2023 P Sacagawea Obverse Star

[Amy21]

Hello Everyone,

This coin is from a roll that I purchased from the US Mint last year. On the Obverse, there is a Star that can be seen on Sacagawea's lower jawline. I've searched the internet for possible explainations and am still looking. Any insight would be greatly apperciated. ~ Amy

2023 P Uncirculated Native American Dollar Coin. Obverse - Sacagawea / Reverse - Maria Tallchief.

Sacagawea-2023-Obverse.JPG



2023-Tallchief - Reverse.jpg

[MintErrors]

Amy21

In my opinion, this is rather odd. The only stars that are typically on the coin is on the rim. Those stars are typically incused or, sunken into the rim of the golden dollars.

The dollars can hit each other, land oddly. In this case, a dollar would have to been dropped from a height, and your dollar was hit on Sacagawea's face. But, the dollar that was dropped has a star that's incused or sunk I to the rim side of the coin. In order for this scenario to happen, it would have to been a lot of pressure to be created in that manner.

There isn't much damage in that area. It looks like some minor surface chatter from other coins as they make their way out of the minting press, down chutes toward bagging.

Is this star raised up or sunk into the cheek ? For me when I zoom in with the tablet, it looks like the center of the star is raised.

That last question for now is... is that star close to the same size as the ones that show on the rim? I am hoping it's not a stain. Let's hope it's either raised or sunk in.

Additionally, you can add a post on the main forum area go to

Coneca Services
Go to Examinations
Post under the Examinations forum for a CONECA staff examiner to looyour coin. Almost every coin posted in there can only be seen by you and the CONECA staff.

[Amy21]

Hi Gary,

Thank you for your reply and sharing the Examinations forum, I'll definitely send them a message.

It appears to me that the Stars on the side of the coin are smaller and well defined. The Star on Sacagawea's face is raised and seems a bit larger. Now that I'm looking at the rim, it does have some marks and a large scratch by the date.







MT-2.jpg
MT-1.jpg

[MintErrors]

Amy21

In my opinion, the scratches and other smaller nicks or abrasions are minor. There was one other post about a Sacagawea with the letters RUS on the rim. I understand that this is different. My point is, hopefully the examinations team can figure it out. Mike Diamond assisted withe the above mentioned coin. There is an article in the works about that coin.

Mike Diamond is an expert on error coins that have issues. He's been around for quite some time. He's written a lot of articles for places like Coin World.

Mike hangs out at https://error-ref.com . Check out their website of completed entries. Some very education material there.

If you don't receive a good answer from the examination services, I suggest dropping Mike a small message . You can use the contact us link on https://error-ref.com and ask if he could look at the star on Sacagawea's cheek.

Since it came from a roll from the mint, an important thing to note in any post, it rules out somebody in their garage with a star punch messing around and laughing with glee.

[Amy21]

@MintErrors.org

I'll check in again with the examination service and maybe send it in for a closer examination, an definitely mention the roll and purchase date (2023 Tallchief) . In addition, go through my other Sacagawea coins from that roll again and check their rims. I did see something about an article being written on a Sacagawea dollar coin, although I believe it was from a (2009) Three Sisters dollar.

Amy