Description: Over the course of the past 50 plus years of retail, if I found a coin (mostly quarters) with any noteworthy or unusual appearance, I'd set it aside for future inspection but never found the time to do it. Now that there is robust interest in these types of things I realize I have thousands and thousands to sort. Let's get it underway. To better understand what make this coin so rare, first you must understand the process of making coins. The US Mint in Philadelphia makes about 3 million quarters a day that go through a multi-step process to become coins:1. DesignArtists and engravers create the design using computer-aided design (CAD) software. The approved design is then transferred to a master die made of hardened steel.2. BlanksLarge rolls of nickel-plated copper are fed into a blanking machine that punches out quarter-sized blanks. The blanks are then heated to soften them and washed.3. QuenchThe blanks are dropped into a quench tank filled with a mixture of water, citric acid powder, and lubricants to lower their temperature and prevent sticking.4. RimmingThe blanks are passed through a machine that squeezes the sides up to form a rim.5. CoiningThe blanks are stamped with the coin's design and inscriptions using the master die and working dies created from it.6. InspectionA press operator uses a magnifying glass to check each batch of coins, and they are then run through a coin sizer to remove any that are misshapen or dented.7. Counting and baggingAn automatic counting machine drops the coins into canvas bags, which are then sewn shut, loaded onto pallets, and stored in vaults. From there, the coins are shipped to Federal Reserve Banks and eventually to local banks. Recently I was thinking so many error coins are appearing on eBay because people were wishing for a quick buck and seeing things with $$$ in their eyes. While that will always be true to some extent eventually the marketplace will calm down and true quality and rarity will once again prevail. Also, you must understand the US has always minted billions of coins annually and with the variety of modern specialty designs some coins have runs as low as 35 million so even at 1,000 errors existing that is still a very small percentage. At first glance, this may seem like a typical circulated 1974 Washington quarter without a mint mark, but upon closer inspection, several small errors become apparent. It could be argued that it's an early instance of the "IN COD WE TRUST" error. Personally, I have always perceived it as such. The coin's flat matte finish, indicative of a clad error on the obverse, and the peculiar over-clad orange tone on the reverse highlight the mistakes in the word "UNIT" in "United," the letters "I" and "A" in "AMERICA" that appear attached to the eagle's wing, and the compressed letter "Q" in "QUARTER." Free US shipping, international bidders are at the mercy of eBay's set policies I have no control over.
Price: 1000 USD
Location: Portland, Maine
End Time: 2024-08-30T17:17:26.000Z
Shipping Cost: N/A USD
Product Images
Item Specifics
Restocking Fee: No
Return shipping will be paid by: Buyer
All returns accepted: Returns Accepted
Item must be returned within: 30 Days
Refund will be given as: Money Back
Circulated/Uncirculated: Circulated
Coin: Washington Quarter
Year: 1974
Features: Error
Country/Region of Manufacture: United States
Certification: Uncertified
