Look at the upturned edge of this coin. Compare the right edge to the left edge in this photo. Was this caused when the coin blank got its upturned edge from the "upsetting mill," or during the strike? It looks like a radical difference between the two sides. What is this called in numismatics terminology?
This is a Korean coin. Don't know much of their minting milling process but it looks like a few possibilities happening here - 1st - Misaligned Die - If you show us a picture of the Reverse the I can tell 2nd - Off Center - Again, looking at the Reverse I can determine 3rd - Elliptical Planchet
Happens all the time with US coins. The die probably struck the coin a tiny bit off center, which caused the struck portion to be at an angle. This not only causes an unusual wear pattern, it creates a thin rim on one side, and a fat, razor edge on the other. I could be wrong, but that's just my 2c.
Here's the obverse. The coin IS worth a premium, but perhaps not for the weird edge: It is dated "1971", an unusual date for this silver proof series. I wrote an article about these silver coins a couple of years ago. http://www.coinweek.com/education/c...-gold-and-silver-commemorative-coins-of-1970/ It was not made in Korea by the Korean Mint, KOMSCO. It was probably made at the State Mint in Karlsruhe, Germany, or in Arezzo, Italy by the Gori and Zucchi Mint. This series of silver coins were sold and distributed by Italcambio (a Caracas-based business run by an Italian mobster that sold several other silver proof coins for countries in the 1960s and 1970s). Places like Equatorial Guinea and "Dahomey". The Koreans didn't have the minting capabilities to produce silver proofs at their mint in 1970-1974, so they contracted this work out.
Yea looks like it's just not a well centered strike, a common occurrence. And a big shout out to "Da homey"
Don't laugh at the price that Italcambio "Dahomey" silver proof set is commanding nowadays: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dahomey-Ben...355?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c50d04f4b
Right. I remember coming across these at the bay about 12 years ago and they were being sold for considerably less. Now people are even getting them graded. It goes to show what's been happening in the world coin market for the past decade or so.
Well it's about time! Being a world coin guy I am happy to see the prices going up. So many low mintage coins just don't get enough interest and loving homes
