Set Description
This collection is just a way to group together all of those coins and medals that I have sent to NGC for grading.
I like to think I can predict what kind of grade they will return with, but reality has proven me more often wrong than right. I think my skills are improving, but only time will tell.
I'm using the "Slot Name" column to indicate my degree of satisfaction with the grade received. You may notice that some coins which received good grades show "Dissatisfied" whereas some coins which received relatively poor grades are rated as "Happy." It's not intended as an absolute indicator, but rather a relatively indicator of how well my expectations compared to the sometimes harsh reality of the grading process. If I was perfect in my predictions, then all "Slot Names" would simply be "Satisfied."
Values range from:
Extremely Disappointed - Generally reserved for "Details" grades
Very Disappointed - I thought it was much better than it was.
Disappointed - I was a little off.
Mildly Disappointed - I was hoping for better.
Satisfied - Exactly as expected
Happy - Slightly better than expected.
Very Happy - Much better than expected
Extremely Happy - Genuinely surprised that it came out so well.
Set Goals
A place to track successes and failures in my choices for coins to have graded. With each submission, I hope to improve my predictions and have the range of values down to Mildly Disappointed, Satisfied, and Happy.
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View Coin
| Very Happy |
United States
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1/2C 1903 USA-PHIL ALLEN-1.01
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NGC MS 65 RD
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Lyman Allen #1.01 (KM #162) - Mintage: 12,084,000
Certified examples of the 1903 Half Centavo are quite plentiful and full red specimens (even at this grade) are easily obtainable at a reasonable price.
This coin is relatively well struck with beautiful, even red coloring and great eye appeal. I obtained it for a very modest price on eBay and it is one of the first coins I submitted directly to NGC for grading. I was hoping for MS66RD, but the outcome was more than acceptable. As of this revision, it is one of 83 graded by NGC as MS65RD with only 8 finer at MS66RD.
Date acquired: 10/29/2007 (raw)
Date graded: 12/01/2007 (self submitted to NGC)
Rev. 8/23/2023
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View Coin
| Happy |
United States
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1C 1933 M USA-PHIL ALLEN-2.30
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NGC MS 64 RD
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Lyman Allen #2.30 (KM #163) - Mintage: 8,392,692
The one centavo was the only denomination struck at the Manila mint in 1933, which may account for the large number of well struck full red and red brown examples that are still available today.
This particular coin exhibits an above average strike and high point detail for this date. The color is a magnificent vibrant red and I was pleased to add it to my collection as a raw coin. It is one of the first coins I submitted to NGC with the certificate I received upon joining. The scratches on the obverse on the figures knee and torso are probably what prevented it from obtaining a higher grade.
Varieties
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ALLEN-2.30a - Repunched Date (RPD). This variety is recognized by both NGC and PCGS.
Date acquired: 3/12/2007 (raw coin)
Date graded: 12/01/2007 (self submitted to NGC )
Rev 12/12/2018
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View Coin
| Extremely Happy |
United States
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10C 1945 D DDR USA-PHIL ALLEN-9.05b
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NGC MS 63
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Lyman Allen #9.05b (KM #181) - Doubled Die Type #1. Total Mintage: 137,208,000 (variety mintage unknown)
General
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The 1945D 10 Centavo piece has the highest mintage of any US/Philippine era coin, and is one of only two issues exceeding a mintage of 100,000,000 (the other being the 1944S One Centavo which was minted in both 1944 and 1945, but only dated 1944). The high mintage of coins in 1944 and 1945 was necessary since virtually all previously issued coinage had disappeared during the Japanese occupation. Because of the high demand, dies were used well beyond their normal life and pieces struck from highly eroded dies are very common.
High mintage figures often imply common coins, but also provide the opportunity for some highly collectable varieties! With 137,208,000 minted by the US Mint in Denver, it's not surprising that there are a number of die varieties. Lyman Allen lists three in addition to the normal date:
Varieties
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9.05 - Normal date
9.05a - Repunched mint mark D/D (This Coin) Even within this variety, at least 4 sub-types exist with various orientations of the initial and secondary mint mark punches. Over the years, I have acquired examples of North-South (near), South-North (far), South-North (near), and Northwest-Southeast orientations.
9.05b - Doubled Die Obverse type 1. This variety is easily identified by the dramatic doubling of "UNITED", "STATES", all four digits of the date, and the bottom tip of the shield.
9.05c - Doubled Die Obverse type 2. This doubled die variety is not nearly as dramatic as 9.05b, but can still be identified with minimal magnification. There is a very slight doubling of "45" in the date, doubling of all of the letters in "UNITED", doubling of the letters "STAT" in STATES, and slight doubling of the letters "MER" in AMERICA.
In addition to the three varieties that have been cataloged, there is at least one other significant obverse doubled die variety in which all of the "P"s in the scroll text of "COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES" are very noticeably doubled.
This Coin
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This particular 9.05b exhibits a very full strike (including the word "of" just above the date) even though it was obviously struck from a heavily used pair of dies. The erosion lines emanating from the tips of the letters to the rim of the coin are easily visible without magnification. This coin was the first uncirculated example of this dramatic double die graded by NGC.
Date acquired: 9/24/2006 (raw coin)
Date graded: 12/01/2007 (self submitted to NGC)
Rev. 11/29/2015
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View Coin
| Satisfied |
United States
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PESO 1904 USA-PHIL ALLEN-16.03
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NGC MS 62
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Lyman Allen #16.03 (KM #168) - Mintage: 10,000
The mintage may seem low, but these coins are relatively common in mint state. 10,000 uncirculated sets were ordered by the well known numismatist Farran Zerbe to be sold at the Philippine Exhibit at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis in1904. Supply far exceeded demand for these sets, and only 3,254 were sold at the exposition. The remaining 6,746 sets were shipped to the Philippines where another 500 were sold by the Treasury. The 6,246 unsold sets were ultimately released into general circulation.
This piece is very well struck and has reasonably good eye appeal, but a few too many contact marks must have kept if from garnering a higher grade.
Date acquired: 12/31/2004 (raw coin)
Date graded: 12/01/2007 (self submitted to NGC)
Rev. 11/26/2015
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View Coin
| Satisfied |
United States
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PESO 1904 USA-PHIL Doubled "4" ALLEN-16.03a
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NGC PF 58
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Lyman Allen #16.03a - 1904/4 (KM #168) - Total mintage: 1355 (Variety mintage unknown)
Proof mintage for this year was limited to 1,355 sets. The seven coin Philippine proof sets were produced at the Philadelphia mint from 1903 through 1908 (excluding 1907), and were sold to the general public for $2.00 per set. At the time these sets were produced, there was no protective packaging. Each coin was individually wrapped in tissue paper and placed in a plain paper coin envelope. As a result, many proof coins exhibit micro thin hairline scratches as well as heavy toning. When combined with very low mintages, and low initial sales to the public, it's easy to see why fully gem proof coins are very rare.
Proof sets in 1904 were struck on order. In addition to the 1,355 regular proof sets, another 10,000 uncirculated sets were ordered by the well known numismatist Farran Zerbe to be sold at the Philippine Exhibit at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis in1904. Supply far exceeded demand for these uncirculated sets, and only 3,254 were sold at the exposition. The remaining 6,746 sets were shipped to the Philippines where another 500 were sold by the Treasury. The 6,246 unsold sets were ultimately released into general circulation.
Although it was not originally attributed as such on the holder, it can easily be seen that this is the repunched date variety. The substantial doubling of the "4" can easily be seen in the close-up scan. The 16.03a is the only proof coin variety listed by Lyman Allen in his book ";U.S./ Philippine Coins - 6th Edition 2008 - 2009."
This coin was actually purchased raw as a 1904 "Prooflike" Peso, so I was greatly pleased to discover that it was not only a proof, but the variety as well! The entire surface of the coin is mirror-like with no toning or spots whatsoever. Despite the handling marks which kept it from grading above PF58, it has great eye appeal and a "WOW" factor that is difficult to capture in a photograph and impossible with a scanner. The reflections in the reverse (from left to right) are the light bulb, the lamp shade, and the camera lens.
Date acquired: 6/6/2005 (raw coin)
Date graded: 12/15/2007 (self submitted to NGC)
Date attributed: 9/28/2016 (resubmitted to NGC for attribution)
References:
- Allen, L. "U.S./Philippine Coins" 6th Edition 2008-2009 published by Lyman Allen Rare Coins Virginia City, NV 2007
- Shafer, N. "United States Territorial Coinage for the Philippine Islands." Racine, Wisconsin: Whitman Publishing Company, 1961.
