Owner Comments:
1942/1 10C FS-101 MS66 Full Bands PCGS. CAC. At an earlier time, many numismatists understood little about the mechanism that produces such startling overdates as the 1918/7-D Buffalo nickel, the 1918/7-S Standing Liberty quarter, the 1943/2-P Jefferson nickel, and the 1942/1-P and D Mercury dimes. Lacking a detailed knowledge of the process of hub, die, and coin production and the procedures involved in moving from one calendar year's coinage to the next, it was an understandable assumption that the errors were produced simply by reengraving a digit for the later year over that of the earlier. However, the record should be set straight.
When the 1942/1-P and D errors were produced, the P-mint version, being much more bold and obvious, was recognized within a short time. When news of the 1942/1-P issue surfaced in Numismatic Scrapbook in March 1943, Chief Engraver John R. Sinnock suggested that the error was produced when a 1941 dime was overstruck with a 1942 die. Lange writes, "Perhaps realizing the incredible nature of this explanation, he [Sinnock] then presented readers of Hewitt's publication with a streamlined rendition of what is now known to have been the actual cause -- the use of two differently dated working hubs in the sinking of a single working die."
Lange continues with a direct quote from Sinnock, more credibly disputing the theory that a 1941 die might have been reengraved to read 1942:
"In September of each year we start engraving the numeral in the new master die for the following year. We have no punches for these numerals since they were sculptured in the first place we follow the individual style of each sculptor. From this master die a working 'hub' is drawn. This is re-touched if necessary, then hardened. This hub is used to fabricate all the working dies for that year. About one thousand dies with new date must be ready by January 1st of each year."
Hobbyists began examining 1942 dimes early on, explaining the number of AU examples known. However, true Mint State coins are rare. Full Bands examples are rarer yet. This splendid MS66 Full Bands dime is one of only nine such coins PCGS with none finer. CAC has endorsed only three of them (10/17).
The overdate is incredibly bold. The central horizontal bands are split and rounded, as are the top and bottom bands. Brilliant surfaces exhibit a hint of golden-gray color, while radiant frost washes over each side. This piece is simply the finest quality either obtainable or imaginable, a prize for the Registry Set collector or 20th century series enthusiast.