1942 S Double Die Mercury?? Ever seen one?

[Gen. Breckinridge]

Found this dime and after looking at it through an inspection microscope it looks like the date is double struck. Has anyone ever seen this variety?? I'm sorry the picture isn't better but I tried four times with different light and this seems the best.

 

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[pinkysbliss]

Some thing I found doing a google search...

List of the Key Dates in the Mercury Dime Series
The key dates in the Mercury Dime series are as follows:
1916-D - With a mintage of only 264,000 this is by far the rarest Mercury key


1942/1 (2 over 1 date) - Overdate type for both 1942 and 1942-D, mintages are unknown but the type is extremely rare


Semi-key (scarce) dates in the Mercury Dime series include:
1921
1921-D
1926-S
1931-S
1931-S
.........................


My dear old dad found one in some change and SWEARS it is a 1933 Mercury Dime.. there where none printed in that date..Sorry hit send before I was done.. here is another artical about that year dime and double dies....In MY oppion it looks like the date is doubled, HOWEVER, I seem to need glass's latly...HAHA!
Enjoy and good luck in finding out if the coin world takes it as a double...

Collecting Mercury Dimes
At the outset of coinage, a rarity was created: the 1916 Denver Mint Mercury dime. Only 264,000 of these were struck. It is often the case that the first year of issue of anything is saved in quantity by the public. Witness the 1909 V.D.B. Lincoln cents and 1883 Liberty Head nickels as examples. Not so with the 1916-D dime. This issue slipped through the cracks, figuratively speaking, and was rare from the outset.
Other rare issues in the Mercury dime series include the 1921 dimes of both the Denver and Philadelphia mints. Minted during a recession year (although the recession term had not been admitted into the halls of economic commentary at that time), production quantities of both dimes were low.

Two overdates occur among Mercury dimes, the 1942/1 and the 1942/1-D. Both are scarce, and in Mint State each is a notable rarity.

Examples of the Mercury dime type are readily available in all grades from About Good through superb Uncirculated. Certain issues are lightly struck and are apt to have weaknesses on the bands tying the sticks in the fasces on the reverse. Those with sharply defined bands, designated as "full split bands" (abbreviated FSB) are often worth more.

An interesting situation is provided by the 1945 Philadelphia Mint dime. In MS-65 grade, this is one of the most common issues of the entire series. Many thousands exist. However, with full split bands on the reverse it is a major rarity. No more than a few dozen have ever come on the market!

Proofs of the 1936 through 1942 years are available in proportion to their mintages, with 1936 being the rarest. Many collectors have made sets of these comprising the seven different dates.


"TR"

 

[djui5]

Yep that's a double die!! Never seen one of those. I had a 42/1, that's a hell of a coin!!

 

[Mackaydon]

Gen. B.
At this site: http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=53674
scroll down to comment made by "grittas" who also has one and may be able to give you further info.

 

[Gen. Breckinridge]

Thanks for the replies. I searched around and couldn't find any mention of a 42 S double die before I posted here. The link that Mackaydon left didn't show up the post you mentioned so if you could check it I would appreciate it. I have a friend who is a coin dealer and I will go to see him next week after I get back from a trip to NY. Here is a little better picture of the date on the coin and a shot of the reverse side.

 

[utah hunter]

That is incredible, it looks like you may have hit a jackpot with that coin. Your coin dealer "friend" should advise you to send it in to get it authenticated, which will cost around $20. If you are going to sell do not do so until shopping it around for a while. If it is a new confirmed variety there should be many people wanting to get their hands on it, and I wouldn't be surprised if you found a buyer willing to pay big bucks for the coin. Thanks for sharing, that is one neat coin...Ryan

 

[Gen. Breckinridge]

Thanks Ryan. I could use a little good luck right now. About eight weeks ago I was in the hospital for two stints in my heart arteries and the bills are rolling in. I wish I didn't have the trip to New York scheduled so I could get to the dealer sooner! Now I have to get started on getting permission to hunt more old yards.

 

[oldplacesnofinds]

I hate to say it but I believe that is strike doubling. It is very common in Mecury dimes from 36-42. I have collected many errors and in the beginning made the same mistakes so I am pretty sure I am right. Let us know what your buddy thinks! I have been wrong before. Good luck.

 

[scoutjim99]

It is either strike doubling or doubling caused by a worn dye. Like the person before me said . I am sorry. to difuse the light try using a milk jug cut the botom out , Some how the light reflects evenly and does not blur your image

 

[djui5]

How do you take those nice pictures?

 

[Gen. Breckinridge]

Re: 1942 S Double Die Mercury?? Photo details.

The pictures were taken with a Sony DSC-H1 in Macro at the highest resolution them cropped & resized in Photoshop. The one of the date alone was enlarged somewhat in Photoshop also.

 

[djui5]

Ahh, that's why. I have a Cybershot too, but it's one of the smaller ones and the macro on it blows chunks.

Thanks for the info.

 

[islandchips]

Aloha-I have the same coin.

Aloha_I found the same coin here in Hawaii in the 70's here is a pic of my date. It is also a 1942-S.

 

[Gen. Breckinridge]

Well there goes the new Cadillac! Thanks islandchips for the post and the picture. I guess I'm still waiting on that rich uncle to get out of the poor house for my next milion.
I just got back from Batavia NY and hope that I can get down to the coin dealer tomorrow to see what he thinks... Who knows! Anyway it is still a neat find and thanks to all who posted to this thread.

Ken

 

[JMGallego]

I know this a very old thread, but just wanted to add that today I found one in my coin collection that it is exactly like islandchips's, but is a little better condition It also shows the "clam" effect on the numbers too

Mine also has west doubling on "ERT" of LIBERTY and extra thickness on the first four letter of IGWT. In addition, I see west doubling from the top of cap to the bottom left tip of the bust.

I tend to concur with oldplacesnofinds as being a strike doubling (or machine doubling), and not a double die... I wish we were wrong

JMG

 

[hobub]

Hello, I just joined the forum because I too just found one of these that looks identical to yours Ken. I only paid a couple bucks for it but after seeing the thread thought it worth mentioning.

 

[enamel7]

Understand that machine doubling isn't a variety. It isn't true doubling and has no added value.

 

[masterjedi]

Ejection doubling? I true double die all of the detail is doubled, not just the date. For a true double die the coin is struck twice...

 

[enamel7]

Ejection doubling? I true double die all of the detail is doubled, not just the date. For a true double die the coin is struck twice...

Everything you just said is false. Doubled dies are caused by doubling on the die when it is made. The coin isn't struck twice. Doubling can be on all the coin or just certain locations. Also it is "doubled" not double die.

 

[masterjedi]

You may want to Google this