Rev. 10/11/2017
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View Coin
| Disappointed |
United States
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50C 1936 M USA-PHIL MURPHY-QUEZON ALLEN-18.00
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NGC MS 63
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Lyman Allen #18.00 (KM #176) - Mintage: 20,000
THE COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES was founded on November 15th, 1935. To commemorate this historic event, a set of three coins containing one 50 Centavo piece and 2 different One Peso pieces was minted at the Manila Mint. The issue price for this set was $3.13USD! Despite the historical significance, low mintage of 10,000 sets and the low issue price, many sets remained unsold and languished in the Philippine Treasury. When the Japanese invaded in 1941, the vast majority of these unsold sets were dumped into the Pacific Ocean to keep them from falling into enemy hands. This is the reason that so many of these coins exhibit damage due to prolonged exposure to salt water and are thus described as “sea salvaged.”
The mintage for the 50 Centavo coin was 20,000, so 10,000 must have either been sold separately or issued to the public at face value.
These three coins were the first to bear the new Commonwealth reverse designed by Ambrosio Morales which was applied to all production coins beginning in 1937. The obverse of this coin depicts the busts of the first Philippine President, Manual L. Quezon on the right, facing U.S. Governor General, Frank Murphy on the left. As a commemorative issues, these coins are typically very well struck.
This particular coin is very well struck and lustrous example of this rare Manila Mint issue.
Date acquired: 11/29/2008 (raw coin)
Date graded: 6/23/2009 (self submitted to NGC)
Rev. 8/25/2015
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| Very Happy |
United States
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SC$1 1920 HK-449 WILSON DOLLAR MANILA MINT OPENING ALLEN-M1
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NGC MS 62
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Philippines - 1920 HK-449 Silver SC$1 Wilson Dollar / Manila Mint Opening - Allen #M1 - Mintage: 2,200
This piece is a bit of a stretch for my Minted in the USA set but is perfect to start off the Mint of the Philippine Islands set. It’s not a coin, nor was it struck at a mint in the USA. It was however struck in a new mint constructed in an insular territory of the United States of America. This so-called “Wilson Dollar” was very likely struck on July 15, 1920, to commemorate the opening day of the Philippine Mint in Manila which would be used almost exclusively to produce US/Philippine coinage.
The obverse is dominated by the portrait of President Woodrow Wilson who is identified only as the “PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.” It was designed by George T. Morgan and is a slightly abbreviated version of the design found on the second Wilson inauguration medal in the United States Mint Presidential series.
The female figure on the reverse is often assumed to be Liberty, since this is a U.S. Mint medal. Occasionally, she is identified as Justice, probably because of the scales she is holding in her right hand. Neither of these are correct however. The reverse (also designed by Morgan) actually depicts "Juno Moneta" protecting and instructing a novice in the art and science of coin production. Juno Moneta is the Roman Goddess of Good Counsel, whose name means "Adviser" or "Warner", a very appropriate choice for a medal commemorating the opening of a mint.
According the The British Museum, "The origins of the modern English words 'money' and 'mint' lie in ancient Rome. In the period of the Roman Republic, from about 300 BC onwards, coins were made near the temple of the goddess Juno Moneta. It was located on the Capitol (the modern Campidoglio), the citadel of Rome. The goddess's name, Moneta ('Warner' or 'Reminder') eventually came to refer to the place where the coins were made, the 'mint', and to its product, 'money', both of which derive ultimately from the Latin word moneta."
The design of the medal was first credited to Clifford Hewitt by noted numismatist and polymath Gilbert S. Perez who was present at the Philippine Mint on July 15, 1920 for the opening ceremonies. In 1921, he published his first person accounting of the events in Numismatic Notes And Monographs No. 8, The Mint of the Philippine Islands in which he stated Speaker Osmeña of the House of Representatives [...] struck off the first medal (designed by Mr. Clifford Hewitt) which was issued in commemoration of the opening. The medal was certainly struck under the direction of Mr. Hewitt, who was responsible for the assembly and installation of the minting equipment, but the design and engraving credit clearly belongs to George T. Morgan. Morgan's initial even appears on the base of Wilson's bust on the obverse and and to the right of Juno's left foot on the reverse. We will never know exactly why Gilbert Perez credited the design to Clifford Hewett, but since he did, that credit has been propagated by many other authoritative sources. Mr. Perez also described the reverse design as the figure of Liberty protecting and instructing beginners in the art of coining, holding in her right hand a pair of scales to demonstrate the absolute necessity for care and exactness in operation which all mint work demands. He got that wrong too, so his errant credit of the design to Mr. Hewitt may not be that surprising. Fact checking in the 1920s was not as rigorous as it is today.
3,700 of these medals were stuck in bronze, 2,200 in silver, and a small quantity in gold. The number stuck in gold is most commonly quoted as 5, although six are known to have been certified by the grading services and many very knowledgeable dealers maintain that even more uncertified examples exist. The 1934 treasurers report states that at the end of 1934, 1,053 of the silver and 2,117 of bronze medals remained unsold. Mint records from 1935-1938 do not provide the same level of detail as in 1934, but it is possible to speculate on how many of each remained unsold in 1938. Demand for these mint opening medals rose shaprly when the Commonwealth of the Philippines was born in 1935 and the three commemorative coins were issued in 1936. At the end of 1938, less than 700 silver medals and less than 1800 bronze medals remained in the treasure. This represents about 30% of the silver 48% of the bronze medals so it is very likely that 1,500 to 1,600 silver medals and 1,800 to 2,000 bronze medals may have escaped being dumped into the Pacific Ocean in 1941 to keep them from falling into enemy hands when Japan invaded the Islands. These pieces were salvaged after the war but were corroded by the exposure to sea water, and are often sold as “sea salvaged.” Many of those that escaped the ravages of the salt water have been cleaned, so pristine, unadulterated examples are relatively rare, particularly in Bronze.
This Medal
This particular medal is one of the 2,200 minted in silver and originally sold for $1.00 in 1920. I purchased this specimen raw and submitted it to NGC myself for certification and grading. I was very pleased with the result.
Date acquired: 4/12/2005 (raw medal)
Date graded: 6/23/2009 (self submitted to NGC)
References
- Coins, Medals and Tokens of the Philippines 1728-1974 by Aldo P. Basso, second edition Bookman Printing House, Quezon City, 1975
- Numismatic Notes And Monographs No. 8, The Mint of the Philippine Islands by Gilbert S. Perez, The American Numismatic Association, New York, NY, 1921
- United States Territorial Coinage for the Philippine Islands by Neil Shafer, Whitman Publishing Company Racine, Wisconsin, 1961
Rev. 11/6/2017
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View Coin
| Disappointed |
United States
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1C 1925 M USA-PHIL ALLEN-2.22
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NGC MS 63 RD
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Lyman Allen #2.22 (KM #163) - Mintage: 9,332,000
The 1925 Centavo is the first to be produced by the Manila mint with a mint mark. A sturdy looking block "M" was added at the suggestion of the well known numismatist, Dr. Gilbert S. Perez. These coins tend to be well struck and full red examples are available.
This coin is one of many well struck, full red coins struck from an easily identifiable die pair. The obverse exhibits a number of small surface blobs particularly above the letters "IP" and below the "N" in "FILIPINAS" which indicate that it was minted with a die pitted by rust. This is quite possibly because the die had been left over from 1922 and had been sitting idle for 3 years. This particular coin is a beautiful red example which would seem to deserve a higher grade if not for the scratch across the chest of the male figure on the obverse.
Varieties: None cataloged for this year.
Date acquired: 5/31/2009 (raw coin)
Date graded: 6/23/2009 (self submitted to NGC)
References:
- "The Numismatist," August 1939, pp.635. "Comment on the Philippine Coinage" by Dr. Gilbert S. Perez.
Rev. 12/10/2015
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View Coin
| Disappointed |
United States
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PESO 1909 S USA-PHIL ALLEN-17.04
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NGC MS 61
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Lyman Allen #17.04 (KM #172) - Mintage: 7,578,000
Date acquired: 2/18/2005 (Raw coin)
Date graded: 5/24/2012 (self submitted to NGC)
Rev.: 11/27/2015
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View Coin
| Satisfied |
United States
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50C 1906 USA-PHIL ALLEN-13.06
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NGC PF 63
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Lyman Allen #13.06 (KM #167) - Mintage: 500.
Proof mintage for this year was limited to 500 sets. Other than the 1906S Peso, no coins were produced for general circulation in 1906.
Unlike the three previous years, the 1906 proof sets were not made to order. Philippine Governor-General Henry C. Idle authorized 500 sets to be struck to satisfy the small collector demand for these sets. These sets were offered for sale by the Bureau of Insular Affairs and the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia well into the early 1930s'.
