By CoinWeek …..
Up for sale in the most recent GreatCollections auction was an interesting certified error coin. Graded MS-67 by NGC, this 2000-P New Hampshire 50 States quarter error has a 25% off center strike. Collectors should be advised that, at the time of writing, this lot had 26 bids, with the final hammer price reaching $194.62 USD (with Buyer’s Fee). A bargain! The auction closed on Sunday, February 6.
Since over 673 million pieces were struck at the Philadelphia Mint, this type is considered a common type. However, the error makes this specific example a desirable piece for any collector of modern US error coins.
Off-center strikes occur when the blank planchet is incorrectly centered within the coin press when the hammer (upper) die strikes the coin. This error in the striking process results in a design that is off-center. With a 25% off-center strike, this particular error is especially dramatic. When the piece was graded by NGC, it was decided that the reverse design would be placed facing upwards in the holder. While parts of the design are missing, this highlights the remaining portions of the reverse design.
Due to the extreme degree of the error and the final placement of the design, this coin has a serious amount of eye appeal. While there are some wear marks on the blank portion of the planchet, such as the collar die scar in the lower left, this error coin must have been pulled from circulation quickly since the visible portion of the design is truly in Mint State. The shift in design pulls the focus point away from the Old Man of the Mountain and onto the state motto “Live Free or Die”.
Comparable off-center errors certified MS67 or above on New Hampshire state quarters have sold for as much as $225.
The New Hampshire State Quarter Design and How the Error Affects It
The obverse of this 2000 New Hampshire State quarter is off-center to the Northeast. The obverse, common to the entire 50 State Quarters series, was designed by United States Mint sculptor-engraver William Cousins. This design remained the quarter’s obverse for the duration of the 50 State (1999-2008) and on through the D.C. and Territories (2009) and America the Beautiful (2010-2021) quarter series. The modified portrait of George Washington, a design by John Flanagan based on a 1786 plaster bust by French sculptor Jean-Antoine Houdon, is mostly present on this piece, with only the very top portion of Washington’s hair cut-off.
Included on the obverse are various inscriptions, several of which were formerly on the coin’s reverse design. Only the “UNITE” of the semi-circular UNITED STATES OF AMERICA at the top of the reverse is fully visible, as the legend is broken in the “D”. Similarly, IN GOD WE TRUST to the right is only partially visible. The visible portion of the legend, which is written in three lines, reads “IN GOD W… TRUS…”. Both “LIBERTY” in the left field below the president’s chin, and the denomination “QUARTER DOLLAR” along the bottom side of the rim are both fully visible. The mintmark “P” to the right of the bust’s ponytail is also visible.
On the reverse of this coin, the design is shifted to the Southeast. William Cousins’s design features the Old Man of The Mountain. While the main portion of the design is visible, the superimposed legend “OLD MAN OF THE MOUNTAIN” is only partially visible. Conversely, the state motto “LIVE FREE OR DIE” is totally visible. On the top of the design, the state name “NEW HAMPSHIRE” and the year of statehood “1788”. The date “2000” and the US motto “E PLURBIS UNUM” are completely absent. Of the 9 stars, which represent the fact that New Hampshire was the ninth state, seven are completely visible with two partially cut off. Cousins’ initials “WC” above the “m” in Unum is also missing.
To search through GreatCollection’s archive of over 600,000 certified coins the company has sold over the past eight years, please visit the GreatCollections Auction Archives.
Yeah I have listening to all the ones that has videos posted on coins packet change and have been looking into trying to get more info on certain errors etc. I have what they call cherry pickers guide book and red book but I ain’t paying those prices for those book’s crazy to do that. Bit I have also trying to get advice on some coins I have with they say is the Best in this Coopercoins.com so on to the point where I just about sick of this crap that I can’t even sell a few coins cause they needing grading of them and it’s bad enough that I can’t afford grading scale cost or joining pcgs or anyone else that grading coin’s and sell raw on eBay is no go cause I get blown off like I am nothing but let them have a chance to rip me off in a few coins that what dealers in Coins like to do feed you bunches of bullshit telling that don’t work for me at all.
Matthew,
Your enthusiasm for coins is great, but you have to take into account the fundamental realities of the coin market and how it is structured. Many buyers require that a coin has been certified by a third party expert before they are willing to take the seller’s word for the condition of the coin or which variety it purportedly is. There are deceptive counterfeits in the market and not every variety or error hunter actually knows what they are talking about. These are the rules of the road and you either accept them and use them to your benefit or you find a work around to your present situation.
VERY well said, Charles. The number and quality of fakes that infect the market give me pause. Simply browsing auction sites like eBay, not to mention Etsy, can be a wild ride.
While I consider myself to be a fairly knowledgeable numismatic amateur I also know I’m not a professional. My 2¢ piece is that buying purported “rarities” without an expert evaluation is a bit like self-treating a serious illness if you’re not a doctor. You may save some money but the outcome could be unfortunate.