Greetings All! I just ran across a slightly larger-than-normal coin of what was initially thought to be a quarter-dollar, but closer inspection has shown it to not be the case. I'm looking for any information on where it came from, etc... the info will be greatly appreciated! Here's a synopsis:
The Obverse depicts a bust of Washington, looking to the left as a genuine quarter-dollar coin would depict. However, the neck is thicker at its base than a genuine coin, and Washington has what I call a distinct sideburn. "LIBERTY" is depicted in the correct place. Written across the top is: "GOD BLESS AMERICA" and "UNITED STATES". No other writing or image is depicted on the Obverse.
The Reverse depicts an image of the Capitol Building, the Washington Monument, a shoulders-and-above bust of Lincoln (looking to the right), two cherry blossoms, and a scroll banner. Written in the scroll banner is: "JUSTIA OMNIBUS". Written across the top is: "WASHINGTON D.C." with "1790" centered and directly beneath it. Written across the bottom is: "E PLURIBUS UNUM" with "2007" centered and directly above it.
The edge is smooth and depicts nothing on it. The coin itself is slightly thicker than a genuine quarter-dollar.
My observations:
Factual errors concerning the printed markings on the reverse of this coin include:
1. Rhode Island was the only state admitted to the union in 1790.
2. The
Statehood Quarters issued in 2007 were Montana, Washington, Idaho, Wyoming, and Utah, in that order.
3. A genuine "District of Columbia" quarter-dollar was issued in 2009, but bears no date of statehood, since it's not a state.
The coin does not react at all to a strong magnet. I cannot find my scale, so an exact weight cannot be determined as of yet, but it feels slightly lighter than a genuine quarter-dollar. Sound tests have it giving off a sharper tone than a genuine quarter-dollar dropped under the same circumstances.
The most prominent observation I made was that it does not indicate a value anywhere on it, so I speculate that anyone caught with it can claim (to the Secret Service I guess) that it's not a 'counterfeit'... although I imagine its use is more nefarious than that. Anyone have thoughts on this? I've included pictures for your observations...
Posted 12/17/2011 6:55 pm