The seven coin Philippine proof sets were produced at the Philadelphia mint from 1903 through 1908 (excluding 1907), and were sold to the general public for $2.00 per set. At the time these sets were produced, there was no protective packaging. Each coin was individually wrapped in tissue paper and placed in a plain paper coin envelope. As a result, many proof coins exhibit micro thin hairline scratches as well as heavy toning. When combined with very low mintages, and low initial sales to the public, it's easy to see why fully gem proof coins are very rare.
This particular coin is a an exceptionally well preserved example of this rare date.
Date acquired: 10/27/2006 (raw coin)
Date graded: 5/24/2010 (self submitted to NGC)
References:
- Shafer, N. "United States Territorial Coinage for the Philippine Islands." Racine, Wisconsin: Whitman Publishing Company, 1961.
Rev. 2/9/2019
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View Coin
| Very Disappointed |
United States
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PESO 1908 S USA-PHIL ALLEN-17.03
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NGC AU 53
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Lyman Allen #17.03 (KM #172) - Mintage: 20,954,944
Really beautiful low grade AU Silver Peso.
Date acquired:5/2/2010 (raw coin)
Date graded: 5/24/2010 (self submitted to NGC)
Rev 1/2/2016
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View Coin
| Extremely Disappointed |
United States
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PESO 1904 S USA-PHIL ALLEN-16.04
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NGC AU Details
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Lyman Allen #16.04 (KM #168) - Mintage: 6,600,000
Total Mintage: 6,600,000
Reserved for Assay: 3,301
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Net available for circulation: 6,596,699
Estimated Recoined: ...........6,242,626
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Maximum possible surviving 357,195
Estimated Privately Melted: 25,000
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Estimated Surviving: 332,195 (5% of total minted)
In 1906, the price of silver had risen so significantly that the bullion value of the U.S. Philippine Peso exceeded the face value of One Peso. The weight, silver content, and size of all of the silver coin denominations were reduced by law and a massive recoining effort began in 1907. All of the silver coins held in the Philippine Treasury vaults were shipped back to San Francisco for melting and recoining into the new smaller, lower silver content coins. Over the next 6 years, the bulk of the higher silver content coins were removed from circulation and sent to San Francisco for recoining. These coins were still being removed from circulation even into the 1930, although the numbers were relatively small. The calculations below are based on the totals of all 1903-1905 pesos that were melted and recoined and are, at best, an estimate. Of all of the 6.6 million 1904-S pesos struck, it is estimated that only approximately 5% may still exist today.
This particular coin shows very little circulation and would likely have graded AU58 if not of the existence of some visible surface hairlines. It is a very appealing coin in hand with reflective field and subdued cartwheel luster.
Date acquired: 7/19/2008 (raw coin)
Date graded: 5/24/2010 (self submitted to NGC)
Rev. 3/15/2023
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View Coin
| Mildly Disappointed |
United States
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10C 1905 USA-PHIL ALLEN-7.05
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NGC PF 58
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Lyman Allen #7.05 (KM #165) - Mintage 471
Proof mintage for this year was limited to 471 sets making this the rarest of all of the Proof Centavos. The seven coin Philippine proof sets were produced at the Philadelphia mint from 1903 through 1908 (excluding 1907), and were sold to the general public for $2.00 per set. At the time these sets were produced, there was no protective packaging. Each coin was individually wrapped in tissue paper and placed in a plain paper coin envelope. As a result, many proof coins exhibit micro thin hairline scratches as well as heavy toning. When combined with very low mintages, and low initial sales to the public, it's easy to see why fully gem proof coins are very rare.
It is interesting to note that as in 1903 and 1904, 1905 proof sets were only minted on order. Obviously the novelty had worn off, and collector interest had declined so significantly that only 471 sets were ordered. By the end of 1905, all sets had been acquired by collectors and none remained for future purchase from the mint.
This coin, while far from perfect, is still a very attractive coin. In spite of the spots and light rub, it still exhibits a full proof luster and semi cameo effect. This coin was purchased raw and self submitted to NGC. I was hoping for better, but the PF58 grade is an appropriate one given its condition.
Date acquired: 2/10/2007 (raw coin)
Date graded: 5/24/2010 (self submitted to NGC)
References
- Shafer, N. "United States Territorial Coinage for the Philippine Islands." Racine, Wisconsin: Whitman Publishing Company, 1961.
Rev. 11/27/2015
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View Coin
| Extremely Happy |
United States
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1C 1918 S USA-PHIL LARGE S ALLEN-2.16a
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NGC AU 58 BN
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Lyman Allen #2.16a (KM #163) - Total Mintage: 11,660,000 ("Large S" Variety mintage unknown)
Depending on the source, there may be as many as 68 distinct varieties for all of the various dates in the US Philippines One Centavo series. The 1918 Large "S" variety is however the most well known and well documented. It is also the only variety deemed significant enough to be specifically included in the NGC Registry set definition.
The normal mint mark on these coins is between 1.2 and 1.3 millimeters tall and is centered between the dot and the rim. The "S" on the Large "S" variety is 2.0 millimeters tall and based on the size and shape, appears to have been produced using the punch intended for the Fifty Centavo pieces of the same year. A 1918 S Medium "S" variety with a mint mark measuring 1.5 millimeters in height is also known to exist as well as a Small "S" variety of unknown height.
This particular coin is dark brown with hints of red and orange and is a high grade AU example of this rare variety.
Varieties
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ALLEN-2.16a - Large "S"
Medium "S," as yet uncataloged. The "S" mint mark measures 1.5 millimeters in height.
Small "S," as yet uncataloged. The mint mark size is unknown, but noticeably smaller than the normal "S."
Date acquired: 3/05/2005 (raw coin)
Date graded: 12/3/2010 (self submitted to NGC)
Rev. 12/9/2015
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View Coin
| Very Happy |
United States
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50C 1903 USA-PHIL ALLEN-13.01
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NGC PF 63
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Lyman Allen #13.01 (KM #167) - Mintage: 2,558
Mintage for the first year of US/Philippine proof coin production was limited to 2,558 sets. The seven coin Philippine proof sets were produced at the Philadelphia mint from 1903 through 1908 (excluding 1907), and were sold to the general public for $2.00 per set. At the time these sets were produced, there was no protective packaging. Each coin was individually wrapped in tissue paper and placed in a plain paper coin envelope. As a result, many proof coins exhibit micro thin hairline scratches as well as heavy toning. When combined with very low mintages, and low initial sales to the public, it's easy to see why fully gem proof coins are very rare.
This particular coin has spectacular eye appeal. The fields are highly reflective, and the devices are almost cameo like in appearance, particularly on the reverse.
Date acquired: 3/16/2005 (raw coin)
Date graded: 12/6/10 (self submitted to NGC)
References:
- Shafer, N. "United States Territorial Coinage for the Philippine Islands." Racine, Wisconsin: Whitman Publishing Company, 1961.
Rev. 2/23/2015
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| Happy |
United States
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PESO 1912 S USA-PHIL ALLEN-17.07
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NGC AU 53
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Lyman Allen #17.07 (KM #172) - Mintage: 680,000
Date acquired: 8/9/2005 (raw coin)
Date graded: 12/3/2010 (self submitted to NGC)
Rev. 11/27/2015
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View Coin
| Extremely Disappointed |
United States
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1C 1905 USA-PHIL ALLEN-2.03
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NGC UNC Details
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Lyman Allen #2.03 (KM #163) - Mintage: 10,000,000
This issue is generally well struck, and uncirculated Red and RB specimens are relatively common.
This particular coin was purchased raw and self submitted to NGC. It’s a really stunning red coin, but alas NGC decided that the color has been artificially enhanced. I'm not TOO surprised, but I was hoping for the best when I sent it in.
Date acquired: 8/29/2006 (raw coin)
Date graded: 11/10/2011 (self submitted to NGC)
Rev: 1/2/2016
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View Coin
| Mildly Disappointed |
United States
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1C 1914 S USA-PHIL ALLEN-2.12
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NGC MS 63 BN
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Lyman Allen #2.12 - 1914S -(KM #163) - Mintage: 5,000,500
A very pleasing even toned example of this date.
Date acquired: 5/12/2009 (raw coin)
Date graded: 11/10/2011 (self submitted to NGC)
Rev 1/2/2016
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View Coin
| Very Happy |
United States
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1C 1916 S USA-PHIL ALLEN-2.14
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NGC MS 64 BN
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Lyman Allen #2.14 (KM #163) - Mintage: 4,330,000
The mintage for this coin is relatively high compared to many other S mint centavos, but it is not often seen for sale in any grade, let alone in an uncirculated state.
This is a beautiful, well struck, chocolate brown example of this relatively rare date.
Varieties
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ALLEN-2.14a Large "S" - This variety was always questioned by Lyman Allen, but was included in every edition of his catalog that I own. I think that PCGS may still certify this variety, although it is not on their list of recognized varieties. To my knowledge, NGC has never recognized this variety.
