I'm going to try to post one coin each day about something fun. Feel free to add to the thread with something related. This is a fun coin. Some would look at this and think it was fake but it's not. It's from a well known die. Back in those days the mints could not waste a die over minor issues. If not stored properly, they would rust and it was not easy to clean them down in the devices. PCGS has only gave an MS grade to one piece as far as I know. This is not that coin. I wish it was. My coin will never straight grade for other reasons.
So the obverse appearance is the result of a rusty die face? That is a very cool story. Does that also explain the odd break in the top loop of the "9"?
It's like night and day. The reverse with it's smooth, clean lines compared to the obverse with the rough textured look.
Funny you would open your post with, "Some would look at this and think it was fake but it's not." so I assume you've verified that. My first thought was that it was a cast when I noticed the two blobs on the edge above the reverse T, which reminds me of a casting sprue.
It's funny you noticed the top of the 9 as I have an 1849 half dime with the same sort of 9 in its date....bad year for 9's no doupt.
I'm not sure. My first thought was a damaged date punch but that can't be right. Next I thought the die was damaged but I don't think that's right either.
ok here's something very interesting.....compare the 9 on Larry's coin the dime, as to mine on the H-10 notice anything besides the defect at the top of the loop?
Larry your specimen is an 103 c obv. 2.3 /rev. B. DR-1 L The R factor is an R-4 rusted dies ,weak high level date, small o, spurs on Ame (ri) ca . notice the spurs on the R & I that go upward from the bottom of the lettering. These are the pups for this variety. Another interesting point with a mintage of 300k there are two major mm size varieties,plus a total of 14 varities for the date and mint mark. Back to my last post referrig to the 9 notice the defect at the loop ,but also notice the ball of the 9 which has a pointed end not a rounded ball shape. The same design as the ball on the h-10
@Paddy54 Thank you. Could the same punch have been used? I would think the dime punch would be larger.
I'm thinking that whom ever made the punch be it a die and tool maker or a company contracted to make punches or" both"...made the ball or designed the digit 9 that way. I do believe like you the dime diget punch was not interchanged in making dies for both the dime and h-10
The obverse of this Civil War Token was struck with rusted dies. Scovill's Liberty Cap LC 4.1 I have not identified the rev. yet.
