Rare birds and rare coins

[cimperialis]

It can't get any better when I find a rare bird AND a rare penny on the same day! This is my first 1960P small date from circulation out of 700,000 or so cents searched. How often do folks find these?

The rare bird was a Lesser Black-backed Gull, which is a European species that shows up rarely in the US. The second photo shows the gull, and the third photo is another rare species I photographed on Friday, a pair of Buff-breasted Sandpipers.

For your own entertainment, here's my report to the birding email list tonight. Compare it to our posts on rare coin finds.

"Hi all,

Finally!! A non Ring-billed Gull! Tonight among the ~450 Ring-billed Gulls was one brilliantly plumaged adult Lesser Black-backed Gull. Dedication paid off. It was on the northwest corner of Lake Lansing. I called Bruce Cohen, who zipped over and got there with just enough light to view the bird.

If you ever want to see a good looking Lesser Black-backed, now’s your chance. This bird is in smoking plumage. From what I could see, this bird had a bright white head, no brown streaks. Attached is a poor-quality record shot, or go here- https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/phot...eat=directlink

Yahooooo!

Good birding,
Sean"

[liveandievarieties]

Congratulations Sean, on all accounts!

RE: the '60P SD, in the last 4 years or so I've searched several hundred thousand circulated memorials, only have come across one '60P SD. I've found more '70-S SDs than 60P.

[koinmon]

Nice find, been searching for 50 years only a hand full out of around 2 million coins searched.
George

[kloccwork419]

They dont come up very often but I have found more then a few over the years.

[thecentcollector]

I've pulled 3 in the past two years. I have about 5 rolls of 60-D SD's that I've pulled in the same amount of time.

[jcuve]

I only found a '60P SD when I was looking as a kid in the '80s. One of the few things the local coin shop guy was able to confirm correctly for me when I showed him. The local guy thought a doubled die (what he called a double date) was a mis-stamping issue.

[Scott99]

Nice find! Still looking for a 60p sd.

The local guy thought a doubled die (what he called a double date) was a mis-stamping issue.

You'd be surprised how many people STILL think this.

[Roller]

I have found quite a few SD Ds but not a single P roll searching in the past 3 years though I have one. How rere are these and what's the premium?

[mustbebob]

I have found only 3 1960P small dates out of well over a million searched. That's a great find, and in incredible condition, no matter how you look at it.

[cimperialis]

I have found only 3 1960P small dates out of well over a million searched. That's a great find, and in incredible condition, no matter how you look at it.

The condition of the coin is uncanny. It was in far better condition than other 1960 cents from the same batch. I don't normally subscribe to this theory, but it may have come from someone's collection.

Sean

[flyhi3]

Wow, nice find!!!!

[mustbebob]

The condition of the coin is uncanny. It was in far better condition than other 1960 cents from the same batch. I don't normally subscribe to this theory, but it may have come from someone's collection.

I would tend to agree with that theory. You don't find many 52 year old coins that look that nice.

[liveandievarieties]

It also could well have sat in a jar of change in someone's closet for decades- I've still got about a half a dozen old glass instant coffee jars of pocket change that I bought from my dad, lots a good stuff in there, they were saved in the late 60s and early 70s when he lived in the Bay Area (California).