Looking at a roll of 2010-D Sacagaweas, I stumbled onto a micro “D” on the last coin. [It's] half the size of a regular D.

Have there been any other reports of these?–Reader from the West

I received this question from a reader in the middle of this last deadline. I hate to let it sit until later this week, so I thought I’d see if some of you have any thoughts on the subject.

Hello. I’m a bit newer to the world of coin collecting, and I’ve come to it as many have, from putting pocket change into those blue Whitman folders. I’ve discovered that while I appreciate the treasure that is a highly graded coin, I also have a deep respect for circulated coinage, money that has done its job in the day to day rigors of commerce. I look for common change for my folders, and find myself looking for rarer coins in lower grades – so long as they have full dates and are what I would call undamaged – for my collection.

As I get older and go beyond a grad student’s budget, I’ll collect in higher grades, but with folders stretching back to the 2-cent and nickel 3-cent days, am I causing any harm to the coins themselves by storing them this way? I don’t mind toning and the like, as most of these coins have had a healthy living in circulation. Is there additional damage that I can do by keeping them this way?

Thanks and best,
Kevin