Date acquired: 9/26/2005 (raw)
Date graded: 11/10/2011 (self submitted to NGC)
rev. 12/25/2015
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| Very Happy |
United States
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1C 1931 M USA-PHIL ALLEN-2.28
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NGC MS 65 RB
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Lyman Allen #2.28 (KM #163) - Mintage: 5,659,355
This coin exhibits a soft strike with little high point definition, although the fingers on the right hand are discernible. The color and state of preservation are however excellent and it is a great red brown example of this date. As of this revision, there are only three graded higher by NGC, two MS65RD and one MS66RD. The coin was purchased raw for a modest sum in 2005 (which was less than a year after I began seriously collecting US/Philippine coins). Needless to say, I was very pleased with the results when I sent it to NGC for grading six years later.
Varieties
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ALLEN-2.28a - M/M Over mint mark. This variety is not recognized by either NGC or PCGS.
Date acquired: 7/15/2005 (raw coin)
Date graded: 11/10/2011 (self submitted to NGC)
Rev. 1/6/2019
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View Coin
| Happy |
United States
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1C 1932 M USA-PHIL ALLEN-2.29
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NGC MS 64 RD
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Lyman Allen #2.29 (KM #163) - Mintage: 4,000,000
1932 was another great year for One Centavos in Manila. Many well struck, full red examples of this coin are still available.
This coin exhibits some softness of high point detail, but the vibrant orange coppery color is eye popping. It is a beautiful RD example of this date.
Varieties: None cataloged for this year.
Date acquired: 7/22/2011 (raw coin)
Date graded: 11/10/2011 (self submitted to NGC)
Rev. 12/30/2015
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View Coin
| Very Disappointed |
United States
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SC$1 1920 HK-450 WILSON DOLLAR MANILA MINT OPENING ALLEN-M2 MANILA MINT OPENING
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NGC AU Details
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Philippines - 1920 HK-450 Bronze SC$1 Wilson Dollar / Manila Mint Opening - Allen #M2 (HK-450) - Mintage: 3,700
This piece is a bit of a stretch for my Minted in the USA set but is perfect to start off the Mint of the Philippine Islands set. It’s not a coin, nor was it struck at a mint in the USA. It was however struck in a new mint constructed in an insular territory of the United States of America. This so-called “Wilson Dollar” was very likely struck on July 15, 1920, to commemorate the opening day of the Philippine Mint in Manila which would be used almost exclusively to produce US/Philippine coinage.
The obverse is dominated by the portrait of President Woodrow Wilson who is identified only as the “PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.” It was designed by George T. Morgan and is a slightly abbreviated version of the design found on the second Wilson inauguration medal in the United States Mint Presidential series.
The female figure on the reverse is often assumed to be Liberty, since this is a U.S. Mint medal. Occasionally, she is identified as Justice, probably because of the scales she is holding in her right hand. Neither of these are correct however. The reverse (also designed by Morgan) actually depicts "Juno Moneta" protecting and instructing a novice in the art and science of coin production. Juno Moneta is the Roman Goddess of Good Counsel, whose name means "Adviser" or "Warner", a very appropriate choice for a medal commemorating the opening of a mint.
According the The British Museum, "The origins of the modern English words 'money' and 'mint' lie in ancient Rome. In the period of the Roman Republic, from about 300 BC onwards, coins were made near the temple of the goddess Juno Moneta. It was located on the Capitol (the modern Campidoglio), the citadel of Rome. The goddess's name, Moneta ('Warner' or 'Reminder') eventually came to refer to the place where the coins were made, the 'mint', and to its product, 'money', both of which derive ultimately from the Latin word moneta."
The design of the medal was first credited to Clifford Hewitt by noted numismatist and polymath Gilbert S. Perez who was present at the Philippine Mint on July 15, 1920 for the opening ceremonies. In 1921, he published his first person accounting of the events in Numismatic Notes And Monographs No. 8, The Mint of the Philippine Islands in which he stated Speaker Osmeña of the House of Representatives [...] struck off the first medal (designed by Mr. Clifford Hewitt) which was issued in commemoration of the opening. The medal was certainly struck under the direction of Mr. Hewitt, who was responsible for the assembly and installation of the minting equipment, but the design and engraving credit clearly belongs to George T. Morgan. Morgan's initial even appears on the base of Wilson's bust on the obverse and and to the right of Juno's left foot on the reverse. We will never know exactly why Gilbert Perez credited the design to Clifford Hewett, but since he did, that credit has been propagated by many other authoritative sources. Mr. Perez also described the reverse design as the figure of Liberty protecting and instructing beginners in the art of coining, holding in her right hand a pair of scales to demonstrate the absolute necessity for care and exactness in operation which all mint work demands. He got that wrong too, so his errant credit of the design to Mr. Hewitt may not be that surprising. Fact checking in the 1920s was not as rigorous as it is today.
3,700 of these medals were stuck in bronze, 2,200 in silver, and a small quantity in gold. The number stuck in gold is most commonly quoted as 5, although six are known to have been certified by the grading services and many very knowledgeable dealers maintain that even more uncertified examples exist. The 1934 treasurers report states that at the end of 1934, 1,053 of the silver and 2,117 of bronze medals remained unsold. Mint records from 1935-1938 do not provide the same level of detail as in 1934, but it is possible to speculate on how many of each remained unsold in 1938. Demand for these mint opening medals rose shaprly when the Commonwealth of the Philippines was born in 1935 and the three commemorative coins were issued in 1936. At the end of 1938, less than 700 silver medals and less than 1800 bronze medals remained in the treasure. This represents about 30% of the silver 48% of the bronze medals so it is very likely that 1,500 to 1,600 silver medals and 1,800 to 2,000 bronze medals may have escaped being dumped into the Pacific Ocean in 1941 to keep them from falling into enemy hands when Japan invaded the Islands. These pieces were salvaged after the war but were corroded by the exposure to sea water, and are often sold as “sea salvaged.” Many of those that escaped the ravages of the salt water have been cleaned, so pristine, unadulterated examples are relatively rare, particularly in Bronze.
This Medal
This particular medal is one of the 3,700 minted in Bronze and originally sold for $0.50 in 1920. I purchased this specimen raw and submitted it to NGC for certification and grading. I was a bit disappointed with the Details grade, but not too terribly surprised. It is not a sea salvaged piece, and despite the improper cleaning, the medal exhibits great color and eye appeal. In spite of the larger mintage, original bronze specimens are much more difficult to obtain than their silver counterpart. My search will continue.
Date acquired: 11/11/2011 (raw medal)
Date graded: 1/10/2012 (self submitted to NGC)
References
- Coins, Medals and Tokens of the Philippines 1728-1974 by Aldo P. Basso, second edition Bookman Printing House, Quezon City, 1975
- Numismatic Notes And Monographs No. 8, The Mint of the Philippine Islands by Gilbert S. Perez, The American Numismatic Association, New York, NY, 1921
- United States Territorial Coinage for the Philippine Islands by Neil Shafer, Whitman Publishing Company Racine, Wisconsin, 1961
Rev. 7/8/2023
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United States
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1C 1905 USA-PHIL ALLEN-2.03
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NGC MS 62 RB
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Lyman Allen #2.03 (KM #163) - Mintage: 10,000,000
Date acquired: 7/25/2006 (Raw coin)
Date graded: 9/26/2012 (self submitted to NGC)
rev. 1/1/2016
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United States
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1C 1911 S USA-PHIL ALLEN-2.09
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NGC UNC Details
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Lyman Allen #2.09 (KM #163) - Mintage: 4,803,000
This was advertised as an uncirculated red coin, and I thought it looked pretty good too. Unfortunately, NGC felt like the color of this coin had been enhanced. Alas, some fall short of expectations. Coins like this make me question my choice to pay extra for the scratch resistant holder.
Date acquired: 3/18/2012 (raw coin)
Date graded: 9/26/2012 (self submitted to NGC)
Rev. 1/1/2016
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United States
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1C 1920 S USA-PHIL ALLEN-2.18
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NGC MS 64 BN
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Lyman Allen #2.18 (KM #163) - Mintage: 2,500,000
This is the last of the One Centavo coins to be minted in San Francisco with the Territorial Reverse. Since the production of One Centavo coins also began in Manila in 1920, the quantity minted in San Francisco was significantly less than in preceding years. With only 2.5 million minted, these coins are quite difficult to obtain in mint state. So difficult in fact that, as of this revision date, no Red or Red Brown examples are listed in the NGC population report.
The reverse of this coin exhibits the streaking typical of many copper coins struck at the San Francisco mint between 1908 and 1924. While predominantly brown, it still displays hints of pale, brassy coloring and the so-called "woodgrain" streaks running diagonally across the reverse. This color and streaking can be attributed to either impurities in the alloy or concentrations of copper that did not mix completely with the tin and zinc. When the ingots were rolled into strips for blanking, these impurities or concentrations became elongated and appeared as streaks in the coins when they began to tone.
