Carson City Mint ‘error coins’ topic of Thursday lecture

Coins from the Carson City Mint are rare enough in any condition to be coveted by collectors, but error coins – those with flaws generally caused during the minting process – multiply both the rarity and the collectability.

In a lifetime spent coin collecting in Northern Nevada, Allen Rowe has seen a variety of error coins and owns a few himself. The owner of Northern Nevada Coin and an expert on Carson City coins, he’ll share some of his knowledge as the keynote speaker in a special Mint 150 evening event at 6 p.m. Thursday, March 12 at the Nevada State Museum.

“There are a very few of them out there,” said Rowe of the error coins. “It does increase the value, just in the fact that you just don’t see them that often.”

Rowe’s presentation is at 6 p.m. and marks the beginning of a series of Mint 150 evening events that will be held the second Thursday of the month. The museum has been celebrating the 150^th anniversary of the Carson City Mint with a variety of special events and lectures.

Admission is $8; free for museum members and children 17 and younger.

Rowe became interested in coin collecting as a youngster and began trading coins as a young adult, putting himself through college on the proceeds he earned. His passion for Carson City coins came later.

“Carson City clings didn’t become a choice until I got older and could afford them,” he said.

He used one of the error coins from his collection – a broken CC dollar – as the “mascot” for his business, Northern Nevada Coin.

Following the lecture, the museum will hold a demonstration of historic Coin Press No. 1. Visitors will have the opportunity to purchase a blank planchet in the museum store and watch their own Carson City Mint Sesquicentennial medallion being minted.