By: Barry Coyne

Barry Coyne — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 00:30:36 +0000

You want to know why the number of Buchanan’s Uncirculated coins has dropped?
For weeks, including my email to your website, I’ve been raising the alarm that the Uncirculated version of the Buchanan coin’s reverse is either struck with a damaged die or the die is deliberately different from the die used to strike the reverse for the Buchanan Proof coin. Random mishandling of the coins by Mint staff cannot account for the consistent differences between the Proof and Uncirculated versions.
The Proof coints are different from the Uncirculated version with all the differences occurring on the reverse. The Proof reverse has two vest buttons but no shirt buttons. In contrast, the Uncirculated reverse seems to have two buttons on Buchanan’s shirt as well as two buttons on the vest. Even more obvious, there are “scratches” on Buchanan’s vest that would easily pass for pocket openings. I thought the “scratches” in my first Uncirculated coin were evidence of mishandling, but the second Uncirculated coin I ordered had the identical marks in the same locations.
I wrote the U.S. Mint office and the response I received indicates they are clueless about the differences between the Proof and Uncirculated Buchanan’s coins. I doubt anyone at the Mint has personally bothered to examine one specimen of the Proof or Uncirculated versions in order to compare them. Smart collectors will soon realize that there are two varieties.

Comments on: Buchanan Liberty First Spouse Gold Coin Sales Nose Dive

By: Barry Coyne