Despite being rather homely in comparison to my other performers this FREAK is truly the star of my band of misfits.� So to borrow a quote from many a ring master I did save the best for last.� So you may want to ask what gives as this appears to be a merely a weakly struck Roosevelt dime.� I mean you can barely read the all-important date, which is probably why it appears in parentheses on the label.� In addition to the date and motto IN GOD WE TRUST being blurred on obverse most of the United States of America on reverse is radiating off of the planchet reminiscent of Roman Denarii. ��I find it is the reverse with the rim below the word DIME that is totally absent above the word STATES, actually half of the characters making up that word are absent too that give the best clue being the planchet not the correct size.� That is the first clue as to how truly unique my FIEND is, which I will endeavor to explain below.� The second which would be better appreciate in one of the newer NGC holders is that there is no copper core to be seen along the edge of this FREAK.� It is not a case of it being missing as this planchet was never intended for a US denomination. This planchet was meant for Philippine one sentimo that was being produced during the same time period by the Philadelphia mint.� So not only is it a dime struck on the wrong planchet, a rarity in its own right, but it is struck in aluminum which has never been used for US coinage with the exception of pattern or trial pieces.� Jumping the tracks a bit one of the most spectacular of these patterns I have personally seen is the 1868 aluminum pieces owned by one of the former members in my former coin club. There is more recent and equally infamous 1974 aluminum cent struck in 1973 with samples given to congress that were not all returned, which I have not seen in person.

Today I present a FREAK that fooled me, not that I am expert in the field of Freaks Irregulars, Defects, and Oddities, still I thought I knew a thing or two.� Failure is said to be a great teacher so why not pass along my new found knowledge to you.� I still am confident of his inclusion into my series as he is a FREAK, just not exactly the one I was looking for.� The particular oddity I thought I had so cleverly acquired via worldwide swap meet looked for all intentional purposes to be a die adjustment strike at least so I thought. �So what are the telltale signs of a die adjustment strike, generally it is weak in appearance on both sides, oops my bad coins have three sides but more on that later, as the dies stop just short of bringing up a full strike.� So with this error there is nothing wrong with either the dies nor with the planchet, this is just a case of the spacing between the two dies being too wide to exert enough force to cause the metal of the planchet to flow into all the recesses elements of the dies to impart the obverse and reverse images as intended.� BTW, text speak, this is not to be confused with a die alignment strike, which is a case where the spacing may be correct but hammer die is out of alignment with the anvil die resulting in one side of the coin being off center while the flip side is spot on.� Sorry that is not a leader for the next show as I do not have an example of that type either, so where were we?� So not to long after I received my RAW fiend in the mail I decided he could stand a trip to Florida to get hammered, I mean SLABBED. �

Well as I have been on a roll with my little band of Washington misfits, let us continue with two new performers one from the city of brotherly love and the other from the mile high city, strange I had to look the latter up despite having traveling thru there several times.� These two chaps are a little on the skinny side weighing in at 4.6 and 4.7 grams respectively due to the fact they are short some covering.� At some point in the process they both showed up to the coin press missing a layer of nickel that typically hides a wonderful layer of copper.� Furthermore not only did they show up half dressed, but they both landed heads up prior to receiving their die impressions.� So this way both the date and the error are together for your appreciation and more importantly mine.� Not to say I do not have examples of particular irregularity in other denominations that is best appreciated by the reverse but those are just place holders, hopefully Franklin did not hear that, until I can find the numbers 1, 9, 6, and 8 on the copper side.� Both of my fiends are graded uncirculated though visually the Philadelphia example has a lot of fire left whereas the Denver example has reached a warm red brown, if you’re a train nut it approximates mineral brown.� Surprisingly both struck up rather well despite the reduction in volume of metal to work with, though the eagle is much sharper on the piece from the mother mint.

I find myself today pondering another season of FREAK SHOW 1968 and frankly I am not quite finding myself in the spirit.� Not to say it has not been a good year for finding new members to join my crew of FREAKS.� Though many were the rarest of oddities found in the guise of Proof, and attributed more often than not to the house of Weinberg.� I did throw my hand up on a few of these though sadly they were destine to reside with larger groups that my little menagerie.� Lamenting those that got away is easy as I have no proof oddities at the moment so no need to pursue more.� If you do not understand my last statement I will just refer you to an excellent book on this, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie.� Yes it is a children’s book, but I believe it taps into the inner MONSTER in most of us bitten by the collecting bug.� I have to say biggest reason for my lack of enthusiasm is it has just been plain hot this summer in Texas. Yes I know I live in Texas so stop your whining kid for, THE SHOW MUST GO ON!�

This year several of my new acts feature the bust of an architect who also holds the honor of being the Third President of our Nation.