During this time period, the Obverse was commonly the hammer die. However this statement: "Most off-center strikes and some uncentered broadstrikes show a collar scar on the face struck by the anvil die." (http://www.error-ref.com/inverted-dioe-installation/) seemed to me to suggest that for this coin the Obverse Die was the anvil die. This would not be expected in 1988 and would indicate an inverted die installation. What am I missing? As I understand it the Mint began working with inverted die installation in 1992 and the Schuler Press (horizontal striking) in 2002. Since this coin predates those events is the reason I am wondering if I am actually interpreting what I see correctly i.e. the Obverse die is the anvil die. What am I missing? (Additional Photos in Comments)
What I do not understand is how a clash can show on an unstruck portion of a planchet? (From left of IGWT to below the Date).
Mike says it is a Collar Clash. As I said earlier: What I do not understand is how a clash can show on an unstruck portion of a planchet? (From left of IGWT to below the Date).
Let's suppose that a collar clash occurred at some point in time before the broadstrike. Wouldn't it seem possible that the clash could show on that part of a new planchet? Or, am I missing your point entirely? Chris
Thanks for thinking with me! Not sure I understand what you are saying. Since the clash is a feature on the die, it seems to me that it will show on the planchet in whatever portion of the planchet the die strikes - which it does on this coin from L to just before IGWT. Since the die did not strike the portion of the planchet from outside of IGWT around to the date, how can the clash show in that area? ? It seems especially clear that below the 88 the clash is outside the design rim itself. What am I missing?
But in a normal strike, the die usually does strike the planchet outside of IGWT all the way to the position where the upset rim would normally be. Doesn't it? Chris
I am wondering if my question might be answered by something similar to this? http://www.error-ref.com/slide-zone-ghost-elements/ The problem with this possibility is that I do not see evidence of a "Slide", except perhaps on a few of the reed marks.
I now have Mike Diamond's answer! Mike Diamond: “the irregularities seen on the 1988 quarter appear at the edge of the field. Here the damaged die sunk into the planchet while, at the same time, the planchet expanded radially, dragging the coin metal across the "teeth" that were gouged into the die neck.” The teeth on the die he is referencing are illustrated here: