Expert: PAPAJACK - 1/29/2008

Question
I was passed three dollar coins the other day at a local store. Being this was the first time I got my hands on the Gold Dollar since they were released i was inspecting them with a sharp eye. I noticed only one of the coins had a press error. On the side of the coin the year, In God We Trust, and E Pluribus Unum is written. It looks as though the coin was flipped over and pressed the very same numbers and words in the opposite direction. Overlapping the years and quotes making it difficult to read what is written.
Can you give me your input on this coin? Value, importance, desire to a coin collector, ect.
Thanks for your knoweledge and time with my question
R.M.

Answer
Hello Ryan,                    

The US mint has no definite direction of what side is the right direction for the edge printing on the circulated dollar coins. Many are found with the edge inscriptions facing heads and tails. I found no added value for this condition.

There are also reports of the edge lettering missing altogether. As for value if the edge is not inscribed depends on how much you can sell them for.

These EDGE MISS-PRINT coins seem to be a common item and I think the coin collector market does not consider it a true error coin but a variety.
This is a production error not a die error. The coin blank was put through the edge lettering press once in each direction.

There is the surge in prices you see when something like your coins is first discovered, but it is not always an indicator of the true value for the piece but only speculation by people.

I do not think it will be more valuable to a coin collector. A coin shop may give you more than a dollar for it if they think an ‘error coin collector’ will buy it from them.

I hope this information helps.

Good Luck

PapaJack