20070307 "Godless" Dollar Coins Slip Through Mint

"Godless" Dollar Coins Slip Through Mint

CBS News is carrying an AP story about a printing mishap with the new dollar coins that is bound to spur a bonanza among numismatists. For a coin collector this is nirvana. For the mint, it is, well, not fun.

I have yet to see any of the new dollar coins in circulation, much less the miss-struck coins… Anyway the story reads:

Error Means Unknown Number Of New George Washington Dollars Missing "In God We Trust"

An unknown number of new George Washington dollar coins were struck without their edge inscriptions, including "In God We Trust," and made it past inspectors and into circulation, the U.S. Mint said. (AP/Prof. Coin Grading Service)

Fast Fact

The coin's design has already spurred e-mail conspiracy theories claiming that the religious motto was purposely omitted from the Washington dollars.

PHILADELPHIA, Pa., Mar. 7, 2007

(AP) An unknown number of new George Washington dollar coins were mistakenly struck without their edge inscriptions, including "In God We Trust," and made it past inspectors and into circulation, the U.S. Mint said Wednesday.

[…]

The Washington dollars are the first in a series of presidential coins slated to run until 2016. After Washington, the presidents to be honored on dollar coins this year will be John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison.

(Mint spokeswoman Becky) Bailey said the striking of the Adams coin, expected to roll out in mid-May, will proceed as planned.

Read the rest of the article here: "Godless" Dollar Coins Slip Through Mint