Second 1858 ‘A/A’ variety certified

By Jesse Robitaille

This is the first story in a two-part series.

A second example of the 1858 “Large A over Small A” variety on that year’s 20-cent coin has been found and certified by Canadian Coin Certification Service (CCCS).

Brent Hancock, of Regina, Sask., found the first example of the previously unreported variety in late 2021 (“Regina collector finds new 1858 variety,” CCN Vol. 59 #26, March 29, 2022). Following the publication of his discovery, another collector brought what he believed to be the second example to the Regina Coin Club (RCC) show in April.

“The owner allowed me to submit the piece to CCCS for him, and in due course, the coin was returned with the ‘A/A’ designation,” said Hancock, who has since acquired the second example. “I won’t disclose the price as I don’t want to influence costs and continue to hope this will organically happen with a listing once a couple more surface.”

CCCS certified the latest discovery as Very Fine-30, “a better example than my original Fine-12, allowing a clearer look at the small offset ‘A’ appearing partially beside the corrected proper size ‘A,’” Hancock said.

“The surfacing of a second example, and having it verified by the third-party grading company, provides a mix of feelings,” he added, referencing the “accomplishment that the research is beginning to pay off and the relief that the first find is not alone.”

LOOK FOR A ‘BLUNDERED I’

With the two examples side by side, Hancock has found a “tell” on the reverse die to help identify the “A/A” variety.

“The ‘I’ in ‘GRATIA’ is over-engraved,” he said. “Both coins have it.”

Hancock has many examples of the 1858-dated 20-cent coin, with and without the documented “Blundered I” varieties, but none of them have the “specific anomaly” found on the “A/A” varieties except for those two coins.

“Charlton included the ‘Blundered I’ listings in 2011 for the 20 cents and included similar but different ‘die marker’ in the 1858 10 cents. More recently, the ‘I’ in ‘DEI’ is occasionally found ‘blundered’ in the five cents but is not yet listed in Charlton.”

After contacting the Royal Mint Museum, Hancock received an explanation about the various anomalies numismatists call varieties.

To read the full story and others in this issue, click here and subscribe now.

Already a subscriber? Click here to continue reading in the digital format.

Leave a Reply

Canadian Coin News

Canada

Canadian Coin News is Canada's premier source of information about coins, notes and medals.

Although we cover the entire world of numismatics, the majority of our readers are Canadian, and we concentrate on the unique circumstances surrounding collecting in our native land.

Send Us Your Event

Running an event? Send it to us and we will display it on Canadian Coin News!

Submit Event →

Subscribe To 26 Issues For Just $59.99/year

Subscribe today to receive Canada's premier coin publication. Canadian Coin News is available in both paper and digital forms.

Subscribe Now

We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund of the Department of Canadian Heritage.