New Washington Dollars Raise Questions
The American Numismatic Association has received a number of questions about the new Washington Presidential dollar coins. Since the mottos “In God We Trust” and “E Pluribus Unum,” the date and the mintmark are on the edge of the coin, these elements may at first appear to be missing. A quick examination of the third side, or edge, of the coin will reveal these features that are required by law to be on the coin. The random vertical orientation of the edgeincused inscription is a result of the minting process and is not considered an error. George Washington Presidential $1 Coins are available for purchase at face value to all members of the public at their local financial institutions.
Some collectors have reported Washington dollars with missing edge-lettering. This error is known as the “plain edge” variety. When it was discovered that an unspecified quantity of these error coins inadvertently left the Philadelphia Mint, the United States Mint issued a statement and is currently looking into the matter to determine a possible cause in the manufacturing process.
Counterfeit “plain edge” errors are bound to surface as it will be relatively easy for fraudsters to file down the edge lettering. If you are in the market to buy one of the Washington error coins we strongly suggest you do business with an ANA dealer or purchase one that has been certified by a reputable third-party grading company, such as NGC, the ANA’s official grading service. You can locate an ANA dealer in your area from our on-line dealer directory or by calling our membership department.
For a program overview, coin release schedule and other information about the United States Mint’s Presidential $1 coin Program, visit the U.S. Mint’s website: www.usmint.gov
Originally Release Date: March 8, 2007
ANA Contacts: Phone: 719-482-9864
Email: pr@money.org