Owner Comments:
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