Hey everyone! It’s been a while, right? Are you still adding to your collection? Have you picked up anything new or exciting lately?

Although I haven’t been active on the blog, I’ve been busy behind the scenes. I’ve started helping folks liquidate their unwanted collections again (Best. Job. Ever.), and I have to say, I’m loving every minute of it! You never know what treasures you’ll uncover in the boxes people send over. The last box had *9* Carson City Morgan Dollars, plus socks—yes, socks—filled with silver dimes and quarters! Crazy, right?

But more on that later. Today, I wanted to share an interesting note I received from someone who’s trying to figure out a coin they have. It’s something I’ve never seen before, but maybe one of you has? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments because we’re both a little puzzled!

Here’s what he wrote:

“Hi, I have a penny that features a perfectly stamped Queen Elizabeth II on one side. However, the other side looks like another penny got mixed up during stamping, leaving an outline of the queen (recognizable but not perfectly clear) and a faded date of 19, with nothing else. The edges are raised and unmarked on this side. Do you think it’s worth anything?”

And here’s what I responded before seeing the photos:

“How interesting!

If it’s a mint error—which it seems might be the case—then yes, it’s definitely worth something! However, if it was altered by someone outside a mint, unfortunately, it’s not valuable.

Here’s a great resource on the different types of mint errors. It’s focused on U.S. coins, but similar errors can occur worldwide: Mint-made errors.

Your best bet is to visit a local coin dealer or, even better, a coin club to get an expert’s opinion. They can usually tell just by examining it. Alternatively, you could take some photos and email them to dealers if that’s easier. If you can confirm it’s a mint error and identify the type, it’ll be much easier to determine its value. You could even compare it to similar items on eBay.

Sounds like you have an intriguing coin there! I’d love to see a picture if you don’t mind sending one over 🙂

-J$”

And he did send some pictures! Here are multiple angles to give you a better idea. It’s an older Canadian penny with a detailed obverse and a particularly fascinating reverse!

Has anyone seen or owned a coin like this? Any ideas on what’s causing this? I’ll update you with any findings, but let this be another reminder to keep an eye on your pocket change—you never know what you might discover, especially if you’re in Canada!

UPDATE: It turns out it’s a *Canadian* penny, not British as I initially thought… oops!