This brown coin is an exceptional example of this difficult issue. and It has great eye appeal. There are only four finer graded by NGC in MS65BN.
Varieties: None cataloged for this year.
Date acquired: 12/19/2011 (raw coin)
Date graded: 9/26/2012 (self submitted to NGC, encapsulated in the NGC Scratch Resistant Holder)
References:
- "San Francisco Mint Cents 1908-24" posted by David Lange, NGC Research Director on July 1, 2003 (http://www.ngccoin.com/news/viewarticle.aspx?IDArticle=726)
Rev. 12/10/2015
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United States
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1C 1922 USA-PHIL ALLEN-2.21
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NGC MS 63 BN
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Lyman Allen #2.21 (KM #163) - Mintage: 3,519,100
Despite the lack of a mint mark, these coins were minted at the U.S. Branch mint in Manila. This is the last of the three years that no mint mark was placed on coins minted at the Manila mint. The one centavo coin was the only denomination minted by the Manila mint in 1922 (with the exception of 18,435 coins for the Culion Leper Colony) and no coins of any denomination were minted in Manila in 1923 or 1924. When minting resumed in 1925, the "M" mint mark was added.
High grade examples of this date, while not plentiful, can be had, although full red specimens are very rare. As of this revision, NGC has graded no full red coins.
This coin exhibits a much better strike than normal for the early Manila mint issues. The shield on the reverse is full and well defined even on the left side. The obverse shows good definition in the hair and ear, and even some definition of the fingers on the right hand although not complete. It should also be noted from the images that the coin exhibits a slight die rotation.
There are virtually no contact marks in the fields or devices on either side of the coin. Even the right leg on the obverse has no marks or scratches on it which would lower the grade, so it's really unclear to me why it did not receive a numeric grade higher than MS63. It looks like a 64 to me.
Varieties: None cataloged for this year.
Date acquired: 9/26/2008 (raw coin)
Date graded: 9/26/2012 (self submitted to NGC, encapsulated in the NGC Scratch Resistant Holder)
Rev. 12/27/2015
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United States
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1C 1928 M USA-PHIL ALLEN-2.25
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NGC MS 64 RD
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Lyman Allen #2.25 (KM #163) -Mintage: 9,150,000
Beautiful mellow red coin that was purchased raw on 7/12/2007. It was submitted to NGC for grading on 9/26/2012.
Date acquired: 12/2/2007 (raw coin)
Date graded: 9/26/2012 (self submitted to NGC, encapsulated in the NGC Scratch Resistant Holder)
Rev. 12/27/2015
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United States
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1C 1938 M USA-PHIL Repunched 1 in date ALLEN-3.02a
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NGC MS 64 RB
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Lyman Allen #3.02a (KM #179) - Total Mintage: 10,000,000 (Variety mintage unknown)
This coin is an exceptionally well struck 1938 One Centavo. It also exhibits a very boldly doubled "1" in the date and should have been designated as Allen-3.02a on the label. Unfortunately, NGC does not recognize this Allen variety and consequently did not identify it as such when the coin was graded.
The vast majority of Commonwealth reverse Centavos minted in Manila are very weakly struck, so it is rare that the banner containing the phrase "Republic of the Philippines" is fully struck. The word "of" on the highest point is almost never present and quite often, the entire left side of the banner is virtually blank. Every word on the banner of this coin is fully stuck and clearly readable and this quality deserves to be noted on the label just like the strike designators FH for Standing Liberty quarters or FBL for Full Bell Line Franklin Halves. Unfortunately, NGC does not seem receptive to adding a Full Banner (FB) designation for coins bearing the Commonwealth reverse at this time.
Despite the obvious variety, and truly exceptional strike, the label shows nothing more than the grade of MS64RB even though the variety designation was requested when it sent it in for grading. That said, the grade received is reasonably good.
Date acquired: 8/15/2005 (Raw coin)
Date graded: 9/26/2012 (self submitted to NGC)
Rev. 12/30/2015
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United States
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1C 1938 M USA-PHIL Repunched 1 in date ALLEN-3.02a
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NGC MS 66 RB
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Lyman Allen #3.02a (KM #179) - Total Mintage: 10,000,000 (Variety mintage unknown)
This coin is noteworthy for so many reasons. 1938 is the first year for the final version of the "M" Manila mint mark. The straight sided M of 1937 did not strike up well and was revised in 1938 to appear as an inverted "W". This particular coin is exceptionally well struck and also exhibits a very boldly doubled "1" in the date which should have been designated as Allen-3.02a on the label. Unfortunately, NGC does not currently recognize this Allen variety and consequently did not identify it as such when the coin was graded.
The vast majority of Commonwealth reverse Centavos minted in Manila are very weakly struck, so it is rare that the banner containing the phrase "Republic of the Philippines" is fully struck. The word "of" on the highest point is almost never present and quite often, the entire left side of the banner is virtually blank. Every word on the banner of this coin is fully stuck and clearly readable. The obverse of this coin is equally well struck. Most notable are the fingers on the man's right hand, followed by his hair, ear, eyes, nose and the toes on his right foot. The only other coins I've seen showing this much obverse detail and definition have been proof coins. It is unfortunate that this quality of reverse strike does not receive the same recognition as Full Head( FH) Standing Liberty quarters or for Full Bell Line(FBL) Franklin Halves. It would be nice if the grading services would add a "Full Banner" (FB) designation for coins bearing the Commonwealth reverse or a "Full Right Hand" (FRH) for the common obverse.
This is the finest struck commonwealth coin I have ever seen with the possible exception of a couple of commemorative coins struck in 1936. There are only two others graded MS66RB and one coin finer in MS66RD but I doubt if any of them are as well struck as this one.
Varieties:
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ALLEN-3.02 - Normal date and mint mark.
ALLEN-3.02a - Strongly doubled "1" in the date.
Date acquired: 10/04/2009 (raw coin)
Date graded: 9/26/2012 (self submitted, encapsulated in the NGC Scratch Resistant Holder)
Date regraded: 9/25/2018 ( resubmitted to MS at NGC. MS65RB ==> MS66RB)
Rev. 9/25/2018
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N.E.INDIES
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CENT 1945S N.e.indies KM-317
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NGC MS 66 RD
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Netherlands East Indies - 1945S 1 Cent - KM #317 Mintage 102,568,000
59,852,000 minted in 1945
42,716,000 minted in 1946, but still dated 1945
Obverse: 3/4 spray around hole in center with value below.
Obverse Legend: NEDERLANDSCH INDIE (Netherlands Indies) and date
Reverse: Arabic text reiterating the denomination of the coin with flowers below hole.
Reverse Legend: Javanese text reiterating the denomination of the coin.
Edge: Plain
This coin was minted by the San Francisco mint during World War II for the Dutch colony now known as Indonesia, and it even bears the "S" mint mark just below the date on the right side of the obverse. It also has the Palm tree privy mark (to the left of the denomination) which was used by the Dutch mints to distinguish similar looking coinage intended for the colonies from that intended for circulation in the The Netherlands where the acorn privy mark was used. The Palm Tree appears on nearly all colonial coinage even though in this case there would have been no confusion given the reverse of this coin.
An interesting characteristic of the One Cent coins in this series is that they appear to be struck with medalic rotation while all of the other denominations struck for the Netherlands East Indies were struck with the normal "coin" rotation.
These coins are not rare, but full red specimens are not all that common. NGC has graded only 7 in red, 5 at 66 and 2 at 67.
Date acquired: 3/22/2008 (Raw coin)
Date graded: 9/26/2012 (Self submitted to NGC).
Rev. 9/22/2019
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N.E.INDIES
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2.5C 1945P N.e.indies KM-316
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NGC MS 65 RD
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Netherlands East Indies - 1945P 2 1/2 Cents - KM #316 - Total Mintage:200,000,000
117,706,000 minted in 1945
82,294,000 minted in 1946 but still dated 1945
Obverse: Crowned Shield from the coat of arms dividing the date
Obverse Legend: NEDERLANDSCH INDIE (Netherlands Indies), denomination below
Reverse: Arabic text reiterating the denomination of the coin.
Reverse Legend: Javanese text reiterating the denomination of the coin.
Edge: Plain
This coin was minted by the Philadelphia mint during World War II for the Dutch colony now known as Indonesia, and it even bears the "P" mint mark just below the "45" in the date on the right side of the obverse. It also has the Palm tree privy mark ( below the "19" in the date) which was used by the Dutch mints to distinguish similar looking coinage intended for the colonies from that intended for circulation in the The Netherlands where the acorn privy mark was used. The Palm Tree appears on nearly all colonial coinage even though in this case there would have been no confusion given the reverse of this coin.
