April is Final Month for “Oops!: Mistakes on Money” At the ANA Money Museum
Make no mistake; the Money Museum’s blooper exhibit will close April 30. “Oops!: Mistakes on Money” highlights errors on money including coins that will have you seeing double and a rare $11 bill.
Oops, which has attracted thousands of visitors since it opened in April, 2005, will be replaced May 25 by “The Faces of Money: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly,” an exhibit that explores famous people on money throughout history.
Everyone makes mistakes but despite concerted efforts to prevent them, the U.S. Mint and the Bureau of Engraving and Printing have created their share of gaffes. These fascinating mistakes have delighted visitors who tour the ANA Money Museum on Cascade Avenue next to the Fine Arts Center, said Museum Director Tiffanie Bueschel.
“It’s been one of our more popular exhibits,” Bueschel said. “We all make mistakes and our visitors can all relate to the errors they view in our displays.”
Museum guests have voted for their favorite errors since the exhibit went up, and have overwhelmingly selected their favorite mistake: a U.S. double denomination bill with $1 printed on the face, and $10 printed on the back.
“According to law, the value of the note is determined by what is printed on the front of the bill,” Bueschel said. “Its spending power may only be $1 but its ‘WOW’ factor is priceless.”
Some of the items on display made headlines when they were released into circulation, like the 1955 “doubled die” cent. The pennies, which were struck with two distinct images on the front, including the date, were supposedly discovered in packages of Lucky Strike cigarettes in New England. At the time, a pack of cigarettes cost 23-cents, and vending machines required a quarter before dispersing the cigarettes with 2 one-cent coins neatly tucked into the cellophane packaging.
It’s believed the mistake was discovered before the coins left the Philadelphia Mint, but because they had become interspersed with normal cents, nearly 30,000 were released into circulation. Today, a doubled die cent is worth up to $9,000. Page 2/Oops Recently, the Wisconsin quarter caused a stir when some of the coins sprouted an extra leaf on the ear of corn. These 25-cent coins were selling for as much as $1,000, and had thousands of people checking their pockets.
The museum is open Tuesday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. Admission is free and tours are available by calling 719.482.9834.
The American Numismatic Association is a non-profit educational organization dedicated to educating and encouraging people to study and collect money and related items. With nearly 33,000 members, the Association serves the academic community, collectors and the general public with an interest in numismatics. The ANA helps all people discover and explore the world of money through its vast array of programs including its education and outreach, museum, library, publications, conventions and seminars.
For more information about the ANA, call 719.632.2646 or visit www.MONEY.org.
Originally Release Date: April 4, 2006
ANA Contacts: Phone: 719-482-9864
Email: beeton@money.org