"Coin World Extra" Features doubled dies

[simonm]

Got a "Coin World Extra" magazine in the mail today. For those of you that don't, it's pretty much a mini-Coin World and only features 1-2 short articles.
I was surprised to see that the featured article in this one was titled "Seeing Double", and had a well-writted 4 page article on doubled dies. It focused mainly on the 1955, including a detailed story of how it got into circulation. Here is a shortened, paraphrased excerpt of the history behind the 1955 DDO.

On August 19th of 1955, the chief coiner (Sydney Engel) was approached by his assistant, who showed him an example of one of the thousands of 1955 DDOs minted, he faced the choice of releasing all the coins minted into circulation (10 million total cents, approximately 20,000 being the DDO) or melting them all down. He chose to release them.

The article then described how doubled dies are created. The article also featured the 1972P 1DO-001, and mentioned the 1969S DDO as well as the rare 1958 DDO. All in all it was great to see such a specific and somewhat unknown niche of the hobby have an article to itself. Do you guys think die variety searching will become more popular in the future? Will it stay more or less the same? Or will it dwindle?

Simon

[koinmon]

I think the hobby will pretty much decrease; due to the lack of interest by younger persons. Thanks for your post I've been a collector for over 40 years and did not know the 1955 was knowingl released.
George

[Rollem]

Well maybe old Sydney needs to return to work a few more years.
I saw the article in coin world and was pleasantly surprised.. I need to job at mint of removing doubled die coins from that catch box straight off the press.

If the hobby is reflected by forum growth then Yes it will increase.

It increased by one a couple years ago. I sold are gave away most all my other coins and started searching.

James

[hasfam]

I also believe it will increase or at least maintain momentum, and for many years to come. I think the 'hunter-gatherer' in us is genetic and will be passed down to many more generations. I would also add that when I jumped into varieties it was because I found it to be another way of keeping my interested in coin collecting and it offered something new to learn while I'm afraid there are some who jump in today because they see a quick buck to be made. It doesn't seem like some of those people really take the time to learn and appreciate the hobby for everything else it offers. But all in all and for whatever reason the hobby will never go away, IMHO.

[DCW]

While I think coin collecting in general will decrease, I believe there will be a marked increase in variety collecting among remaining collectors. I have always believed that when given the attention, these doubled dies, rpms, etc. will attract a broader audience. If you stop and think about it, at least in modern coinage, there will never be another "key date.". All circulating coinage is minted in the bazillions and is saved. The varieties, especially minor ones who become undetectable with wear, literally will disappear. And some major ones remain with pops in the dozens. Some with only a few known. Enter even a few hundred collectors into our exciting little niche, and supply could never support demand.

[copperlover]

As long as there is a buck to be made the hobby will be with us for some time. The greatest impediment to increase in collectors is that most new collectors are not taking the time to do the work required to be knowledgeable about die varieties. If they cant see an RPM or Doubled die with the naked eye then they don't think that it is worthwhile searching for these varieties.
What is needed is more exposure to varieties in the coin magazines.


Lucien

[1jackel1]

Hi. i do believe that this little hobby of coin collecting of mint errors and double dies,etc, is going to decrease because of unwillingness of the younger generation that is not willing to take the time out to study coins and what the process is of making them is.i know this is tough hobby to get into as you spend tons of hours searching rolls and trying to keep up with what it is newly released double dies and so on. I myself search about 500 too 600 hundred thousand Lincoln cents a year and let me tell ya , you do have your let downs and then you have surprises in these rolls and i believe that this in-itself(surprises) is what keeps me going and the love of the Lincoln cent.


The bottom line is, the newer generation is not going to set down at a table with loupe and examine coins as we do, they would rather play video games, watch tv and be with there friends and i do try to show my kids what coins are all about but i get the what are you talking about dad, know one cares about that, so i laugh but at the same time i say to myself why.

To put it simple most people have no idea of what is in there pockets and do not care, to 99%+ of the people it is only us currency and can buy them something at store and so on. we are a dying tradition of collectors.

George Tovey

[grizz]

The bottom line is, the newer generation is not going to set down at a table with loupe and examine coins as we do

yes and that works to our advantage! less eyes searching for these interesting and potentially valuable coins! let them carry on!

[DCW]

I don't think it's fair to say what the "newer generation" will think it do. Everyone eventually matures and developes new tastes and interests.

I don't know about everyone else here, but when I was younger you wouldn't find me with a loupe checking pocket change on a Friday night!

[simonm]

Hi. i do believe that this little hobby of coin collecting of mint errors and double dies,etc, is going to decrease because of unwillingness of the younger generation that is not willing to take the time out to study coins and what the process is of making them is.

The bottom line is, the newer generation is not going to set down at a table with loupe and examine coins as we do, they would rather play video games, watch tv and be with there friends and i do try to show my kids what coins are all about but i get the what are you talking about dad, know one cares about that, so i laugh but at the same time i say to myself why.

I think you're generalizing the generation a bit too much. I'm not sure where you are getting the "unwillingness" vibe besides from your own kids...you can't expect that every kid you talk to will be instantly hooked on collecting. Like Dennis said, tastes in hobbies and activities change with age and maturity. This generation supposedly having more things to do in their free time such as video games or hanging with friends (which, by the way is not something "new" that you can only attribute to the past decade or two) does not equate to not having the patience to sit down and look at coins, or having an apathetic view of a hobby. I think that there will always be a good number of variety searchers, as with the introduction of the internet, there will be more information on this specific niche readily available compared to even 5 years ago.