Set Description
Annual Report of the Secretary of the Treasury on the State of the Finances for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 1945
Exhibit 47
Joint statement of the Treasury, War, Navy, and Interior Departments, November 16, 1944, announcing new series of Philippine currency and coins
United States Army and Navy forces in the Philippines are using a new "Victory Series" of Philippine currency and a new 1944 series of Philippine coins prepared in anticipation of the military operations now in progress. The currency, as in prewar days, was produced by the United States Bureau of Engraving and Printing, and the coins were manufactured by the United States Mint, at the request of the Philippine Commonwealth Government.
The new series of notes bears the signature of the Philippine President, Sergio Osmena, who took office as President on August 1, 1944, upon the death of President Manuel L. Quezon. Plans of the Commonwealth Government for supplying the currency requirements of the armed forces were perfected in consultation with the Treasury and other interested United States departments.
The new series of currency consists of Philippine Treasury certificates in the denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, and 20 pesos, of the same basic design as the Treasury certificates in use before the Japanese invasion, with the new designation "Victory Series No. 66" on the face of the notes. The seal of the Commonwealth and the serial numbers, previously printed in red, now appear in blue. On the reverse of each note the word "Victory" is printed over the design in large open-faced black letters.
The new 1944 coins consist of 50, 20, and 10 centavo silver pieces of the same composition as the prewar Philippine coins. In the 5 centavo coin, an alloy commonly referred to as "nickel silver alloy" has been substituted for the prewar "cupro-nickel alloy," and the new 1 centavo piece is made of an alloy consisting of 95 percent copper and 5 percent zinc, in place of the prewar alloy of 95 percent copper, 4 percent zinc, and 1 percent tin, to conserve metals in short supply.
At the time of the Japanese invasion, the design of the reverse side of all Philippine coins was being changed from the seal of the United States to the seal of the Philippines, in preparation for independence. The new coins supplied to the armed forces all carry the Commonwealth seal on the reverse side. Otherwise the designs are the same as those used in 1941.
The prewar exchange rate, 2 pesos to $1, is being resumed by the liberating forces. Most of the currency reserves of the Philippine Commonwealth and other balances of the Philippine Treasury were on deposit in the United States at the time of the Japanese invasion and were therefore protected against Japanese looting.
As in prewar days, every 2 pesos of the new Philippine treasury certificates is backed by 1 United States dollar on deposit in the United States, and in addition the Commonwealth maintains an exchange stabilization fund amounting to between 15 and 25 percent of the currency in circulation to protect the value of the peso against exchange fluctuations.
Note the italicized text in the second bold paragraph above. This is only the second official government document I've seen that explicitly identifies the reverse of the U.S. Philippine coins as the shield/date side of the coin.
Set Goals
all regular issue and varieties of U.S. Philippine coins struck in 1944. Only lacking the 1944S/S 50 Centavos (Allen-15.01a) to complete the set.
Rev. 10/22/2022
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View Coin
| A-3.06 |
United States
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1C 1944 S USA-PHIL ALLEN-3.06
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NGC MS 67 RD
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Lyman Allen #3.06 (KM #179) - Total Mintage: 136,485,798
58,000,000 - minted August-December 1944
78,485,798 - minted January-March 1945 (still dated 1944)
The Philippine Mint in Manila sustained heavy damage on December 7, 1941 from Japanese aerial bombardment and additional damage in 1945 during the Battle of Manila which liberated the city. During the Japanese occupation, much of the coinage was seized and melted, so a nearly complete replacement was necessary.
In preparation for the liberation of the islands, the U.S. Treasury department ordered the U.S. Mints to strike all denominations from the one centavo through 50 centavos. While all three active mints were utilized for the task, the one centavo coins were struck exclusively in San Francisco. The San Francisco mint ceased production of Lincoln cents at the end of July 1944 to concentrate all of its copper based production on Philippine one-centavo coins. Production of one centavo coins began in August 1944 and continued through March 1945, with all centavos dated 1944. This is the only Commonwealth obverse One Centavo to be produced in San Francisco, yet, with over 136 million minted, this one date figure comes close to the entire one centavo production of the Manila mint!
Another unique aspect of this centavo is the change in its metallic composition exclusive to this year. Due to the war, this centavo was made without tin. The alloy was composed of 95% copper and 5% zinc.
Given the quantity minted, all levels of strike quality can be found. Many however can be found with a near perfect strike, including the word "of" in the scroll just above the date. As one might expect with a mintage this high, red gem pieces are relatively easy to obtain. This particular coin is an exceptionally well struck full red example of this otherwise very common date.
A common side effect of high mintage is often a significant number of identifiable varieties and the 1944-S Centavo is no exception. There are at least 4 well known varieties for this date detailed below.
Varieties
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ALLEN-3.06 - Normal date and mint mark.
ALLEN-3.06a - Doubled Die Reverse #1. The word "STATES" is noticeably doubled. This variety is recognized by both PCGS and NGC.
ALLEN-3.06aa - Doubled Die Reverse #2. There is doubling of the letters "IPPINES" in the scroll as well as of the scroll itself. The letters "AMERICA" (most noticeably the "M" and "C") are also doubled. This variety is not recognized by either PCGS or NGC. This variety is recognized by both PCGS and NGC.
ALLEN-3.06b - Base of last 4 missing at left side. This variety is recognized by PCGS but not by NGC.
Uncatalogued. - Triple punched last 4 in date. This variety is relatively well known, but has not been identified in the Allen catalog. It is not recognized by any of the major grading services. I have several of these and they are quite easy to recognize.
Date acquired: 9/14/2013 (raw coin)
Date graded: 1/3/2014 (self submitted to NGC)
Date regraded: 9/25/2018 (resubmitted to MS at NGC MS66RD ==> MS67RD)
References:
- Shafer, N. "United States Territorial Coinage for the Philippine Islands." Racine, Wisconsin: Whitman Publishing Company, 1961.
Rev. 9/17/2020
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View Coin
| A-3.06a |
United States
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1C 1944 S DDR USA-PHIL ALLEN-3.06a
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NGC MS 65 RB
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Lyman Allen #3.06a (KM #179) - Official Mintage: 58,000,000 - Mint records indicate an additional mintage of 78,485,798 centavos in 1945, but there is no indication that they were dated 1945. No centavos dated 1945 have ever been reported and there is no indication that the centavos minted in 1945 were destroyed. Taking into account their extraordinary availability, it is most likely that these centavos were actually dated 1944. That would bring the total mintage for 1944-S centavos to 136,485,798.
The Manila Mint sustained heavy damage on December 7, 1941 from Japanese aerial bombardment and additional damage in 1945 during the Battle of Manila which liberated the city. During the Japanese occupation, much of the coinage was seized and melted. In preparation for the liberation of the islands, the Treasury department ordered the Mint to strike all denominations from the one centavo through 50 centavos. While all three active mints were utilized for the task, the one centavo coins were only struck in San Francisco. This is the only Commonwealth obverse One Centavo to be produced in San Francisco, yet, with over 136 million minted, this one date figure comes close to the entire one centavo production of the Manila mint!
Another unique aspect of this centavo is the change in its metallic composition exclusive to this year. Due to the war, this centavo was made without tin. Instead, it is composed of 95% copper and 5% zinc.
Given the quantity minted, all levels of strike quality can be found. Many however can be found with a near perfect strike, including the word "of" in the scroll just above the date. As one might expect with a mintage this high, red gem pieces are relatively easy to obtain. This particular coin is an exceptionally well struck cherry red example of the rarest of the varieties for this date. The characteristics of the doubled die obverse #1 are listed below.
A common side effect of high mintage is often a significant number of identifiable varieties and the 1944-S Centavo is no exception. There are at least 4 well known varieties for this date detailed below.
NGC has used this coin for the closeup variety photos on the 1944 S USA-PHIL 1C ALLEN-3.06a Variety Plus web page. As of this revision, NGC has graded only this coin, and PCGS has graded two at this grade with none finer.
Varieties
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ALLEN-3.06 - Normal date and mint mark.
ALLEN-3.06a - Doubled Die Obverse #1. The word "STATES" is noticeably doubled. This variety is recognized by both PCGS and NGC.
ALLEN-3.06aa - Doubled Die Obverse #2. There is doubling of the letters "IPPINES" in the scroll as well as of the scroll itself. The letters "AMERICA" (most noticeably the "M" and "C") are also doubled. This variety is recognized by both PCGS and NGC.
