Numismatic Edge Lettering Explained
Accurately assessing edge lettering can be difficult because it is uncommon. The US Mint has been utilizing this design style lately but it hasn’t been this popular in American for years. We have more examples from Europe but we need like kind examples to asses edge lettering and how it will affect the grade of your coin.
We have now seen all sorts of genuine edge letter errors and the misnomer of errors. There have been documented missing, weak, double and off-center edge letters. Some eBay sellers have touted their items as errors because the letters face the wrong way, while in fact the letters can be in either direction.
The edge lettering is soon to be changed as legislation has passed to remove the term “In God We Trust” from the side and place it in the face of the coin. This initially caused an uproar by religious groups calling the dollar “godless” and refusing to use the coinage. That has now changed and the Mint will now be mandated to change the design. Though, the deadline is still uncertain because the legislation gives the Mint leeway in actual implementation. The change is expect in either 2010 or 2011.
