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 Replies: 6 / Views: 1,872 |
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Valued Member
United States
190 Posts |
I was looking around for a book that covers all errors and varieties found in Canada Small Cent coinage. Something dedicated to just the pennies. Something that covers all the strike types, Business, PL, SP, and Proof.
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Pillar of the Community
 Canada
9862 Posts |
There is nothing out there that is so comprehensive.
"Dipping" is not considered cleaning...
-from PCGS website
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Moderator
 Canada
10456 Posts |
There is not much out there... James Croghan was probably the first to attempt this: https://www.ebay.com/itm/CANADIAN-C...323921710645Zoell catalogues do have some, but you have to learn to sift through the minor stuff like dir damage. Some of Zoell's works (Unusual Objects newsletters, had some interesting errors). The 70th edition Charlton Catalogue had a variety section dedicated to small cent varieties (which I hastily wrote at the 11th hour for Bill Cross, in what would be his last edition, before selling Charlton Press). These are true die varieties - not the errors (machine doubling, clashes, etc.). I argued a lot with Bill Cross on some things about this one, but changes were almost always tough to make once they were entrenched in earlier catalogues. More recently (2018), Christian Houle took a stab at trying to include absolutely everything in small cents, from 1953 to 2012. A lot of my error coins are featured in his book. It covers almost every iteration of errors and die damage, like doubling, clashes, etc. It is available as a hard copy (limited printing) and USB stick. https://coinsweekly.com/guide-to-er...adian-coins/"Discovery follows discovery, each both raising and answering questions, each ending a long search, and each providing the new instruments for a new search." -- J. Robert OppenheimerContent of this post is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses...0/deed.en_USMy eBay store
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Moderator
Canada
10456 Posts |
As you know, the possibility for mint errors is almost endless. There was a small book published in 1995 by Terry Campbell on Canadian errors... take it at face value, but the old mint photos are cool, and there are a lot of examples of 1-cent error coins in this book: http://www.armstrongsstamps.ca/imag...scampbel.jpg"Discovery follows discovery, each both raising and answering questions, each ending a long search, and each providing the new instruments for a new search." -- J. Robert OppenheimerContent of this post is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses...0/deed.en_USMy eBay store
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Valued Member
 United States
190 Posts |
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Valued Member
United States
190 Posts |
I have another question for you. You answered a post, years ago, about where to find Specimen Strike pennies. You said most of the 1960s pennies could be found in leather-bound cases, but a few pennies found in PL sets were minted using SP dies. You said the grading companies give these coins a Proof (PR) or Specimen (SP) grade because they have a superior strike. What I want to know is what you meant by superior strike? I am watching a Canada Small Cent graded as a Specimen Strike by ICCS on ebay that is heavily toned and ugly looking. I can tell it is not a Business Strike, but I cannot tell if it is different from the PL Strikes or not. It certainly does not look nice with all that dark toning on it. I have also picked up at coin shows in the USA from a coin dealer that deals in World Coins two Canada Small Cents that he marked Proof. I purchased these coins from the dealer because he said they came from a leather-bound sets and not from a regular PL sets. I am thinking these two pennies could be Specimen Strikes from VIP sets, but how can I tell for sure. One is dated 1964 and the other is dated 1965. However, like the coin on ebay, I do not know how to distinguish the pennies from regular PL Strikes. If a different die was used then does that mean there is a difference? Is there a special diagnostic for telling them apart that the grading companies are using? I have hundreds of 1964 and 1965 pennies from PL sets. Some have better strikes than others or look better. Some have slightly thinker rims. You also said that some of the PL pennies were struck using SP dies thus giving them a superior strike. So, what does that mean exactly? How do I specifically tell PL from SP for pennies minted in the 1960s and early 1970s? Last, my friend showed me in an old Charlton that the book stated that no Specimen Strike pennies exist for the 1960s and that all pennies found in VIP sets in the 1960s were PL Strikes. Is this an error in his old Charlton book? It is about 15 or 16 years old, I think. |
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Moderator
Canada
10456 Posts |
There is no way to quantify this, other than experience handling the coins. Once you have held an early George V, George VI or Elizabeth specimen in your hand, it will look like nothing else you have seen for that given date. The fields will be like blinding mirrors, even when toned, the edges will feel like they could almost cut your skin. It is, a superior strike. That means higher pressures on the dies and a slower strike speed. That said, there were a few years where the mint took working dies and polished the crap out of them... 1951 is the best example. https://www.PCGS.com/valueview/geor...=30440&h=popCouple of points:  You will not find a 1964 1c in specimen strike. They simply don't exist. You only find them in 1965, 1967, 1969 for the 1960s. 1965 is very tough, but you are in luck, there is one coming up for auction at the fall Torex (Oct 26): https://auctions.canadiancoinsandpa.../177/lot/5301969 is even tougher, I am still trying to get my hands on one. 1970 is easy to get, there were about 1000 VIP sets made. The Double Dollar Prestige sets have specimen coins from 1971 onwards, but 1973 is a real tough one to get fully red - that red fluff used in those sets have either toned or destroyed completely a lot of coins. Buying sets from very dry climates may help the hunt. The Charlton book was always rife full of errors... it still is... and it is incredibly frustrating trying to get them fixed. "Discovery follows discovery, each both raising and answering questions, each ending a long search, and each providing the new instruments for a new search." -- J. Robert OppenheimerContent of this post is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses...0/deed.en_USMy eBay store
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Replies: 6 / Views: 1,872 |
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Posted 10/06/2019 11:24 pm
