Owner Comments:
Lyman Allen #9.04 (KM #181) - Mintage: 31,592,000
General
The Denver mint produced nearly 10 times as many 10 Centavo coins in 1944 as the Manila Mint commonly had in it's most prolific years. As substantial as that mintage is, it's nothing compared to what was to come in 1945. 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 collectable varieties! With 31,592,000 minted by the US Mint in Denver, it's not surprising that there are a number of die varieties. The Allen Catalog lists three in addition to the normal date:
This Coin
This particular coin is the normal date variety. It is a well preserved specimen and none have been graded higher by NGC. This is a very common date, and MS66 is also the most frequent grade assigned by NGC. The strike is not particularly strong, and the banner is incomplete. Some die erosion is noticeable, but it had not progressed too far when this coin was struck.
Varieties
9.04 - Normal date (This coin)
9.04a -
Repunched mint mark D/D. 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), North-South (far), West-East, and Southeast-Northwest orientations.
9.04aa - Repunched mint mark D/D/D. The mint mark is dramatically repeated three times with the first far north, the second to the south, and the third and dominant "D" in the normal position.
9.04b - Repunched 9. This is the only 10 Centavo Allen variety that I do not personally have an example of, so I am unable to describe it further.
Date acquired: 9/17/2009 (Already graded by NGC)
References
- Shafer, N. "United States Territorial Coinage for the Philippine Islands." Racine, Wisconsin: Whitman Publishing Company, 1961.
Rev. 11/16/2020