Only an obverse?

Hi, I am new at error coins. My son's music teacher give me this 5 peso coin with only the obverse. The reverse is blank. The weight and other dimensions are normal. It also does not have the reeded edge like normal. How does this happen?

 

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it appears to have had the reverse filed down, how many decimals does your scale go to?
you may have only lost less than a .10 of a gram having the reverse sanded off

 

5 decimals

 

The diameter by caliper is the same as normal

 

The thickness by caliper also. If someone changed it, how would they get rid of the reeded edge without changing the diameter?

 

i dont have an answer for that but i do know that if it were produced by the mint like that you would have the beveled rim on the reverse instead of being square. i am not a foreign collector im just sharing my opinion.

cody

 

Sure, thanx. I am just as confused about this? The picture also makes the reverse look filed, but just looking at it, it is smooth.

 

Since the year can't be determined, as it was on the reverse ( which I also believe was sanded down due to the scratches) and the obverse date 1973 was used for many years on coins. The early ones were milled, but the later years were smooth. My thought is that this is an altered coin from a later year. As stated above you can't produce a uniface coin from just one die. Even if a blank or ground down die was used for the back, the pressure would produce a smoother surface thn this one. IMO. What was the weight you recorded?

Jim

 

Most likely thank you. When I go back to work tomorrow, will note the exact weight. Can you please explain why a uniface coin can not be produced from one die?

 

You can't strike a coin with 1 die just like you can't clap with one hand.

 

if it is determined by most to be altered you may want to try having a chem test done to it like that used to read worn dated buffalo nickels.

 

From my limited understanding, a uniface coin is not necessary an error. It can also be considered as a proof or trail e.g. a coin design, not indended for circulation by respective mint, by which is not produced by two dies.

 

This one has been ground down. Rim has been removed. At the bottom left of the coin, you can see evidence of the rim.

 

The coin weighed in at 2.81570 with Cat. weight documented at 2.8. The diameter is 19.1 mm and Cat. diameter 19 mm. The numbers indicate no loss in weight.

 

Now I have to disagree with you and I think your information is wrong. A coin can be struck with only one die . This happens when two planchets enters the coining chamber at the same time. this makes two uniface coins with the reverse design on one and the obverse design on the other one.

also you can clap with one hand , just smack your friend up side the head . LOL

 

you would not have a perfectly flat side when two coins enter the chamber and the die side would be distorted

 

Yes but that is still using two dies

 

Unfortunately this is not conclusive. The catalog and official weight is probably 2.8 grams but thee will still be a tolerance range in which the weight of the coin can vary. The weight of this coin is close to that of the US cent and it has a tolerance range of +/- .13 grams. If the tolerance on this coin is similar and it has been ground down, it could have weighed as much as 2.93 grams before the grinding. if so it could be ground flat and still be at the "official" weight. (As surprizing as it may seem you can grind the entire reverse off a Lincoln cent and it will still be within the legal tolerances.)

I'm impressed by your scales. Your the only person I know of who has scales more precise than mine. Mine is only good to four decimal places.

 

Yes but only one die strikes each coin. Sometimes the mint only uses one die to strike test pieces and the other side of the coin is totally blank. As long as the planchet is supported by something one die is all that is needed.

 

rascal, thanx for the explanation. If I may ask, how is the reeded edge produced in the stamping process?