The Coin Guys - Bubba & Zemo - What We Did For National Coin Week

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"Zemo"

Bill Fivaz

Zemo@numismedia.com

Bill Fivaz Biography

What We Did For National Coin Week

April 29, 1999

"Bubba"

J.T. Stanton

Bubba@numismedia.com

J.T. Stanton Biography

Bubba:	As you know, the theme for the National Coin Week that just passed April 11-24 was "Treasures in Change".
Zemo:	This really fits in nicely with cherrypickin', and a few of our slide programs, and I understand a couple yahoos even wrote a book on the subject. THEY say the fourth edition will be out at the Chicago ANA this August.
Bubba:	It'll be divided into two volumes because of the growing size of the reference. The first volume will cover die varieties from Half Cents through Nickels and the second, due out next fall (2000), will show Half Dimes through Gold.
Zemo:	I'm expecting calls from all the Hollywood moguls any day now, as I was interviewed by a local TV station during National Coin Week...they called and asked if I would talk about two things: what you could find in pocket change and the 1943-Cent fiasco.
Bubba:	Oh no, Zemo on the tube. How did the interview go?
Zemo:	I think it went well, (of course I asked that my name not be used for security purposes), and I covered the points mentioned above through questions from the reporter. As far as what can be found in today's pocket change, I mentioned and showed photos of things like the 1997-P Doubled Ear and the 1995-P and D Doubled Die Obverse Cents.
Bubba:	What about errors in current coinage?
Zemo:	I stressed the new 50-State Quarter Program and showed what I had found on a couple Delaware Quarters. One was an 80% split-off reverse clad layer, where the copper nickel layer had split off, exposing the copper core center, and another, a "dropped letter" ("O" from GOD) that had fallen into the striking chamber and was struck into the edge of the coin in the reeding. As you know, this occurs when metal that has plugged a particular portion of the die, in this case, the "O", falls out and lands somewhere in the striking chamber, usually on a planchet, and then is struck into the next coin, leaving an incuse or negative shape.
Bubba:	And of course you used the opportunity to clarify the 1943-Cent fiasco.
Zemo:	I had laid out beforehand three coins, a normal zinc-coated steel cent, a copper plated 1943 zinc/steel cent and a 1942 copper cent. I then showed how the first two were attracted to a magnet, while the 1942 was not. All the calls the local coin dealers received after the press release on the 1943 "Copper" Cent had to do with the "normal" 1943 coins, as they would have jumped to the magnet.
Bubba:	Hopefully, enough people saw the interview to save a few calls to the local harried dealers...who are STILL getting them!
Zemo:	Well, that's what I did for National Coin Week...what did you do Bubba?
Bubba:	I played golf with Palmer, Nicklaus and Woods....FRED Palmer, GEORGE Nicklaus and FOREST Woods.