Posted 01/13/2007 11:24 am
There are actually two versions of the unc. One was made to mint set standards and the other was run off on high speed presses. These are quite distinct and there is no chance of confusing one for the other. The easiest way to tell with an intact set is the plastic doesn't have a white stripe on the high speed version. As individual coins you'll need both versions for comparison until you can see it. The mint set coins have creamy luster and few planchet scratches or blemishes. Strikes are full. The high speed coins are a mess and have uneven and weak strikes from tired dies.
Near the end of the order period for these in July of '76 the mint came to suddenly believe that the authorizing legislation required them to make a set number rather than that number being a production limit. They were nearly out of time to make these so quickly ran off another 10,000,000 sets on the high speed presses. The coins were dumped into barrels and it appears these barrels were very roughly handled. Sales of these coins were very poor so they were finally destroyed in 1982. These sets are loated by many collectors and many were destroyed in the '79 coin melt. They have become seldom seen over the years.
Near the end of the order period for these in July of '76 the mint came to suddenly believe that the authorizing legislation required them to make a set number rather than that number being a production limit. They were nearly out of time to make these so quickly ran off another 10,000,000 sets on the high speed presses. The coins were dumped into barrels and it appears these barrels were very roughly handled. Sales of these coins were very poor so they were finally destroyed in 1982. These sets are loated by many collectors and many were destroyed in the '79 coin melt. They have become seldom seen over the years.
Time don't fly, it bounds and leaps.
