Expert: Joe Hylas - 1/27/2011

Question
QUESTION: I have a 1950 Roosevelt dime with a strange mint mark.  I tried to take a photo of it but it is just not clear enough.  

The mark appears to be an upside down and backwards 7 with something behind it that is difficult to see.  Another description might be a check mark rotated 90 degrees counter clockwise. Could it be a pen in an ink-well?  I thought I had visited a web site that showed symbolic mint marks, but I have been unable to find it again.

Do you know what the mint mark is and what the story may be behind it?  Would it have some value?

ANSWER: Without seeing it, I can't know.  Is it raides?  If so, that would be caused by an indentation in the die.  If it is recessed, it was stamped into the coin.

Regards
Joe Hylas
www.omegapm.com

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

QUESTION: It appears to be stamped.  I am using something similar to a jewelers loop and if I change the light source angle, it does appear to be a pen in a bottle of ink...  I will attempt to get a good picture of it...  I may have to ask around to find someone with a proper lens to get a good photo of it...

Answer
If it was stamped into the coin, it occurred after it left the mint.  I have seen this many times with pennies that were stamped with the head of JFK next to Lincoln's.

It is normally done for marketing/promotional purposes.
These traditionally have no value.

Regards
Joe