Is Upside Down Edge Lettering an Error on Presidential Dollars?

Is upside down edge lettering on the Presidential Dollars a minting error? The answer is "maybe." Everyone who has been following the Presidential Dollars closely since their release in February 2007 already knows that upside down edge lettering on the circulation strike Presidential Dollars is not an error. The U.S. Mint is applying the edge lettering in a separate step from the actual striking, and the process by which the lettering is being applied allows for random placement of the inscriptions on the edge. About half of the coins will get the edge lettering right side up, and the other half will get it upside down. (And, of course, occasionally a coin doesn't get the edge lettering at all, which is a major Presidential Dollar error!)

I get emails asking if upside down edge lettering is an error several times a week, so I wrote up an FAQ page that explains when upside down edge lettering is and isn't an error, and why. The FAQ page includes an explanation of how the edge lettering is being applied, so if you've been wondering about all this, check out the upside down edge lettering FAQ. This FAQ article also explains the circumstance under which upside down edge lettering actually is an error. See if you can figure it out before you peek!

• Is Upside Down Edge Lettering on the Presidential Dollars an Error?

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