PHILADELPHIA 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 properly struck dollar coins, bearing the likeness of George Washington, are inscribed along the edge with “In God We Trust,” “E Pluribus Unum” and the year and mint mark. They went into circulation Feb. 15.
Bailey said it was unknown how many coins didn’t have the inscriptions. Ron Guth, president of Professional Coin Grading Service, one of the world’s largest coin authentication companies, said he believes that at least 50,000 error coins were put in circulation.
“The first one sold for $600 before everyone knew how common they actually were,” he said. “They’re going for around $40 to $60 on eBay now, and they’ll probably settle in the $50 range.”
Production of the presidential dollar entails a “new, complex, high-volume manufacturing system” that the mint will adjust to eliminate any future defects, the mint said in a statement.
“We take this matter seriously. We also consider quality control a high priority. The agency is looking into the matter to determine a possible cause in the manufacturing process,” the statement said.
Apparently there’s a internet conspiracy theory going around that the government intentionally took the motto off of the coins because they hate religion. I’m leaning more in the direction that they are complete idiots. They probably aren’t smart enough to get a conspiracy going on their own.
I was just counting one of the state quarters. There was by my count only 18 words on that quarter. I doubt that the new coin has that many.
Is anyone going to lose their job over this bit of stunning incompetence? I doubt it, working for the government means never having to say you’re sorry.