Expert: PAPAJACK - 9/13/2008

Question
I have a 1994 quarter with no mint mark and am aware no plain ones were issued that year. The coin has not been tampered with and it has been suggested it may have occurred due to a grease die during minting. Would you have any comments re and is there any value? Should this coin be documented in case there are others and what would the procedure be? Sure appreciate any assistance!

Answer
Hello,

There is no record of this type of error on the die.
Therefore it is very likely to be a "struck Through" or "Filled Die" error.
I would go with the filled die myself. Grease or any substance that cannot be compressed will stop the metal from flowing to the area.

The value is less than $2.00 for this. Although the error is random making it one of a kind it still does not get a premium.

You can hang on to the coin yourself. Wait and see if it surfaces as a Known Variety. This is cheaper tha having a third party look it over for grading and authentication. This would be at least $10.00

I know CONECA has an Attribution Process. 20th Century U.S. Die Varieties done by James Wiles Fort Worth, TX You Email or write to the attributer requesting approval to send your coins. By doing this, you can ensure that your coins will arrive at a time when the attributer is really available.

For the coin you're sending, tell the attributer the denomination, date, quantity, and any specific questions you'd like to have answered. When the attributer gives you the okay to send your coins, then package and ship your coins by U.S. Postal Service. You should ship the coins by insured or registered mail with the proper amount of insurance. Do not ship by certified mail as it provides no insurance.

You would have to include the appropriate check or money order (payable to the attributer) to cover attribution fees. The fee is $2.50 per coin for members and $5.00 per coin for non-members. You must also include return postage and insurance, which is usually $4.00 per package. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Another almost free method to document your coin may be "THE COLLECTORS CLEARINGHOUSE" offered by CoinWorld.

Collectors' Clearinghouse is one of the most popular departments in Coin World. You can submit error and variety coins you've found to "Collectors' Clearinghouse" for examination and attribution, at no charge. they will examine the coin, write a brief letter explaining what happened to the coin and return the coin to you, generally within a couple of weeks.

If you decide to send your coin to them, they have some recommendations about getting the coins to them. The safest method of shipping coins through the United States Postal Service is Registered Mail. It is also one of the most expensive methods. Your local USPS representative can inform you of fees and policies concerning Registered Mail. Use caution in insuring the coins you may send them. While it's prudent to insure the package in case it is lost, don't spend more on postage and insurance fees than the coin is worth. If you're uncertain about the value, call them and ask for advice.

When packaging the coins, place each coin into a standard holder and place the holders between two pieces of cardboard or into one of the standard corrugated cardboard mailers, and place the package into an envelope. Be sure to include a detailed cover letter telling us what you want us to look at on each coin. Whatever you do, do NOT apply tape directly to the surface of a coin and tape the coin to your cover letter.

Address the package to Coin World, Collectors' Clearinghouse, P.O. Box 150, Sidney OH 45365-0150.

They don't charge for the examination and attribution service, but do request you enclose return postage, especially if you want the coin returned via Registered Mail.

Please remember to rate this answer.

Good Luck

PapaJack