Now that we have seen the fireworks and enjoyed our barbecues, it is time to add a numismatic touch to the celebration. This one is a new purchase of a 1976 Type 2 Eisenhower Dollar with an error at the US Mint.
Struck in 1975 and 1976, the dollar, Kennedy Half-Dollar, and Washington Quarter were minted with the dual date 1776-1976 and commemorative reverses designed by Dennis Williams to honor the nation’s bicentennial. In 1975, the lettering on the Eisenhower Dollars had a bolder reverse that did not strike well. For 1976, the dies were changed and the letters were thinned giving us the Type 2 variety.
Thirty-two years later, I purchased a 1976 Type 2 dollar with an error from the US Mint. The dollar in the image on the right, you can see the lettering in “AMERICA” disappearing. The star after the word is also missing. This error is called strike through grease filled dies.
Strike through grease errors are relatively common and only add a small premium to the value of the coin. They occur during the Minting process when Mint employees apply a thin layer of grease on the dies to prevent the newly struck coins from sticking to the die after being hit with more than 40 tons of pressure. When the grease is not applied evenly, it creates a buildup. Those areas where the grease is applied too thickly prevents raised elements from striking properly.
This is not a commentary on the US Mint or the Independence Day celebration. Just something neat I found to add to the patriotic definition of the day. Enjoy your weekend and I hope you find something neat in coins, too.
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