I was in Orlando last week and not on my desktop computer. I saw a string where collectors were talking about very large fins in a coin or token. I have tried without success to relocate that string, so I am opening a new thread to post this. A fin, or wire rim, is a ridge of metal that is on a coin or token as a result of an improper metal flow. The medal gets between the die and the collar which results in an extended piece of metal above the normal rim of the piece. This Lincoln Civil War token has the highest fin that I have ever seen. This is a rare variety. This was a “vanity piece” for a 19th century collector. It has gold filled surfaces, and was struck quite sharply, which probably accounts for the high fin. The Fuld variety numbers for this patriotic token are 129/349. It is listed in DeWitt/Sullivan as AL 1864-77. It is rated as an R-9 with a surviving population of 10 pieces or less. That is probably close to accurate.
I'm with ya on that count ! I've seen a lot of finning and nothing I've ever seen comes close to that ! @geekpryde We talked about this a while back, thought you'd wanna see it.
Really nice piece. I like Lincolns image on the token. It's a different look from what we normally see. A really special token for sure.
Sure doesn't look like it ! It's also important to note that fins are notoriously fragile ! Almost any contact at all with anything will bend them right over, and even break them completely off.