels that came from a local bank.

This coin was indeed the rare 1937 D Three-Legged Buffalo Nickel! I had hit the JACKPOT!

Posted in "Roll Searchers' Newsletter", Collecting, Die Varieties, Error Coin, Found in Rolls | Comments Off

Using Diagnostics to Identify Die Varieties : Part 2

Thursday, April 2nd, 2009

Here is an example where small things make a big difference. This is an example of a 1972 Lincoln – FS#1c-033.3 (The Big One)

1972 Lincoln Cent, Doubled Die Obverse

When we attribute these, we use very specific diagnostics that have to match up, period…Of course the overall appearance of the coin has to be right.

1972 Doubled Die Obverse - Date

Then we check the date area. We look for the correct notching and grooves. They must be exact. We also look for the doubling on the right side of Lincoln’s jacket such as in the picture above. Next, we look at LIBERTY. Notice how there is less doubling as you move toward the letters TY.

1972 Lincoln Cent Doubled Die Obverse - LIBERTY

Keeping in mind that these coins have been heavily counterfeited, we must examine the obverse of the coin very carefully, then we turn the coin over. It is because counterfeiters either don’t know this or because they can’t duplicate it, that they miss this diagnostic marker on the reverse of the coin. It is extremely small but if it is not there, the coins authenticity is doubtful.

1972 Doubled Die Obverse - Diagnostic Mark

Note the microscopic, fingerlike projection above the D of UNITED, It is on every genuine , undamaged coin. There was a minute scratch in the die that resulted in this little anomaly.

On this coin, it is the combination of diagnostics that allow us to determine if the coin is genuine. If you have an example of one of these, look for the mark above the D and you will find it.

It is also important to note, and I’ve seen it many times before…1972 DDO FS#1c-033.52 has been offered by dealers as “The Big One” because it does have nice doubling but it is not the same as the DDO shown here.

Remember to look for the “finger” above the D which is raised from the surface of the coin to attribute FS#1c-033.3 (The Big One:-)

Posted in "Roll Searchers' Newsletter", Collecting, Die Varieties, Mystery Coin | Comments Off

Using Diagnostics to Identify Die Varieties : Part 3

Thursday, April 2nd, 2009

Since Die Varieties can be traced back to individual dies or die pairs, we can use that knowledge to attribute certain die varieties. We can compare one coin to another in order to look for the details that we suspect are characteristics of a particular die variety. Those details are expected to be exactly the same on each coin and if the details are essentially identical then it is possible to establish that a coin was struck by the same die or die pair as another coin. That is what makes a die variety a die variety!

Let me first say that “The Cherrypickers’ Guide to RARE DIE VARIETIES” Fourth Edition – Volume 1, by Fivaz and Stanton as Edited by Mike Ellis, has a notation under this one that suggests a theory of a “well placed die chip”. It is my personal opinion as well as that of many specialists that these 1997 Doubled Ear cents are indeed doubled dies.

1997 Lincoln Cent - Doubled Die Obverse - Doubled Ear

Note that the extra earlobes to the south of the primary ear lobe, taking into account some slight variance in lighting, are identical on each of these three coins. When looking for the doubled ear 1997 DDO, the ears must look identical to these or it is simply not the right one.

Posted in "Roll Searchers' Newsletter", Coin Care, Collecting, Die Varieties, Error Coin, For Sale | Comments Off

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