1972 half mint experimet? Don't get how this was made like this

There are 10 sides. You can tell it was not caused by a grinder by looking at the slits still in tact on the sides. When you look at the outline ring, it's all the same width for the most part even though it curves around each side. How can I find out if this is a coin that was experimented on by the mint?What do you guys think?

 

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I think it's a spooned coin. Post-mint damage. It's not an error or experimental piece.

 

so how do you think they did this then? If it was post-mint? I'm curious how they made the sides so even and without any major damage to the width of the outline of the half. You would think it would be thinner along the ring if it were somehow pressed

 

more than that, how do you find out for sure from the mint if it was or was not an experimental coin or an accident?

 

I agree with Camaro it's definitely PMD. All someone did was hold the coin in hand and then whack repeatedly on each side with a spoon turning the coin as they went. The same basic way a coin ring is made you can google this process and see for yourself what it is we're referring too.

 

If you look only at the flattened reeding, it is easy enough to see that it is PMD.

How was it done so evenly, you ask? Almost any machinist can produce a steel template that fits within the diameter of the coin and spoon or hammer the outer edges to conform to the shape of the template. I'm not saying this is what was actually done, but it is possible.

Chris

 

As Chris says on the reeding , photo 5 , the reeding is of variable width due to the pressure applied. The mint would have used a die for the edge, which wasn't done. So it was caused after the mint.

 

I agree. PMD no question.

 

thanks guys

 

so my question still remains. If you found a coin that was an experimental coin, how would one find out directly from the mint if it was or not? Obviously I'm new, but how does that process work? Who says officially if a coin is legit or PMD?

 

If such a coin did exist, it would likely be considered a pattern. Patterns are typically known and there are reference materials you could use to determine if the coin matched. I'm not sure of a mint-direct resource for such things. If you did reach the mint...even if you had a real pattern they probably wouldn't be able to tell you anything about it.

 

It's simple really... They machinery that the mint uses wouldn't create a piece like this.

It could but it would take a special planchet and collar die... It's just not something they do regularly for pattern coins.

 

Just to answer the question, things like this has come up before, You can send it into the mint with your question. I do not know anything about the process or postage/insurance , etc. but it is easier now with the ability to send emails with photos. here is an example of a brass plated cent.

http://koinpro.tripod.com/VarietiesUS/MintLetter.jpg