It's my first post and I am new to this. I have tons of coins that I got from my mom. They belong to my grandpa. My mom has been stored them for years until recently I was able to convince her to allow me check them and get feedback on them. I am expert comic collector and been collecting comic books for over 25 years. I have same enthusiasm on coins as on comic books. I will add more coins in future for more feedback. Here's my first coin scanned at 3200 dpi and hopeful photobucket will do good job to show it well. 1921-D break die with nice toning. The break die can be view at reverse between left wing and "AM" as America. You can notice that the break die goes through wing, but upper metal still there as designed. I would like your feedback to see if I am correct that this coin showing break die, not crack die? Also, you can see some crack line on observe side.
First, welcome to the neighborhood! Die cracks are very common on Morgan dollars because they were struck with as much as 150 tons of pressure. Unless there is substantial metal displacement, it doesn't warrant attribution. Chris
Thank you for share your feedback, photobucket didn't allow more close up as my raw jpg allowed. Here's close up in reverse where the crack/break goes through.
I know you're excited about going through you grandfather's collection. Who wouldn't be! Your close-up still doesn't alter the fact that most die cracks are common and don't add anything to the value. Do you have any Morgans that have cartwheel luster like the one below? Chris
I haven't check on that yet. I have sort them into protective. However, can cartwheel be detected through protective cover or I have to remove it and see if it has them?
Chris, I just scanned the picture, but it will not show cartwheel. What other way can I do to able show cartwheel like your picture did. I have Canon Rebel T1i, will it help to show the cartwheel?
You should be able to see the luster through plastic under any light. Note the rays that look like the spokes of a wheel. That is the luster as the light shines on the coin. Chris
Here's two scanned pictures of 1886... Now, I was able to figure out how to detected luster using my camera. I check a website and it mention regarding easy to detected under fluorescent light. Ah, I have ecobulb and the lamp is moveable. I was able to direct the bulb downward to coin and take a picture. Let me know if I did right?
My previous analysis on this coin was focus as show on picture above this thread. After inspect on this coin again for any other variety. I was able to find another one. This one have crack line, but it cause an extra metal appeared right side of "T". It looks like a cud. Let me know if I am correct?
A cud is found at the rim of the coin. I don't see what you're looking at, but it might be a die chip. As mentioned, die cracks are very common on Morgans. Here's mine:
This is a die crack , the place on the right side of the T is larger because the die crack in the die was wider in this area. nothing is called a cud unless it touches the rim on the coin. if a raised area is away from the rim it is called a die break. If you have a lot of silver coins you may want to sell some of the common dated and bad condition ones as scrap silver because silver is kinda high right now. unless you have a good neighborhood without any crime or a extremely safe place to store the coins I would highly recommend doing this. my sister in law had a big safe in her home that weighed over 500 pounds and it contained at least 250,000 dollars worth of silver and gold coins , hundreds of the big size gold and silver certificates , her son's class ring , numerous other valuables plus all of her regular cash she had saved up. her husband was really sick and had a disabled son so he kept on working and buying this stuff so his son could have a nest egg . my brother in law passed away a few years back. a bunch of dope heads broke down her door and took it all. the state police that came out to investigate it didn't even try to help her. all he did was to tell her that if she had any other valuables to take them with her when she goes places. this was about a year ago and we now know the group that did this and still can not get anything done. The mother of one of the men told on her son because she wants him locked up because she knows what he is going to get if he stays here. folks if you have any valuables guard them with your life or go get a safe deposit box. this drug problem is a horrible epidemic and get's worse every day.
Yes, Chris has emphasing that die cracks are common as you show your pictures. Now, I understand that cud belong to rim and extra metal on die cracks are die chip. What I am trying to show is extra metal on right side of "T" and the extra metal is on die crack. That's what I am looking at. Thanks.
Rascal: So it not called die chip? It has extra metal on die crack. Thanks for advice on coins. I am saving them in safe. Yes, it's dangerous to leave around without protection. I am sorry about your family that go through that experience and police typical do nothing if there is no life threat or suggest insurance to take care of it.
It is a dog eat dog world and we have to protect our own selfs and our familys. We can not depend on the police even if we call 911 . I called 911 a week ago and no one showed up here. Our police are totally overwhelmed with crime and can not help everyone. In the case of what happened to my sister in law's coin collection that was a shoddy piece of police work. oily fingerprints were visible on her wall and could be seen with the naked eye and still no fingerprints were looked at by the state police or the detective. they probably just thought my sister in law was a drug seller and didn't try to help her. actually she is a awesome lady and has never taken drugs or sold any.
