What it is
Several reverse dies for the 2005-P Minnesota quarter were doubled, giving the pine trees extra branches and tops. Collectors call them the "extra tree" varieties.
How to identify it
- Look at the pine trees on the reverse for doubled tops and branches.
- Different dies show different amounts of doubling.
- Philadelphia: P mint mark on the obverse.
A 5x to 10x loupe and good, angled light make the details much easier to see. For anything that looks genuine, a digital scale and a certified comparison coin help.
What gets mistaken for it
Strike doubling can give trees a blurry look. Genuine doubled dies show separated, rounded duplicates.
The regular 2005-P coin
The variety appears on the 2005-P Minnesota Quarter, which had a total mintage of 239,600,000. That figure counts the whole issue, so it does not tell you how many coins show the variety.
The Minnesota quarter design
Released in 2005, the Minnesota quarter was the 32nd coin in the 50 State Quarters program, honoring Minnesota's admission in 1858. Its reverse shows a loon on a lake, two people fishing from a boat, pine trees along the shore and an outline of the state with the phrase LAND OF 10,000 LAKES.
The pine trees have many fine points and branches, which is why doubling shows up so clearly there. On a plain design the same doubling might have passed unnoticed.
How the doubled dies happened
By 2005 the Mint made most dies with single squeeze hubbing, which greatly reduced doubled dies. Even so, several Minnesota reverse dies show doubling in the trees. Different dies show different amounts and directions of doubling, so specialists attribute each one separately.
The doubled tops and branches look like extra trees, which is where the extra tree nickname comes from. The strongest dies show obvious additional tree tops, while the weakest need a strong loupe to see.
A step-by-step check
Use a 10x loupe and an overhead light. Look at each pine tree on the reverse, starting with the tops. On a doubled die a second tree top or branch appears beside the original, rounded and raised, with a separation between the two images. Compare the coin with photographs of known dies to match the direction and strength of the spread.
Then confirm the P mint mark on the obverse to the right of Washington's ponytail. A Denver coin is not one of the known varieties.
Look-alikes
Strike doubling and die wear can make the trees look fuzzy. Look for distinct, rounded second images rather than flat shelves. Die chips and cracks around the trees are also common. A tree with a small lump or a thin crack beside it is not a doubled die.
Bag marks and scratches can also cut across the trees and suggest extra branches. A real doubled image is raised and follows the shape of the tree.
A useful habit is to check whether the doubling repeats on more than one tree. On a doubled die the whole group of trees was hubbed together, so the second images usually appear on several trees in the same direction. A single odd mark on one tree is far more likely to be damage.
Grades and preservation
Most examples were found in rolls soon after release, so Uncirculated coins are common among them. Collectors look for strong doubling, full luster and a clean reverse. The strongest dies are the most sought after. A high grade example of a strong die is the best of the group.
Attribution
PCGS and NGC attribute the stronger Minnesota doubled dies. Specialists list many dies by number. When you find one, compare it first with the strongest known dies, since those are the coins grading services recognize most readily. Weak dies may not be worth the cost of attribution.
How to search Minnesota quarters
Sort Philadelphia Minnesota quarters from rolls and look at the trees on each one with a 5x loupe. Put aside any coin where the trees look crowded or have extra points. Check those with a 10x loupe. Keeping a normal Minnesota quarter as a reference makes the extra tree tops easier to spot.
Related State quarter varieties
Doubled dies on State quarters are rare because of single squeeze hubbing. The Minnesota is the best-known doubled die of the program, alongside the Wisconsin extra leaf and the Kansas grease error from the same period.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if I have a 2005-P Minnesota Doubled Die Quarter?
Look at the pine trees on the reverse for doubled tops and branches. Different dies show different amounts of doubling. If your coin passes these checks, have it authenticated by PCGS or NGC before buying or selling.
Is the 2005-P Minnesota Doubled Die Quarter valuable?
Genuine examples sell for a premium over regular coins of the same date. The amount depends on how strong the variety is, the coin's condition and whether it is certified. Compare recent sold auction results for certified coins in the same grade.
What is a doubled die reverse?
A doubled die is a die that received two slightly misaligned impressions from the hub when it was made. Every coin struck from that die shows the same doubled lettering or design. Read more about doubled dies.
How many Minnesota doubled die quarters are there?
Specialists have cataloged several reverse dies with doubling. They differ in strength, with the strongest showing obvious extra tree tops.
Is there a 2005-D Minnesota doubled die?
The known Minnesota doubled dies are Philadelphia coins.
Why is the Minnesota doubled die called the extra tree quarter?
Because the doubled tree tops and branches look like additional pine trees on the reverse. The strongest dies make the extra trees easy to see with a 5x loupe.