ALLEN-3.06b - Base of last 4 missing at left side. This variety is recognized by PCGS but not by NGC.
Uncatalogued. - Triple punched last 4 in date. This variety is relatively well known, but has not been identified in the Allen catalog. It is not recognized by any of the major grading services. I have several of these and they are quite easy to recognize.
Date acquired: 11/21/2006 (raw coin)
Date graded: 10/12/2017 (self submitted to NGC)
References:
- Shafer, N. "United States Territorial Coinage for the Philippine Islands." Racine, Wisconsin: Whitman Publishing Company, 1961.
Rev. 9/17/2020
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View Coin
| A-3.06aa |
United States
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1C 1944 S DDR USA-PHIL ALLEN-3.06aa
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NGC MS 65 RD
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Lyman Allen #3.06aa (KM #179) - Official Mintage: 58,000,000 - Mint records indicate an additional mintage of 78,485,798 centavos in 1945, but there is no indication that they were dated 1945. No centavos dated 1945 have ever been reported and there is no indication that the centavos minted in 1945 were destroyed. Taking into account their extraordinary availability, it is most likely that these centavos were actually dated 1944. That would bring the total mintage for 1944-S centavos to 136,485,798.
The Manila Mint sustained heavy damage on December 7, 1941 from Japanese aerial bombardment and additional damage in 1945 during the Battle of Manila which liberated the city. During the Japanese occupation, much of the coinage was seized and melted. In preparation for the liberation of the islands, the Treasury department ordered the Mint to strike all denominations from the one centavo through 50 centavos. While all three active mints were utilized for the task, the one centavo coins were only struck in San Francisco. This is the only Commonwealth obverse One Centavo to be produced in San Francisco, yet, with over 136 million minted, this one date figure comes close to the entire one centavo production of the Manila mint!
Another unique aspect of this centavo is the change in its metallic composition exclusive to this year. Due to the war, this centavo was made without tin. Instead, it is composed of 95% copper and 5% zinc.
Given the quantity minted, all levels of strike quality can be found. Many however can be found with a near perfect strike, including the word "of" in the scroll just above the date. As one might expect with a mintage this high, red gem pieces are relatively easy to obtain. This particular coin is an exceptionally well struck cherry red example of the rarest of the varieties for this date. The characteristics of the doubled die obverse #2 are listed below.
A common side effect of high mintage is often a significant number of identifiable varieties and the 1944-S Centavo is no exception. There are at least 4 well known varieties for this date detailed below.
Varieties
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ALLEN-3.06 - Normal date and mint mark.
ALLEN-3.06a - Doubled Die Obverse #1. The word "STATES" is noticeably doubled. This variety is recognized by both PCGS and NGC.
ALLEN-3.06aa - Doubled Die Obverse #2. There is doubling of the letters "IPPINES" in the scroll as well as of the scroll itself. The letters "AMERICA" (most noticeably the "M" and "C") are also doubled. This variety is recognized by both PCGS and NGC.
ALLEN-3.06b - Base of last 4 missing at left side. This variety is recognized by PCGS but not by NGC.
Uncatalogued. - Triple punched last 4 in date. This variety is relatively well known, but has not been identified in the Allen catalog. It is not recognized by any of the major grading services. I have several of these and they are quite easy to recognize.
Date acquired: 4/26/2013 (already graded by ANACS)
Date crossed: 9/28/2016 (self submitted to NGC)
References:
- Shafer, N. "United States Territorial Coinage for the Philippine Islands." Racine, Wisconsin: Whitman Publishing Company, 1961.
Rev. 9/17/2020
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View Coin
| A-3.06b |
United States
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1C 1944 S USA-PHIL Broken Base "4" ALLEN-3.06b
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PCGS MS 67 RD
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Lyman Allen #3.06b (KM #179) - Official Mintage: 58,000,000 - Mint records indicate an additional mintage of 78,485,798 centavos in 1945, but there is no indication that they were dated 1945. No centavos dated 1945 have ever been reported and there is no indication that the centavos minted in 1945 were destroyed. Taking into account their extraordinary availability, it is most likely that these centavos were actually dated 1944. That would bring the total mintage for 1944-S centavos to 136,485,798.
