The State Quarters plan, started by the US Mint in 1999 and ending in 2008, was the release of 50 different 25-cent coins, each showing a different state.
Most coins looked right, but some problems happened during the making process at the Philadelphia (P) and Denver (D) Mints.
The three main, well-known State Quarter errors are:
- Wisconsin State Quarter (2004-D) with the “Extra Leaf”
- Kansas State Quarter (2005-P) with the “In God We Rust”
- Minnesota State Quarter (2005-P) with the “Extra Tree”
Wisconsin State Quarter (2004-D) with the “Extra Leaf”
The Wisconsin quarter came out in 2004. Its back design shows a cow’s head, cheese, and an ear of corn.
The “Extra Leaf” problem is on the back of the coin, sitting right at the corn’s base. All these problem coins were made at the Denver Mint.
Error Kinds
Two main kinds of the “Extra Leaf” problem were found, different in the part’s direction:
- “Extra Leaf Low”: The extra part goes down, curving under the corn’s left side. This kind is found more often than the second one.
- “Extra Leaf High”: The extra part goes up, pointing clearly toward the corn’s middle. This kind is rarer and looks thicker.
Cause of the Problem
The simple, technical reason for this problem is a flaw in the working die — a die gouge is a small hole or line on the die’s surface. When the coin is made, the planchet’s metal fills this hole, making a raised mark on the coin.
There are two ideas about how this damage happened:
- Accidental Damage: The damage might have happened from a tool hitting the die or from dirt getting stuck between the dies during the making process. The pressure put the material into the die, making a line.
- Intentional Change: Some collectors think the “leaf” shape is too clear to be just an accident. This idea suggests that a Mint worker might have changed the die on purpose, trying to make a rare coin.
The US Mint never gave a formal reason for this problem, the problem is only on 2004-D coins; Philadelphia ones do not have this flaw.
Kansas State Quarter (2005-P) with the “In God We Rust” Problem
The Kansas quarter came out in 2005. Its back shows a bison. The front has George Washington’s portrait and the writing “IN GOD WE TRUST.” The “In God We Rust” problem happens when the letter “T” in “TRUST” is missing or very weak, making the writing look like “IN GOD WE RUST”.
Cause of the Problem
This problem is called a filled die, being a type of struck through error.
How it Happens:
- Coin presses need grease or oil to work well and stop parts from breaking.
- Over time, this grease, with dust and small metal bits, gets thick and sticks together.
- This mix goes into the die’s lowest parts, the parts that make the raised design.
- When the die, filled with this material, hits the planchet, the mix stops the coin metal from moving right into those holes.
- Because of this, the design on the finished coin, coming from the filled area, looks weak or is fully missing.
But this one is special because it happened on the country’s main saying, changing its meaning a lot.
Minnesota State Quarter (2005-P) with the “Extra Tree” Problem
The Minnesota quarter came out in 2005. Its back shows a lake, a state shape, a boat with people, and a line of pine trees.
The “Extra Tree” problem is a Doubled Die on the coin’s back, making the tree parts look like two or blurry.
Cause of the Problem
The “Extra Tree” problem is a Doubled Die Reverse (DDR).
How it Happens:
- Working dies are made by hitting a hub into a die blank many times.
- More than one hit is needed to get the design fully on the die.
- If the hub moves a little between these hits, a double, moved image is put on the die, making a mistake.
- When coins are made with this bad die, they show two or more designs lying on top of each other, with one slightly moved.
Error Kinds
Many kinds of Doubled Die problems were found on the 2005 Minnesota quarters. The most noticed kind shows an extra raised part, looking like small pine branches, located to the right of the fourth tree when counting from the state shape.
- Major Doubling: The double image is easy to see without special tools.
- Minor Doubling: The double image looks like a small blur or shadow, needing a 10x tool to be seen.
General Problem Types on State Quarters
Other common coin problems, not just tied to a state’s design, also happen on State Quarters:
Off-Center Strike
This happens when the planchet is not in the right place under the dies before the hit.
- What it Looks Like: The coin’s design is moved from the center, making part of the design missing, the edge may not be shaped right.
Die Break
Die breaks are cracks that form on the die’s surface, caused by metal use.
- What it Looks Like: On the coin, a die break looks like a raised line or a lump of metal, happening because the coin metal filled the crack in the die.
Die Clash
This happens when the top and bottom dies hit each other without a planchet between them.
- What it Looks Like: On the coin, this looks like a weak, backward, or glitched image of the design from the other side, seen on the coin.
Filled Die
- What it Looks Like: Parts of the coin’s design are weak or missing, caused by dirt or grease filling the die’s holes before the coin was made.
Improperly Annealed
The heating and cooling process must be right to make the planchet strong.
- What it Looks Like: Quarters, usually looking silver/nickel, may have dark, black, or odd colors, caused by the metal changing.
Making Process and Quality Check
The State Quarters plan made a very large number of coins. Billions of coins were made from 1999 to 2008. The fast speed and big number of coins make it more likely for problems to happen, especially those from die use or dirty machines.
The US Mints have a quality check system meant to find and take out bad coins before they are put into use. But the examples of Wisconsin, Kansas, and Minnesota quarters show that this system is not perfect, and many problem coins still get out.
Coin Collecting Names and Rules
Errors
An error is a flaw happening during the coin-making process or when the planchet is made. Examples:
- Off-Center Strike
- Filled Die
- Improperly Annealed
The “In God We Rust” problem on the Kansas quarter is a clear error, caused by the die being blocked for a short time.
Varieties
A variety is a difference that is a fixed part of the die itself, they are created when the die is made. Examples:
- Doubled Die
- Die Gouge, if it is a strong and lasting flaw.
The Wisconsin “Extra Leaf” problem, likely caused by die damage while working, is often seen as a variety by collectors because it happened again and again on many coins.
Naming Systems
For example, Doubled Dies are often named using DDR or DDO, followed by a number.
Finding and Checking Problems
Finding the “Extra Leaf” (Wisconsin)
- Check Year and Mint Mark: The coin must be 2004 with a “D” (Denver) mark
- Look Area: The back, near the corn’s base, on the left
- Find It: Look for a raised line or part not on the official design. “High” or “Low” depends on the part pointing up or down
Finding “In God We Rust” (Kansas)
- Check Year and Mint Mark: The coin must be 2005 with a “P” (Philadelphia) mark
- Look Area: The front, the saying “IN GOD WE TRUST” above George Washington
- Find It: Look for a very weak or fully missing letter “T” in “TRUST.” Checking this area closely is needed, as a weak “T” may still leave a small mark
Finding the “Extra Tree” (Minnesota)
- Check Year and Mint Mark: The coin must be 2005, most often with a “P” mark
- Look Area: The back, the line of pine trees near the lake
- Find It: Look for signs of doubling or movement: blurry or double tree shapes, especially to the right of the state outline
Market Value and How Rare They Are
The value of problem coins is set by how rare they are, their condition, and how much collectors want them.
- Rarity: The Filled Die (Kansas) is common, but its value here is because of where the problem is.
The Doubled Die (Minnesota) and Die Gouge (Wisconsin) are fewer in number.Condition: Coins getting the best money are those that have never been used. Using expert grading services (PCGS, NGC) is the standard way to confirm the coin’s truth and condition.