The primary element on the obverse is the central shield from the Dutch coat of arms topped by the Dutch royal crown. The background (field) of the shield is azure which is a dark royal blue that is represented by horizontal lines in engraving. Also part of the background is gold billetty which are vertically oriented gold blocks, twice as long as they are wide, arranged in rows but not directly underneath each other. A hatched pattern of dots is used in engraving to represent the gold color of the billets. The lion is rampant (standing on his back legs), crowned with a coronet, and is also gold with a red tongue and red claws. In his sinister (left front) paw he is holding seven silver arrows bound together with a gold ribbon, representing the seven provinces of the Union of Utrecht. In his dexter (right front) paw he is brandishing a silver sword with a golden hilt representing the determination to defend their liberty.
There are currently four at this level with six finer graded by NGC.
Date acquired: 8/20/2007 (raw coin)
Date graded: 9/26/2012 (self submitted to NGC)
Rev. 9/22/2019
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United States
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1C 1915 S USA-PHIL ALLEN-2.13
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NGC MS 62 BN
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Lyman Allen #2.13 (KM #163) - 1915 S - Mintage: 2,500,000
Given the mintage, it is unclear why this coin is one of the keys to the One Centavo series. None of my reference material provides any explanation as to the low extant population. It is difficult to find in any grade and exceptionally difficult to find a reasonably priced example that has graded AU or above. The 1908S, with a slightly lower mintage is relatively plentiful by comparison. Full red mint state examples seem to be non-existent and red-brown examples are exceptionally rare. Certified examples graded MS60 and above are predominately brown and rarely seen.
This particular coin is reasonably well struck. It also exhibits the light horizontal wood grain toning across the top of the obverse that is common to many copper coins produced by the San Francisco mint from 1908 through 1924. It has only two distracting marks: one in the field below the letters "NT" in CENTAVO and a slight discoloration to the left of the anvil. This coin was acquired raw and self submitted to NGC for grading. Needless to say, I was ecstatic about the outcome!
Varieties:
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ALLEN-2.13a - S/S (Horned S) This variety was added in the 2012 7th Edition of the U.S./Philippine Coins by Lyman L. Allen, Updated and Edited by Tom Culhane. This variety is recognized by both NGC and PCGS.
Date acquired: 12/15/2011 (raw)
Date graded: 11/12/2012 (self submitted to NGC)
Rev. 1/19/2023
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United States
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5C 1903 USA-PHIL ALLEN-4.01
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NGC PF 64
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Lyman Allen #4.01 (KM #164) - Mintage: 2,558
Mintage for the first year of US/Philippine proof coin production was limited to 2,558 sets. The seven coin Philippine proof sets were produced at the Philadelphia mint from 1903 through 1908 (excluding 1907), and were sold to the general public for $2.00 per set. At the time these sets were produced, there was no protective packaging. Each coin was individually wrapped in tissue paper and placed in a plain paper coin envelope. As a result, many proof coins exhibit micro thin hairline scratches as well as heavy toning. When combined with very low mintages, and low initial sales to the public, it's easy to see why fully gem proof coins are very rare.
This particular coin has spectacular eye appeal. The fields are highly reflective, and the devices are almost cameo like in appearance, particularly on the reverse. Coins like this one are always difficult to portray in pictures. In hand, you can move it around with respect to the light source and really experience the contrast between the mirror surfaces and the the devices. Any two dimensional representation gives just a glimpse of the potential beauty. Some slight haze and spotting may have kept this coin from attaining a PF65 grade. There are no noticeable scratches or marks in the fields or devices, with one possible exception. The planchet appears to have been flawed below the 19 in the date on the reverse and above the letters "E CE" in FIVE CENTAVOS above the male figures head on the obverse. The flaw appears almost like an embedded wire wrapped around the edge of the coin on the fields, but disappears beneath the letter "C" and some of the denticles. It's a most curious anomaly, and one that I am not able to explain. I'd be happy to hear from anyone that can shed some light on what may have caused it!
Varieties: None cataloged for this proof issue.
Date acquired: 3/15/2005 (raw coin)
Date graded: 11/12/2012 (self submitted to NGC)
References:
- Shafer, N. "United States Territorial Coinage for the Philippine Islands." Racine, Wisconsin: Whitman Publishing Company, 1961.
Rev. 1/2/2016
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United States
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5C 1904 USA-PHIL ALLEN-4.02
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NGC PF 64
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Lyman Allen #4.02 (KM #164) - Mintage: 1,355
Proof mintage for this year was limited to 1,355 sets. The seven coin Philippine proof sets were produced at the Philadelphia mint from 1903 through 1908 (excluding 1907), and were sold to the general public for $2.00 per set. At the time these sets were produced, there was no protective packaging. Each coin was individually wrapped in tissue paper and placed in a plain paper coin envelope. As a result, many proof coins exhibit micro thin hairline scratches as well as heavy toning. When combined with very low mintages, and low initial sales to the public, it's easy to see why fully gem proof coins are very rare.
Proof sets in 1904 were struck on order. In addition to the 1,355 regular proof sets, another 10,000 uncirculated sets were ordered by the well known numismatist Farran Zerbe to be sold at the Philippine Exhibit at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis in1904. Supply far exceeded demand for these uncirculated sets, and only 3,254 were sold at the exposition. The remaining 6,746 sets were shipped to the Philippines where another 500 were sold by the Treasury. The 6,246 unsold sets were ultimately released into general circulation.
This coin is a very pleasing example of this rare date.
Date acquired: 9/10/2005 (raw)
Date Graded: 11/12/2012 (self submitted to NGC)
References:
- Shafer, N. "United States Territorial Coinage for the Philippine Islands." Racine, Wisconsin: Whitman Publishing Company, 1961.
Rev. 12/14/2015
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ECUADOR
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1C 1928 KM-67
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NGC MS 65 RD
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Ecuador - 1 Centavo - (KM #67, EC #113) - Mintage 2,016,000
Although these coins are all dated 1928, they were actually minted in April and May of 1929.
April...1,050,000
May........966,000
Ecuador began adopting a decimal coinage system in 1874 with the minting of one and two centavo coins at the Mint in Birmingham, England. The transition was completed on March 22, 1884 with the creation of the silver sucre coin which was equivalent to 100 centavos. The sucre remained the official unit of currency in Ecuador for 116 years until the President of Ecuador announced on January 9, 2000 that the US dollar would be adopted as Ecuador's official currency.
Ecuadorian President Isidro Ayora introduced a new monetary system in 1927 based on a reduced size, weight, and fineness sucre. In 1928, the country had the U.S. mint produce seven different denominations ranging from one centavo to two sucres. A gold Condor, (equivalent to 25 sucres) was also minted by the Birmingham mint making a total of eight different denominations minted for that year. The new sucre was nicknamed the Ayora after the President. Likewise, the new silver 50 centavos coin became known as the Lauritas after his wife Laura. The Sucre was worth 20 U.S. cents at the time.
The Ecuadorian government had contracted with the U.S. Mint for a total of 34,500,000 coins of various denominations to be struck at Philadelphia, all dated 1928. The mint struck these coins "at their convenience" starting with the silver 2 Sucres, 1 Sucre, and 50 centavos in early 1928 through August or September. The nickel 10, 5, and 2 1/2 centavos coins were struck next from October 1928 through April 1929, and finally the one centavo coins in April and May of 1929. The requested mintage of all denominations was fully struck with the exception of the one centavos. Only 2,016,000 of the requested 5,000,000 were actually struck. The centavos were shipped in 144 boxes to the Banco Centraol del Ecuador, Guayaquil by The Guaranty Trust Company of New York sometime between the beginning of June and the end of July 1929. This was the final shipment of 12 for all of the coins dated 1928.
Obverse
These coins were minted for the "Republica Del Ecuador" by the Philadelphia mint, however no mint marks were used on the minor coinage produced for Ecuador in Philadelphia. Ecuador dictated the various elements of their coat of arms, but the actual rendering of these elements by the various mints which produced their coins can vary greatly from mint to mint. In this case the central elements of the ship, water and mountain look more like an ocean going vessel sailing away from a mountainous coastline rather than the river steamship Guayas, sailing the Guayas river with the snow capped Chimborazo volcano in the distant background. There is also no Caduceus appearing as a mast on the ship, an aspect which seems to have eluded all but one mint. The following is a depiction of the 1841 steamship Guayas for comparison:
Reverse
The reverse of this coin is very simple, containing only the denomination 1 CENTAVO surrounded by a Laurel wreath.