The Manila Mint sustained heavy damage on December 7, 1941 from Japanese aerial bombardment and additional damage in 1945 during the Battle of Manila which liberated the city. During the Japanese occupation, much of the coinage was seized and melted. In preparation for the liberation of the islands, the Treasury department ordered the Mint to strike all denominations from the one centavo through 50 centavos. While all three active mints were utilized for the task, the one centavo coins were only struck in San Francisco. This is the only Commonwealth obverse One Centavo to be produced in San Francisco, yet, with over 136 million minted, this one date figure comes close to the entire one centavo production of the Manila mint!
Another unique aspect of this centavo is the change in its metallic composition exclusive to this year. Due to the war, this centavo was made without tin. Instead, it is composed of 95% copper and 5% zinc.
Given the quantity minted, all levels of strike quality can be found. Many however can be found with a near perfect strike, including the word "of" in the scroll just above the date. As one might expect with a mintage this high, red gem pieces are relatively easy to obtain. This particular coin is an exceptionally well struck full red MS67 example of this otherwise very common date variety.
A common side effect of high mintage is often a significant number of identifiable varieties and the 1944-S Centavo is no exception. There are at least 4 well known varieties for this date detailed below.
Varieties
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ALLEN-3.06 - Normal date and mint mark.
ALLEN-3.06a - Doubled Die Reverse #1. The word "STATES" is noticeably doubled. This variety is not recognized by either PCGS or NGC.
ALLEN-3.06aa - Doubled Die Reverse #2. There is doubling of the letters "IPPINES" in the scroll as well as of the scroll itself. The letters "AMERICA" (most noticeably the "M" and "C") are also doubled. This variety is not recognized by either PCGS or NGC.
ALLEN-3.06b - Base of last 4 missing at left side. This variety is not recognized by either PCGS or NGC.
Uncataloged. - Triple punched last 4 in date. This variety is relatively well known, but has not been identified in the Allen catalog. It is not recognized by any of the major grading services. I have several of these and they are quite easy to recognize.
Date acquired: 7/24/2016 (Already graded by PCGS)
References:
- Shafer, N. "United States Territorial Coinage for the Philippine Islands." Racine, Wisconsin: Whitman Publishing Company, 1961.
Rev. 8/2/2016
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| A-6.04 |
United States
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5C 1944 USA-PHIL ALLEN-6.04
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PCGS MS 65
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Lyman Allen #6.04 (KM #180a) - Mintage: 21,198,000
This coin is exceptionally well struck on the reverse with the word "OF" fully legible on the banner and all of the surface detail of the sea lion also fully visible. This detail is virtually never seen. The obverse however is a bit poorly struck by comparison, yet much better than the vast majority of 5 Centavo coins struck by the Manila Mint. The obverse has some small nicks on the high points and the hands are not fully struck up which most likely led to an MS65 grade instead of MS66. MS66 graded coins for this year are extremely rare, and MS65 are not much more common, so I feel lucky to have obtained this coin.
Date acquired: 3/7/2010 (already graded by PCGS)
Rev. 2/5/2013
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| A-6.05 |
United States
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5C 1944 S USA-PHIL ALLEN-6.05
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PCGS MS 67
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Lyman Allen #6.05 (KM #180a) - Mintage: 14,040,000
This coin is an exceptionally well struck and well preserved example of this common date. It appears to have been struck from fresh dies since all of the peripheral lettering is sharp and very well defined. The sea lion shows nearly all of the intended surface detail that is almost never seen even on the very finest struck coins. The word "OF" on the highest point of the banner below the shield is present which is very rare on the Commonwealth obverse. The reverse is just as full of high point detail. The hair, ear and toes of the right foot are sharp and clear. Even the fingers of the right hand are well defined. The surface of this coin is nearly flawless with only one small nick on the cheek and another just above the plume of the volcano on the reverse.
Despite the exceptionally high mintage, MS67 is the highest grade awarded to the 1944S 5 Centavos by either NGC or PCGS. As of this revision, this coin is tied with only 6 others graded by PCGS with none finer. NGC has graded none above MS66.
