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 Replies: 12 / Views: 1,087 |
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New Member
United States
3 Posts |
I found a somewhat ragged 1965 Washington quarter in my pocket today. In looking at it there is a W mark on the front above "In God We Trust". I have read that mint marks were not used for a few years beginning in 1965, and I cannot accurately determine if Washington quarters were ever minted at the West Point mint. So I can't figure out what this mark is. BTW, this is not a raised mark, it is depressed mark, similar to what I have seen on proofs. I'm confused. Anybody have any ideas what this is? I can try to post or email a photo if you need one. Thanks. Roy |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
632 Posts |
sounds like a counter-stamp.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
12437 Posts |
 What ever it is, it is not a West Point mint mark. West Point did not mint coins until the 1970s and they only produced Lincoln cents with no mint mark to supplement Philadelphia production. Today, West Point mints all of the bullion coins. The only circulating design coin(non-commemorative and non-bullion) ever produced with the W mint mark was the 1996 W Roosevelt dime, placed in the 1996 Mint Sets as a bonus to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the dime and they were not released for circulation. Also Washington quarters have never had a mint mark by IGWT- they have only been located below the reverse wreath(pre-1965) and on the right side next to the ponytail(1968-1998). I am disregarding the Statehood Quarters with that comment since they are considered to be a separate series with a different design from the 1932-1998 Washingtons. Quote:
BTW, this is not a raised mark, it is depressed mark, similar to what I have seen on proofs. Similar to what that you have seen on proofs? There should not be any depressed marks on a proof coin, their mint marks are the same as business strike(circulation) coins. There is one possibility of what it might be, besides damage, but I do not want to comment until we can see a picture so...  Edited by biokemist6
10/23/2008 11:02 pm
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
17884 Posts |
West Point did not start striking quarters until 1975 (surprise biokemist6)and they stopped in 1979. Mintages were low and none of them had a mintmark.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
12437 Posts |
Well dang Conder, thanks for the correction  Did West Point mint anything else I might want to know about? |
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Valued Member
United States
135 Posts |
 Does the depressed (incuse) W look like the W in WE? I have heard of letters on dies filling with grease and dust to create filled die errors. I have also heard of the compacted grease/dust mixture falling out, landing on a planchet and being struck by the die making an incuse mark. Just a WAG and probably wrong. Edited by FreezerBurn
10/23/2008 8:04 pm
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New Member
 United States
3 Posts |
I've taken a photo and posted it on Flickr. Here is the link. Couldn't get the camera to go into super macro mode, so it's the best I could do. As I said before the coin is in pretty rough shape. http://www.flickr.com/photos/245646.../2967780985/Thanks |
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Valued Member
United States
392 Posts |
now that is one beat up quarter, but it dont look like a mint mark
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Valued Member
United States
135 Posts |
royw68, excellent picture! I copied it to PAINT, played with it a bit and it does look like the W in WE. I'd pay $3-$4 for a coin like yours for my small messed-up quarter collection.
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Forum Mom
 United States
5877 Posts |
It looks like the W in WE was displaced post-mint. Coin machines can do this. I've seen it more commonly on Lincoln cents. I've seen coins with digits of the date that had been scraped off and moved to all other places on the coin. It is unfortunately not something that would increase the value of the coin. It's just part of the damage done to this poor coin.  |
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New Member
United States
3 Posts |
Thanks for all your input. I just find it a curiousity, and will likely set it aside with my Kennedy half dollars I received for making honor roll in elementary school. So, if I understand your theory correctly, The W from IGWT of a different coin was in the machine when this coin was minted, but the minting didn't cause the displaced W to "stick", and left only an impression? The W is intact and in its proper location on this coin. Did I understand/state that correctly? Thanks again all. Roy |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2540 Posts |
welcome, and it sounds like it is a post-mint marking.
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Valued Member
United States
135 Posts |
I understand what Susanlynn9 is saying but what could provide the "OOOMPH" to impart the incuse W? Do coin machine mechanisms impart that much energy?
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Replies: 12 / Views: 1,087 |
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Posted 10/23/2008 3:27 pm
