bust dollar edge lettering question

I notice on most bust dollars when you orient the coin to read the edge lettering, the obverse is facing down and the revers is facing up. How rare is it to be the other way around, as in when the obverse is facing up, the edge lettering is not upside down. If I see a bust dollar with the lettering like that does it mean its fake, or were some made like that?

 

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you know, i have never pondered that before. wonder if anybody will answer.

 

Today's dollars, it makes no difference, because it would be too labor intensive. Now, for the old ones I have not found out if it was the same way. You may be able to find out in the Numismatic News paper, section of Coin Clinic by Alan Herbert, email is AnswerMan2@aol.com He may know the answer.

 

It would not matter . The edge lettering was applied to the edge of the coin before the striking process.The edge lettering was impressed into the edges by a machine designed to pull the planchet between tow steel bars, parallel to each other, each with one half of the inscription and symbols. The orientation is random.

 

I don't recall ever reading that there was an intended orientation for the edge lettering vs. obverse and reverse. These were stuck in a multi-part process whereby the edge lettering was imparted independently of the obverse and reverse design by the use of a Castaing machine. The planchet would receive the edge lettering prior to being struck.

 

The planchets for the early half cents, large cents half dollars and dollars were all lettered as a separate step before striking. They would have been all mixed up in the bucket and would have gone into the press oriented randomly (Unless you have some anal retentive press operator) So as your sample size of viewing bust dollars increases the edge orientation should eventually start approaching a 50/50 split.

 

Hit or miss, much like with the current Presidential Dollar coins.......

 

Thank all! I knew it was 2 different steps, so I figured maybe it was random. Just my limited viewing of busts since I started paying attention to the orientation of the edge lettering the few I looked at were all the same way, however, after i posted this I looked for more info and pics and did notice that indeed there are busts with the lettering the other way as well.

Thanks all!!