This coin
This coin was purchased raw and self submitted to NGC. The first time I sent it in, it came back in a bag with a label proclaiming it as having been lacquered. I did some research, and found that it was not uncommon for coins of this era to be lacquered in order to preserve their color, but that it is fairly easy to remove. I sent it back to NGC with a stop at NCS for conservation. The second time, this beautiful MS65RD coin came back. The lacquer that had darkened over time preserved the original copper color, and it looks like it just popped out of the press. As of this revision, the NGC population in MS65RD is 4 with none finer, and only one with a higher numeric grade at MS66RB. It is a beautiful coin and well worth the second trip to Florida.
Date acquired: 8/26/2007
Date graded: 11/12/2012 (self submitted to NGC)
References:
Seppa, Dale and Anderson, Michael, the COINS of ECUADOR (second edition), Almanzar's Coins of the World, San Antonio, 1973.
"Shipping Coins to Ecuador", The Numismatist February, 1929, p. 63.
"Guaranty Trust Company Ships Coins to Ecuador", The Numismatist August, 1929, p. 531.
Rev. 6/22/2020
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United States
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1C 1863
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NGC MS 63
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1863 Indian Head, Copper-Nickel Cent - Mintage:
Beautiful uncirculated example. Well struck with full feather tips on nearly all of the feathers in the headdress. Note the die crack that runs through the lower portion of the reverse. It starts in the lower left in the denticles and runs all the way through the center ribbon.
I'm defiantly out of my element here, but I fail to see why this coin did not receive a higher grade, The rims are solid and square and there's not a mark I can see on the fields or the devices. I've got no frame of reference, so I really don't know what it takes to garner a 64 or 65.
Date acquired: 4/15/2005 (raw coin)
Date graded: 2/7/2013 (self submitted to NGC)
Rev 1/3/2016
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United States
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$1 1896 VAM-2 KM-110
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NGC MS 63
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1896 - VAM-2 - Mintage: 9,967,762
This coin exhibits a pleasing peripheral toning over semi-prooflike surfaces. This coin was part of my grandfathers hoard of silver coins that he accumulated over his whole life.
Date acquired: 11/27/1999 (raw coin) (family hoard coin)
Date graded: 2/7/2013
Rev. 2/7/2013
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United States
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$1 1904 O VAM-1
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NGC MS 63
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1904-0 - VAM-1 - Mintage: 3,720,000
This coin is a nice white coin with semi-prooflike surfaces.
Date acquired: 1/19/1997 (raw coin)
Date graded: 2/7/2013 (self submitted to NGC)
Rev 2/7/2013
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United States
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10C 1945 D DDR USA-PHIL ALLEN-9.05c
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NGC AU 58
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Lyman Allen #9.05c (KM #181) - Doubled Die Type #2. Total Mintage: 137,208,000 (variety mintage unknown)
General
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The 1945D 10 Centavo piece has the highest mintage of any US/Philippine era coin, and is one of only two issues exceeding a mintage of 100,000,000 (the other being the 1944S One Centavo which was minted in both 1944 and 1945, but only dated 1944). The high mintage of coins in 1944 and 1945 was necessary since virtually all previously issued coinage had disappeared during the Japanese occupation. Because of the high demand, dies were used well beyond their normal life and pieces struck from highly eroded dies are very common.
High mintage figures often imply common coins, but also provide the opportunity for some highly collectable varieties! With 137,208,000 minted by the US Mint in Denver, it's not surprising that there are a number of die varieties. Lyman Allen lists three in addition to the normal date:
Varieties
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9.05 - Normal date
9.05a - Repunched mint mark D/D (This Coin) Even within this variety, at least 4 sub-types exist with various orientations of the initial and secondary mint mark punches. Over the years, I have acquired examples of North-South (near), South-North (far), South-North (near), and Northwest-Southeast orientations.
9.05b - Doubled Die Obverse type 1. This variety is easily identified by the dramatic doubling of "UNITED", "STATES", all four digits of the date, and the bottom tip of the shield.
9.05c - Doubled Die Obverse type 2. This doubled die variety is not nearly as dramatic as 9.05b, but can still be identified with minimal magnification. There is a very slight doubling of "45" in the date, doubling of all of the letters in "UNITED", doubling of the letters "STAT" in STATES, and slight doubling of the letters "MER" in AMERICA.
In addition to the three varieties that have been cataloged, there is at least one other significant obverse doubled die variety in which all of the "P"s in the scroll text of "COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES" are very noticeably doubled.
This Coin
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This particular 9.05c exhibits a typical soft strike although the dies were not heavily eroded due to extended use that is typical of the 1945 D issue. As of this revision, this is the finest and only specimen to have been graded by either NGC or PCGS.
Date acquired: 2/21/2007 (raw coin)
Date graded: 12/20/2012 (self submitted to NGC)
Rev. 11/29/2015
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United States
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20C 1903 USA-PHIL ALLEN-10.01
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NGC PF 63
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Lyman Allen #10.01 (KM #166) - Proof Mintage 2,558
Mintage for the first year of US/Philippine proof coin production was limited to 2,558 sets. The seven coin Philippine proof sets were produced at the Philadelphia mint from 1903 through 1908 (excluding 1907), and were sold to the general public for $2.00 per set. At the time these sets were produced, there was no protective packaging. Each coin was individually wrapped in tissue paper and placed in a plain paper coin envelope. As a result, many proof coins exhibit micro thin hairline scratches as well as heavy toning. When combined with very low mintages and low initial sales to the public, it's easy to see why fully gem proof coins are very rare.
This particular coin is a very nice example with clean reflective fields and semi-cameo devices.
Date acquired: 4/18/2005 (raw coin)
Date graded: 12/20/2012 (self submitted to NGC)
References:
- Shafer, N. "United States Territorial Coinage for the Philippine Islands." Racine, Wisconsin: Whitman Publishing Company, 1961.
Rev. 12/3/2015
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United States
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20C 1907 USA-PHIL ALLEN-11.01
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NGC MS 64
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Lyman Allen #11.01 (KM #170) - Mintage: 1,250,651
The 1907 Twenty Centavos are distinctive because they are the first reduced size and weight coins in the series and the last to be minted by the Philadelphia mint for general circulation. A sharp rise in the price of silver in 1906 caused the bullion value of all of the U.S. Philippine silver coins to significantly exceed their face value. There were laws prohibiting the melting and export of silver coins, but they proved ineffective and legislative action was needed to prevent the export of silver and keep coins in circulation.
The U.S. Congress passed an Act "for the purpose of preventing the melting and exportation of the silver coins of the Philippine Islands as a result of the high price of silver" on December 6, 1906. This act reduced the weight and fineness of all of the U.S. Philippine silver coins and provided for the recall of all circulating silver coins for shipment back to the United State for re-coining.
The Twenty Centavo coins minted from 1907 onward were reduced from 5.385 Grams (83.1 grains), of .900 fineness silver (ASW 0.1558 oz.) to 4.0 grams (61.72 grains), of .750 fineness silver (ASW 0.0964 oz.). The size of the Twenty Centavos was also reduced in diameter from 23 mm to 20 mm.
This particular coin is well struck with breast feathers visible on the eagle's chest, and a full evenly struck set of stars and stripes on the the shield. The obverse is not quite as well struck as the reverse and shows some flattening of the hair, breast, high point center-line, and both hands. The toes on the left foot however are all distinct and very well struck. The fields on both sides of the coin are relatively clean and the coin is deserving the MS64 grade it received. As of this revision, the NGC population in MS64 is 6 with none finer.
Date acquired: 2/16/2012 (raw coin)
Date graded: 12/20/2012 (self submitted to NGC)
Rev. 12/6/2015
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United States
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PESO 1907 S USA-PHIL ALLEN-17.01
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NGC MS 62
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Lyman Allen #17.01 (KM #172) - Mintage: 10,278,000
Nice toned example of this relatively common date.
Date acquired: 9/24/2010 (raw coin)
Date Graded: 12/20/2012 (self submitted to NGC)
Rev. 11/27/2015
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United States
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20C 1904 S USA-PHIL ALLEN-10.04
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NGC MS 62
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Lyman Allen #10.04 (KM #166) - Mintage: 2,060,000
This coin looks much nicer in hand than the pictures would indicate.
Date acquired: 9/30/2007 (raw coin)
Date graded: 1/3/2013
Rev. 1/2/2016
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United States
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20C 1929 M USA-PHIL ALLEN-11.19
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NGC AU 58
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Lyman Allen #11.19 (KM #170) - Mintage: 1,970,000 (1,885,000 released to the Treasury)
Released by the Mint to the Treasury in 1929: 825,000
Released by the Mint to the Treasury in 1930: 720,000
Released by the Mint to the Treasury in 1931: 340,000
Unaccounted for by the Mint:..................................85,000
The 1929M 20 Centavos is not particularly rare, but it has an interesting history and several easily identifiable varieties.
