Just went through $150 of junk silver walkers. A lot of coins from the teens, twenties, and thirties, but nothing of any real value above junk. What I found interesting is that only 1 coin was dated 1947. I've also noticed that this date is harder to find in BU rolls compared to the other common dates. Go figure.
Ive noticed on these forums that some people are sensitive to the use of the word "junk". I don't follow this, as I consider when most people use this word, they are referring to the coin being worth approximately melt value, IE, very little if any numismatic premium value left in the coin, over material value.
If people understand this, why do they have a problem with the word being used? A rusted out buick might have sentimental value to you, due to it being your first car, or what your grandfather drove, but it is still fair for most people to categorize it as a junker.
I didn't invent the term. It is what it is. Junk silver = little numismatic value over melt. Also referred to average circulated. In any event, the term has nothing to do with the point of my post, which is that it seems odd that 1947 is not as prevalent as the other common dates.
Is 1947 considered common because it has a higher likelihood of surviving the years? I know it cant be considered common in terms of mintage numbers.
1947 combined: 8 million 1946 combined: 18 million 1945 combined: 50 million 1944 combined: 47 million 1943 combined: 78 million 1942 combined: 72 million 1941 combined: 45 million 1940 combined: 14 million
so 8/332 = ~ 1 in 42, and that is just for years 1940-1947
if you add up all mintages
8/485
If you multiply that by the 300 coins you went through, we get 2.4 coins on avg should be 1947... being off by 1 coin in such a small sample size shouldnt be too far wrong.
I found a nice'47 D in MS64 for my AU/UNC set about ten years ago and still need a '47 P. I'm also still looking for decent upper circulated examples for my second set. FWIW, I never found one '47 in the rolls I searched that were saved by my grandparents from the mid '50's to early 60's. Definitely not a common date.
Quote: I wonder if they were disproportionately saved as the last year of issue.
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I was thinking the same thing. BUT......
Did the public get any warning that 1947 would be the last year for the Walker before the Franklins came out? Sometimes they don't.
IIRC, the Standing Liberty quarter was only supposed to be replaced for a year by the Washington, which was intended to be a one-off commemorative issue for General Washington's 200th birthday.
Also, the Peace dollar got sprung on the public at literally the last minute in 1921 (heck, the last 4 DAYS of 1921 were the only production days for that coin!), after having had the 1921 Morgans unleashed after a hiatus of 16 years.
Quote: Did the public get any warning that 1947 would be the last year for the Walker before the Franklins came out? Sometimes they don't.
Maybe they didn't need a warning. Maybe people started to save them once they saw the new Franklins coming out and realized the Walkers might be valuable some day.
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Posted 01/17/2015 9:24 pm
