Lot 3496 in upcoming January 2016 Heritage Auction in Tampa is one of the strangest numismatic errors that we - or for that matter any other numismatist - has ever seen. PCGS's label describes it as a No Date Mint Error dime, MS65, struck on a nail. It is immediately obvious when looking at it that it the striking dies were for a Roosevelt Dime, but many questions remain:
- How did the nail get into the Mint Machinery?
- Since a dime was struck on it, was it a 10 penny nail? (No, according to the description it was a 6 penny nail. Apparently the US Mint did not strike sixpence coins at the time.)
- Is MS65 a sharpness grade?
- Which side was hit by the hammer die?
- Is this piece tooled?
- Would it be cleaned with nail polish?
- Is this considered hammered coinage?
- What will the nail price be?
- What will the hammer price be?
Article by Stewart Huckaby
Updated：This “coin” sold for USD 42,300 !! (08/01/2015)
Updated：This “coin” sold for USD 42,300 !! (08/01/2015)