According to the 1929 Philippine Treasury report, the mint operated for the full year to meet an increased demand that began late in 1928. Many 20 centavo coins were probably struck early in the year, transferred to the Treasury and released into circulation fairly quickly. Demand must not have been as strong as anticipated though, because by the end of 1929, only 825,000 of the 1,970,000 reported struck had been transferred to the Treasury for release into circulation.
The section of the 1930 Treasury report about the Philippine Mint activities provides an explanation of why when it states that The weighing of the balance of the 20-centavo coins minted in 1929, which for lack of time could not be weighed in the automatic weighing machine, was completed this year. The mint superintendent goes on to state that PhP68,000.00 (representing 340,000 coins) of the 1929 20 centavos remain in the custody of the mint at the end of 1930. Although it is not explicitly stated, the implication is that during the course of 1930, 805,000 more of the 1929 20 centavos had been transferred to the Treasury for release into circulation. The treasury accounting section reports however that only 720,000 20 centavo coins were transferred to the Treasury in 1930, Doing the math, this leaves 85,000 1929M 20 Centavo coins unaccounted for. The 1931 Treasury report does not address this issue, and only shows the final 340,000 20 centavo coins being transferred to the Treasury. Subsequent Treasure reports never address the missing 85,000 coins. The number struck by the mint remains 1,970,000, but the Treasury only officially received 1,885,000 for release into circulation. We may never discover a definitive explanation for the discrepancy, but there are several possibilities.
- The initial mintage may have been incorrectly reported.
- The number of 20 centavos held in the treasury began growing substantially in 1931, so the 85,000 20 centavo coins may have languished in the mint vaults only to be melted as feed stock for later silver coinage beginning in 1935.
- 85,000 coins may have simply disappeared from the mint in 1930.
Many varieties of this coin exist, and it is actually difficult to find a decent example of a normal coin! This one is very nearly mint state, but just not quite there. I suspected this when I sent it in, but was hoping for the best.
Allen Varieties
ALLEN-11.19 - Normal date and mint mark.
ALLEN-11.19a - RPM M/M. (This variety is illusive at best. Neither NGC nor PCGS have certified an example of this variety.)
ALLEN-11.19b - Triple punched "2" aka 2/2/2 Both NGC and PCGS have certified examples of this variety.
ALLEN-11.19c - RPD 9 aka 1929/9 - Both NGC and PCGS have certified examples of this variety.
Date acquired: 9/24/2006
Date graded: 1/3/2013 (self submitted to NGC)
Rev. 8/23/2022
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United States
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20C 1938 M USA-PHIL ALLEN-12.02
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NGC MS 63
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Lyman Allen #12.02 (KM #182) - Mintage: 3,000,000
Date acquired: 8/14/2005 (raw coin)
Date graded: 1/3/2013 (self submitted to NGC)
Rev. 1/2/2016
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United States
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50C 1903 USA-PHIL ALLEN-13.01
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NGC MS 61
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Lyman Allen #13.01 (KM #167) - Mintage: 3,099,061
Date acquired 7/22/2005 (raw coin)
Date graded: 1/3/2013 (Self submitted to NGC)
Rev. 12/24/2015
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United States
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50C 1921 USA-PHIL ALLEN-14.10
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NGC MS 61
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Lyman Allen #14.10 (KM #171) - Mintage: 2,316,763
Date acquired: 4/7/2005 (raw coin)
Date graded: 1/3/2013 (self submitted to NGC)
Rev. 12/31/2015
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United States
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S$1 1995 W EAGLE ANNIVERSARY SET KM-273
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NGC PF 69 ULTRA CAMEO
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1995-W Silver Eagle - Mintage: 30,125
1995 was the first year that the US Mint produced more than one proof example of the American Silver Eagle. The 1995-P was easy to obtain, since it was sold individually. All I needed was the 1995-W silver proof to keep my collection complete, but the only way to get one directly from the mint was to buy the entire "American Eagle 10th Anniversary Gold and Silver Bullion Proof Set" which at the time cost around $1,000. There was no way I could afford that, so like many others I had little choice but to accept that there would be a perpetual hole in my collection. eBay had just barely come into existence and was certainly not yet the "go to" place to search for coins, but I was an avid reader of Coin World. In early 1996 I started seeing 1995W Proof Silver Eagles being offered by a few dealers and then a few more, so I started saving my money. Every week, I'd scour the ads hoping I had enough to buy one. Unfortunately, whenever I thought I was close, the prices would go up. Finally, in January 1997, my savings managed to outpace the price increases and I snagged the prize.
Elsie Viola Kachel and the lawyer/poet Wallace Stevens were married in 1909 and sometime thereafter, they moved into an apartment in a brownstone on New York's lower west side. The building was owned by a German-born sculptor named Adolph Weinman. Weinman had a rooftop studio and asked Elsie to model for him around 1913. She was 27 at the time, and if my calculations are correct, that means she would have been born in 1886. It seems quite fitting then that Weinman's beautiful half dollar design was resurrected exactly 100 years later for the American Silver Eagle. I had had this coin for a LONG time, and finally decided to submit it when NGC offered their limited time 25th Anniversary Black holder. The grade was no big surprise considering that fewer than 8 out of 100 receives the coveted PF70UC. Still, she looks pretty nice in black!
Date acquired: 1/15/1997 (raw coin)
Date graded: 12/20/2012 (self submitted to NGC)
Rev. 4/8/2014
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United States
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1C 1903 USA-PHIL ALLEN-2.01
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NGC PF 65 BN
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Lyman Allen #2.01 (KM #163) - Mintage: 2,558
Mintage for the first year of US/Philippine proof coin production was limited to 2,558 sets. The seven coin Philippine proof sets were produced at the Philadelphia mint from 1903 through 1908 (excluding 1907), and were sold to the general public for $2.00 per set. At the time these sets were produced, there was no protective packaging. Each coin was individually wrapped in tissue paper and placed in a plain paper coin envelope. As a result, many proof coins exhibit micro thin hairline scratches as well as heavy toning. When combined with very low mintages and low initial sales to the public, it's easy to see why fully gem proof coins are very rare.
This particular coin exhibits a very clear strike on both obverse and reverse with no distracting marks on either side and just a bit of proof luster underneath the brown patina. This is the first proof US/Philippine coin I acquired. It was an eBay auction and was not listed as a proof, but the seller had done a great job of photographing his coins. The pictures were so good that it was easy to see the squared off rims, full facial detail (including the ear,), complete toes on the right foot and the complete well defined fingers on the right hand on the obverse. The detail on the reverse is just as impressive. The eagle's wing tips, head, and claws are very well defined, and all 13 stars and stripes on the shield are evenly struck and perfectly defined. Given all of these pick up points, I was very confident that I was bidding on a proof coin and not a regular production strike. I waited nearly 8 years to have it graded because I thought it would only garner a PF63BN, even purchasing a PF64RB that was "pre-slabbed." I sent it in on a whim, and now I'm very glad I did!
Date acquired: 3/3/2005 (raw coin)
Date graded: 1/14/2013 (self submitted to NGC)
References:
- Shafer, N. "United States Territorial Coinage for the Philippine Islands." Racine, Wisconsin: Whitman Publishing Company, 1961.
Rev. 10/1/2018
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| Extremely Happy |
United States
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1C 1904 USA-PHIL ALLEN-2.02
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NGC PF 65 RB
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Lyman Allen #2.02 (KM #163) - Mintage: 1,355
Proof mintage for this year was limited to 1,355 sets. The seven coin Philippine proof sets were produced at the Philadelphia mint from 1903 through 1908 (excluding 1907), and were sold to the general public for $2.00 per set. At the time these sets were produced, there was no protective packaging. Each coin was individually wrapped in tissue paper and placed in a plain paper coin envelope. As a result, many proof coins exhibit micro thin hairline scratches as well as heavy toning. When combined with very low mintages and low initial sales to the public, it's easy to see why fully gem proof coins are very rare.
Proof sets in 1904 were struck on order. In addition to the 1,355 regular proof sets, another 10,000 uncirculated sets were ordered by the well known numismatist Farran Zerbe to be sold at the Philippine Exhibit at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis in1904. Supply far exceeded demand for these uncirculated sets, and only 3,254 were sold at the exposition. The remaining 6,746 sets were shipped to the Philippines where another 500 were sold by the Treasury. The 6,246 unsold sets were ultimately released into general circulation.
This coin is a very pleasing, well preserved gem Red-Brown example of this rare date.
Date acquired: 6/7/2005 (raw coin)
Date graded: 1/14/2013 (self submitted to NGC)
References:
- Shafer, N. "United States Territorial Coinage for the Philippine Islands." Racine, Wisconsin: Whitman Publishing Company, 1961.
Rev. 12/7/2015
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