Letters to the Editor: August 6, 2019

June 25 Viewpoint

I thorougly enjoyed reading Dominic Cicio’s realistic and nostaligic Viewpoint in the June 25 issue of Numismatic News. He is spot-on regarding the pleasure derived by a find vs. a purchase. My 1912-S Lincoln cent, found with my father circa 1963 at an establishment we frequented, remains one of my greatest treasures. All San Francisco minted coins were scarce in change in rural southwestern Pennsylvania- and we found a 1912-S in a nice VF state of preservation! While I’m happy with my purchased slabbed 1909-S VDB and 1955 double die as they completed my set, the 1912-S is still my favorite Lincoln cent.

R. Vodney
Address withheld

What’s Wrong with Penny?

As a collector of coins for almost 60 years, I read with interest, and some amusement, Bill Tuttle’s Viewpoint in my July 2 edition of Numismatic News.Despite being a long-term coin collector, I too normally refer to our one cent piece as a penny. So, what’s wrong with that?

I think it’s kind of neat that we reflect our British heritage when we use the term “penny.”Since the term has been used for so long, it is really a generic name -- just like when we were kids we would say we were going to get a Coke even though we planned to actually drink a Dr. Pepper, Pepsi, RC Cola, or even an orange soda.The term “coke” was just a generic name that we used for a soft drink of any kind.We use a generic name, or nickname, if you will, for other coins as well.

I doubt that Mr. Tuttle refers to a nickel as a five cent piece, or a dime as a ten cent piece, or a quarter as a 25 cent piece, at least in normal conversation. I don’t think anyone says, “please give me four twenty-five cent pieces for a dollar.”I did a children’s program at our church a while back. I showed the kids a picture of a Lincoln Cent and asked them what it was. They all said it was a penny. I asked them to find the word penny on the coin, and they were a little surprised when they couldn’t.

I told them the coin was actually a one cent coin, but that our fathers and forefathers had almost always referred to the coin as a penny due to our British heritage. I was actually using the cent as an introduction to show them the very important words “In God We Trust” that first appeared on the two cent coin in 1864 and is now a standard motto on all of our coins. At any rate, I understand Mr. Tuttle’s viewpoint, but I find nothing wrong with using the term “penny” and I expect to see that term used well into the future.

So, I ask again, what’s wrong with that?

E.B. Robinson
Iowa Park, Texas

In Response to
Missing Penny

In response to the Letter of the June 25 issue of NN “Missing Penny from Order:”

There are three points where the penny went astray:

1) At the destination. You would not report it unless someone else got it at your destination.

2) The delivery mechanism:The postal system. Report the tampering of the package and loss to the local postmaster.Inform the sender to report the loss.The USPS has postal inspectors that have great powers over what disappears within their realm.All who have lost their cents should be in contact with their local postmaster.

3) The source: Somewhere in the mint.Definitely report it to the mint. They ship insured and last time I ordered from them, I remember, it was shipped registered.The package is tracked. Since the item that was ordered did not arrive in the condition as described in the advertising, the mint owes the purchaser a new product on receipt of the defective one. And it now becomes a problem for the Secret Service to look into and the mint to report to their local postmaster.

The short of it is report it to the Postmaster and the Mint. Demand from the Mint a new penny (or the set it came in) and/or your money back.

Name and Address withheld

Nickel/Nickel
Statehood Quarter

I was wondering if you have heard of a Statehood quarter that is nickel/nickel. I can’t find any info anywhere and I found one years ago.

Ronald Lainko
N. Fort Myers, Fla.

The “W” Quarter

I have a problem that concerns the “W” quarter. In fact, it’s the Lowell Park quarter. I read an article by Ralph A. Fuller in a recent issue of NN about how they are “seeding” the “W” mintmarks. After reading his letter I was just as confused as I feel he was.

I had a Lowell 2019-W that I had received from where else but, “Wally World” in May of 2019, and at that time I couldn’t find anything on “W” mintages.

In the May 28 issue, p. 9, Skyline had them listed for sale at $25.00 each. But I have not been able to locate any info on further production or sale of the other two issues released to the public, or any mintages or value listed in any “Coin Market” section from June to July.

So, what is going on? Can collectors buy the “W” mintmark coins from the mint in rolls, bags, etc? If not, why? I have been a collector since the 1950’s and this has me confused.

Lynn Roberts
Mountain View, Ariz.

Editor’s Note:

Hello Lynn,

The US Mint announced in April that 10 million “W” mint mark ATB quarters will be put into circulation. They indicated that these quarters would be mixed into bulk bags of quarters and distributed to banks and financial institutions. They are not available for sale directly from the Mint in bags or rolls with just the “W” mint mark.