Date acquired: 9/1/2013 (already graded by PCGS)
Rev. 9/2/2013
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View Coin
| A-9.04 |
United States
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10C 1944 D USA-PHIL ALLEN-9.04
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NGC MS 66
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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
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View Coin
| A-9.04a |
United States
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10C 1944 D/D USA-PHIL ALLEN-9.04a
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NGC MS 64
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Lyman Allen #9.04a RPM (KM #181) - Mintage: 31,592,000 (Variety mintage unknown)
General
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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 several 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. Lyman Allen lists three in addition to the normal date:
Varieties
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9.04 - Normal date
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.
This Coin
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This particular coin is the North-South (far) RPM variety. It is a well preserved specimen and only one has been graded higher by NGC. The strike is not particularly strong, and the banner is incomplete.
Date acquired: 5/26/2015 (Already graded by NGC)
Rev. 5/26/2015
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View Coin
| A-9.04aa |
United States
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10C 1944 D/D/D USA-PHIL ALLEN-9.04aa
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NGC AU 58
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Lyman Allen #9.04aa RPM (KM #181) - Mintage: 31,592,000 (Variety mintage unknown)
General
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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 several 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. Lyman Allen lists three in addition to the normal date:
Varieties
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9.04 - Normal date
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.
This Coin
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This particular coin is the D/D/D variety. It is a reasonably well preserved specimen and is currently the only one graded by NGC. The strike is not particularly strong, and the banner is incomplete.
Date acquired: 11/10/2013 (raw coin)
Date graded: 8/4/2022 (self submitted to NGC)
Rev. 8/22/2022
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View Coin
| A-12.04 |
United States
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20C 1944 D USA-PHIL ALLEN-12.04
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NGC MS 66
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Lyman Allen #12.04 (KM #182) - Mintage: 28,596,000
General
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The Denver mint produced nearly 10 times as many 20 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 several collectable varieties! With 28,596,000 minted by the US Mint in Denver, it's not surprising that there are a number of die varieties. Lyman Allen lists two in addition to the normal date:
Varieties
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12.04 - Normal date (This coin)
12.04a - Repunched mint mark D/S. The underlying "S" is very difficult to make out and generally just appears as a spike on the inside, emanating from the curved portion of the "D."
12.04b - Repunched mint mark D/D. The doubling is much more noticeable that the D/S variety, but seems to be much rarer.
This Coin
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This particular coin is the normal date variety. It is a well preserved specimen and few have been graded higher by NGC. This is a very common date, and MS64 and MS65 graded specimens are the most common, but MS66 graded coins are not particularly rare. The strike is typical for this issue, and the banner is incomplete. Some die erosion is noticeable around the peripheral lettering on the reverse, but it had not progressed too far when this coin was struck.
Date acquired: 6/18/2012 (already graded by NGC)
Rev. 12/1/2015
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View Coin
| A-12.04a |
United States
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20C 1944 D/S USA-PHIL ALLEN-12.04a
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NGC MS 65
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Lyman Allen #12.04a (KM #182) ) - Mintage: 28,596,000 (Variety Mintage unknown)
General
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The Denver mint produced nearly 10 times as many 20 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 several collectable varieties! With 28,596,000 minted by the US Mint in Denver, it's not surprising that there are a number of die varieties. Lyman Allen lists two in addition to the normal date:
Varieties
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12.04 - Normal date (This coin)
12.04a - Repunched mint mark D/S. The underlying "S" is very difficult to make out and generally just appears as a spike on the inside, emanating from the curved portion of the "D."
12.04b - Repunched mint mark D/D. The doubling is much more noticeable that the D/S variety, but seems to be much rarer.
This Coin
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This particular coin is the 12.04a, D/S variety. It is a well preserved specimen and relatively few have been graded higher by NGC. The strike is typical for this issue, and the banner is incomplete. No die erosion is noticeable around the peripheral lettering on either side of the coin, so it must have been struck from relatively fresh dies.
Date acquired: 12/25/2012 (already graded by NGC)
Rev. 12/1/2015
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View Coin
| A-12.04b |
United States
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20C 1944 D/D USA-PHIL ALLEN-12.04b
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NGC MS 62
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Lyman Allen #12.04b (KM #182) - Mintage: 28,596,000 (Variety Mintage unknown)
General
------------------------------------------------
The Denver mint produced nearly 10 times as many 20 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 several collectable varieties! With 28,596,000 minted by the US Mint in Denver, it's not surprising that there are a number of die varieties. Lyman Allen lists two in addition to the normal date:
Varieties
------------------------------------------------
12.04 - Normal date (This coin)
12.04a - Repunched mint mark D/S. The underlying "S" is very difficult to make out and generally just appears as a spike on the inside, emanating from the curved portion of the "D."
