Expert: Ronald Fern - 2/23/2010

Question
We found a mass. state quarter that has no copper clad on the sides in circulation. The coin is the same size as a normal quarter. The mint letter is a p for philly. I've done some research and the silver sets are supposed to have a s mint mark. Is there a possibilty that this coin was struck in all nickel or silver in the philly mint. And if so, what could the value of this coin be for being miss struck in the wrong metal,  Thankyou

Answer
Hi DeWayne:

Thanks for picking me to answer your question.

It's possible you may have a quarter struck on a nickel (five cent) blank. It would weigh the same as a five cent coin. Another possibility is an end of planchet blank where the bonded copper core ended and did not directly end up between the outer clad shells. It also could be struck on a clad shell. The planchet material is explosive bonded together to form the sandwich type blank with the outer clad and center copper pieces. If the planchet material is not properly cleaned, it may not bond completely. The planchet may come apart along the bonded surfaces areas either during the planchet making phase. It would likely weigh less than a normal quarter coin, and would not have a strong, normal strike. Yet another possibility would be a "P" mint quarter on a silver blank intended for "S" mint coins. It would weight the same as the "S" mint silver quarter. It also could be plated after it was struck and left the mint, covering the copper band seen on the edge of the coin. It would have no added numismatic value.

When asking a question, especially with errors, always provide as much information about your piece as possible. This helps to pinpoint what you may have. Attaching a photo would also help. I'll answer your question as best I can. If you want to ask a follow up question by providing more information, I'll revise my answer or add to it as required.

What you should do to help evaluate your coin: (1) Compare the diameter and thickness to a "normal" clad quarter; (2) Weigh your coin to a state quarter struck after 1998 made of copper-nickel; (3) View coin under magnification to try and determine if your piece may have been altered; (4) Drop your coin and a copper cent on a glass surface from about two or three inches, one at a time, and listen to the sound as it hits the glass surface. Do the two different coins sound the same?

As far as value, that of course depends on the type of error and condition of the coin. (1) A state quarter struck on a five cent blank error would have a value of $approximately 1000 to $1500 to an interested collector; (2) A coin struck on a missing copper core blank (end of planchet error)coin would have a value of $65 to $100. A "P" mint state quarter struck on a silver "S" mint blank would have a value of $5000 to $7500. You may want to check EBay listings under US coins in the error category to see what these errors are going for. You may also want to check out these links on error coin values:
http://www.coinsite.com/html/USErrorPrices.asp
http://www.minterrornews.com/priceguide.html

If you live close to a local shop, they should offer an opinion as to it's value and if it is authentic at no charge. Always try and get at least two opinions and try and deal with PNG dealers if possible. Here's a link to find one in your area: http://www.pngdealers.com/dealersearch.php

Please remember to go to the experts site to rate this answer. And check the nomination box on the rating page below any comments you may have.

Thank You and Good Luck in your collecting.