Expert: Ronald Fern - 5/4/2010

Question
QUESTION: I work with money and came across this dime that is shaped like a saucer.  You could actually pour a little water in there and it would hold.  Is this a mint mistake or manmade.  Is this worth anything?  Thanks for your time and expert knowledge.

ANSWER: Hi Lynn:

Thanks for your question.

My initial response is that it is manmade. It is difficult to answer your question without a photo of the other side of your coin or seeing the coin, but I'll try. If you want to ask a follow-up question by providing another photo of the coin, or more of a description, I'll modify the answer, if required. It could be altered or real. Let's look at the possibilities.

Your coin may not be a real mint error. It could have been broadstruck (struck out of the retaining collar), with another blank under the reverse of your coin (what does the reverse look like?).  It looks like the start of a spoon coin, where the piece is altered and smaller in diameter than a "normal" dime. Prisoner's did this to while away the time and make a ring out of a coin. It also could be a "Texas Dime". This would be larger in diameter than a "normal" dime, and made by putting the coin between two pieces of leather and hitting it with a hammer. Either would be classified as an altered coin, done after it left the mint, and it would have no added numismatic value.

I've provided two links for you to see what type of other non-error coins exist.
See link: http://coinauctionshelp.com/page15.html
See link: http://conecaonline.org/content/OhNo.htm

This type of error (broadstruck) would have an approximate value of around $10 to $25, depending on condition, to an interested collector.

What you should do to help evaluate your coin: (1) Compare the diameter and thickness to a "normal" dime; (2) Weigh your coin to a dime struck around 1967 made of clad; (3) Drop your coin and a clad dime 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?

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. Check the nomination box on the rating page below any comments you may have.

Thank You and Good Luck in your collecting.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I have a picture of the other side too.......thanks so much for your time and knowledge.

Answer
Hi Lynn:

Thanks for a photo of the reverse of your coin. This photo confirms that the "error" was man made after the coin was struck. It appears larger than normal, bent, and the edge reeding slightly deformed. Someone took a smaller sized punch (maybe a wood dowel) and put something soft over the dime and smacked it into the saucer shape by using the wooden dowel as the instrument. It is an interesting conversation piece, but has no added numismatic value.

Please remember to go to the experts site to rate both this answer as well as my original response. Check the nomination box on the rating page below any comments you may have. Getting rated is the only way I know if my efforts make a difference. To rate an answer, go to the "Thank/rate the expert" button and click. You are allowed to rate four areas of the reply, and please notice the question about a "Nomination" for Expert of the Month. I would really appreciate your "Yes", which I hope you believe that I deserve. If you have any more questions, I'll try and accommodate you. Please recommend me to your friends that collect coins.

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Thanks again for the opportunity to help you with your numismatic questions, and continued Good Luck in your collecting.