12.04b - Repunched mint mark D/D. The doubling is much more noticeable that the D/S variety, but seems to be much rarer.
This Coin
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This particular coin is the 12.04b, D/D variety. It is one of five graded by NGC with only two graded higher. The strike is typical for this issue, and the banner is incomplete. Very little die erosion is noticeable around the peripheral lettering on the reverse of this coin, so it must have been struck from relatively fresh dies.
Date acquired: 1/22/2013 (already graded by NGC)
Rev. 12/1/2015
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View Coin
| A-15.01b |
United States
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50C 1944 S USA-PHIL OBVERSE OF 1907-1921 ALLEN-15.01b
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NGC MS 65
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Lyman Allen #15.01b (KM #183) - OBVERSE OF 1907-1921 - Mintage: 19,187,000 (Variety Mintage Unknown)
The Manila Mint sustained heavy damage on December 7, 1941 from Japanese aerial bombardment and additional damage in 1945 during the Battle of Manila which liberated the city. During the Japanese occupation, much of the coinage was seized and melted. In preparation for the liberation of the islands, the Treasury department ordered the Mint to strike all denominations from the one centavo through 50 centavos. While all three active US mints were utilized for the task, the 50 centavo coins were only struck in San Francisco. The 1944S and 1945S 50 Centavo coins are the only Commonwealth reverse 50 Centavos produced with the exception of 20,000 commemorative 50 Centavos produced by the Manila mint in 1936 .
These coins are not at all rare in grades up through MS65, but are quite rare at MS66 and above. As of this revision, a total of 124 have been graded by NGC. 17 have been awarded MS66 with only 3 higher at MS67. PCGS has graded a total of 112 with 12 as MS66 and 3 as MS67. This is quite different than the 1945S where a total of 152 have been graded by NGC with MS66 as the most common grade with a population of 49. The MS67 population is 25, which means it is much easier to obtain an NGC MS67 1945S than it is to obtain an MS66 1944S!
A common side effect of high mintage is often a significant number of identifiable varieties and the 1944S 50 Centavos is no exception. There are only two documented ALLEN varieties for this date which are detailed below. There are however quite a few more that are undocumented.
Varieties
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ALLEN-15.01 - Normal date and mint mark.
ALLEN-15.01a - S/S doubled mint mark.
ALLEN-15.01b - Type-I obverse (style of 1907-1921)
A few years ago, I acquired several 1944S US/Philippines 50 Centavo pieces that have a slightly different obverse (figure side) than normal. I wish I could claim to have discovered this difference myself, but they were actually listed on eBay by a dealer in the Philippines as having the "Reverse of 1921" (actually the figure side). This obverse is most easily identified by the shape and lines of the Mt. Mayon volcano. The earlier volcano has very prominent lines spreading down the slope from the summit to the base and is flat or slightly concave. The later volcano lacks definition, has no lines, and is a bit convex in shape. The latter is the most common variety. The early style obverse appears only on coins dated 1944 and has never been seen on those dated 1945.
This coin is a two year type since 1944 is the first year that the common (i.e. non-commemorative) obverse was paired with the Commonwealth reverse. As is common with many first year issue coins, there were issues that caused the designs on both sides of the coin to be poorly struck. I suspect that during the first week or so of production at the San Francisco mint, these problems became apparent and a request was made to the engravers in Philadelphia to modify the design so that it would be more fully struck.
As of September 30, 2015, NGC now officially recognizes this variety as part of the VarietyPlus program and this particular coin is the first one (and until March 3, 2016, the only one) to be so designated. The high resolution images appearing on the VarietyPlus page are of my coin.
In addition to actual die varieties, there are an amazing number of varieties stemming from damaged dies. The dies used to produce these coins were utilized long past their normal service life. Signs of die erosion and broken dies are quite common. Die breaks occur in and above the letters in the word FILIPINAS, and above the 9 in the date. The letter "S" in FILIPINAS can be filled in the upper or lower portion, and it is not uncommon to see both filled in.
