First Known Sacagawea Dollar Reverse/Washington Quarter Obverse Brilliant Gem Mint State 66
Bowers and Merena
- July 18, 2000
Sacagawea Dollar Reverse PCGS MS66.
Bowers and Merena Galleries is pleased to announce that it will offer at public auction the first known example of this newly discovered error coin. Found in a roll by Frank Wallis, Arkansas, this coin captured public interest and excitement as it was featured on the Today Show, CBS Evening News, and a multitude of other national news programs and in national newspapers.
The Wallis Discovery Specimen will be sold at the official American Numismatic Association auction-The Sale of the Millennium-in Philadelphia on the evening of August 9th. Q. David Bowers, president of the firm, describes it as "the most amazing modern coin I have ever seen!"
During the past year the 2000-dated "golden" Sacagawea dollar coin and the Washington quarters with the state reverses have each made headlines. Of course, a dollar is a dollar and a quarter is a quarter-and, normally, never the twain shall meet.
However, an exception has occurred! By mistake a reverse die for a 2000 Sacagawea dollar was combined with an undated obverse die for a 2000 quarter! After one or some were run off, the mistake must have been discovered and no more were struck. Thus, for the first time in the history of making United States coins for circulation-a tradition dating back to 1793 when the first federal coins were struck-a circulating coin with two different denomination dies of unrelated designs was made! The world of coin collecting has been agog at the initial discovery of the specimen here offered for sale. At this time, two others have surfaced making each a rarity in its own right.
With the exception of a few 19th-century pattern coins specifically produced with dies of different denominations, this is the first instance, to the best of our knowledge, of a combination error between different-design dies of two different denominations ever produced by any branch of the United States Mint. There is one technical exception worthy of being mentioned as a footnote. Reverse dies of the same design were made and intended to be used regularly for two denominations, both on dimes and quarter eagles in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
The present coin, exhibits exceptional light gold lustre with tiny deep gold toning areas. The obverse has numerous radial striations resulting from the slightly smaller size of the obverse die. The surfaces are of exceptional quality with only a few very minor abrasions. The coin has an extremely sharp strike with every detail fully defined. This is an amazing coin and is of breathtakingly beautiful quality.
Attention is called to a die crack on the dollar reverse, through the upright of F to the wing tips, which will positively identify this example as from a reverse die used in this first year. Unless another similar example is found from this same reverse die, this die crack will also identify this as the unique discovery coin of this muling. The importance of this item is immense. This offering goes far beyond mere importance, and in addition to its numismatic weight, the pedigree is complete nearly to the press that minted it. An opportunity like this is a truly rare occurrence. There is always the possibility that others may be found. If so, the current value may diminish. If not, the current value may increase.
Scenarios:
Two theoretical scenarios have been suggested to explain this curious combination. The first scenario, which certainly seems logical except for the reverse die crack which suggests that die was not newly hubbed, proposes:
A press operator was charged with the production of Sacagawea dollars and required a new die pair. He (or she) proceeded to the die department and signed for a new pair of dollar dies, only quickly glancing at the reverse die to confirmed this was the appropriate pair of dies. He then placed the dies in the press and began minting operations, at the same time being called away for a short while. His press was operating just fine. When he came back, a jam had occurred and when he went to clear it, he noticed the mistake. This press operator immediately notified his superior and they took steps to destroy the contents of three massive tote bins of struck coins, thinking they had caught all of the coins minted from the mis-matched die pair. Obviously, at least one was missed.
Another theoretical scenario is that the press was being used to strike Sacagawea dollars and both dies were beginning to wear out, with the obverse die requiring immediate replacement. The press operator reached for a new obverse die but mistakenly picked up a Washington quarter obverse die and installed it in the press without looking more carefully. We would like to find examples of Sacagawea dollars from this reverse die with the die crack to find out if the obverse die exhibits extensive signs of use in the Mint. No doubt human error can find its way into any phase of Mint operations. However, not often are two different denominations made with the same diameter-making such an error a reasonable possibility.
The owner of this coin, Frank Wallis, stated that he purchased four rolls of coins from the First National Bank & Trust Company of Mountain Home, Arkansas. He intended to distribute the coins to children in his family and found this example purely by luck.
For further information on the Wallis Discovery Specimen, please call Christine Karstedt, Vice President, Bowers and Merena Galleries at 1-800-458-4646. To purchase the catalogue containing this item, call the Bowers and Merena Galleries Publications Department at 1-800-222-5993 with a credit card handy-list price $40 plus $5 postage to U.S. addresses.
About Bowers and Merena Galleries: Bowers and Merena Galleries, a Collectors Universe Company, recently sold the most valuable U.S. coin, an 1804 silver dollar which realized $4.14 million at public auction. For more information on the firm, contact Christine Karstedt at the number listed above, or via email at chris@bowersandmerena.com.
WashingtonQuarter Obverse - Sacagawea Dollar Reverse.