This Coin
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This coin is the "OBVERSE OF 1907-1921" variety with none of the common die breaks found in the word FILIPINAS, and no bar over the 9 in the date. It is reasonably well struck for this variety and reasonably well preserved. There is some minor discoloration, but the fields are reasonably clean with only minor contact marks on the devices. Although this variety has been recognized by collectors for quite some time, this is the first one to be attributed on the label by either PCGS or NGC. You will find no other with this style (aka vintage) of NGC label.
Date acquired: 11/13/2011 (raw coin)
Date graded: 9/12/2014 (self submitted to NGC, variety not recognized despite an indication that it would be)
Date attributed: 9/30/2015 (resubmitted to NGC for variety attribution)
References:
- Shafer, N. "United States Territorial Coinage for the Philippine Islands." Racine, Wisconsin: Whitman Publishing Company, 1961.
Rev. 10/15/2020
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View Coin
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United States
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50C 1944 S USA-PHIL ALLEN-15.01
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NGC MS 67
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Lyman Allen #15.01 (KM #183) - Mintage: 19,187,000
The Manila Mint sustained heavy damage on December 7, 1941 from Japanese aerial bombardment and additional damage in 1945 during the Battle of Manila which liberated the city. During the Japanese occupation, much of the coinage was seized and melted. In preparation for the liberation of the islands, the Treasury department ordered the Mint to strike all denominations from the one centavo through 50 centavos. While all three active US mints were utilized for the task, the 50 centavo coins were only struck in San Francisco. The 1944S and 1945S 50 Centavo coins are the only Commonwealth reverse 50 Centavos produced with the exception of 20,000 commemorative 50 Centavos produced by the Manila mint in 1936 .
These coins are not at all rare in grades up through MS65, but are quite rare at MS66 and above. As of this revision, a total of 115 have been graded by NGC. 17 have been awarded MS66 with only 3 higher at MS67. PCGS has graded a total of 105 with 12 as MS66 and 3 as MS67. This is quite different than the 1945S where a total of 148 have been graded by NGC with MS66 as the most common grade with a population of 47. The MS67 population is 25, which means it is more that twice as easy to obtain an NGC MS67 1945S as it is to obtain an MS66 1944S! A grade of MS67 is exceptionally rare considering the large sample that has been graded.
A common side effect of high mintage is often a significant number of identifiable varieties and the 1944S 50 Centavos is no exception. There are only two documented ALLEN varieties for this date which are detailed below. There are however quite a few more that are undocumented.
Varieties
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ALLEN-15.01 - Normal date and mint mark.
ALLEN-15.01a - S/S doubled mint mark.
A few years ago, I acquired several 1944S US/Philippines 50 Centavo pieces that have a slightly different obverse (figure side) than normal. I wish I could claim to have discovered this difference myself, but they were actually listed on eBay by a dealer in the Philippines as having the "Reverse of 1921" (actually the figure side). This obverse is most easily identified by the shape and lines of the Mt. Mayon volcano. The earlier volcano has very prominent lines spreading down the slope from the summit to the base and is flat or slightly concave. The later volcano lacks definition, has no lines, and is a bit convex in shape. The latter is the most common variety.
In addition to actual die varieties, there are an amazing number of varieties stemming from damaged dies. The dies used to produce these coins were utilized long past their normal service life. Signs of die erosion and broken dies are quite common. Die breaks occur in and above the letters in the word FILIPINAS, and above the 9 in the date. The letter "S" in FILIPINAS can be filled in the upper or lower portion, and it is not uncommon to see both filled in.
This Coin
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This coin is the normal date and volcano variety with none of the common die breaks found in the word FILIPINAS, and no bar of the 9 in the date. It is well struck and and has exceptional flashy eye appeal. The fields are nearly pristine, and there are only minor contact marks on the devices. The MS67 grade is well deserved.
Date acquired: 3/4/2014 (already graded by NGC)
Regraded: 8/12/2015 (upgraded from MS66 to MS67)
References:
- Shafer, N. "United States Territorial Coinage for the Philippine Islands." Racine, Wisconsin: Whitman Publishing Company, 1961.
Rev. 8/24/2015 (o/r)
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