At first glance I thought these marks were scratches, but after closer inspection they appear to be under the incuse design, and not on/above it. Could it be a planchet flaw? Any ideas?
If I'm seeing what I think I'm seeing (what looks like gouges going all the way through "OF" in "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA," I'd say yeah. But, I wouldn't have noticed it had you not prompted me to look. I'd say get an in-hand opinion to confirm.
I would be interested in getting this one graded just to see what they say. I don't know if the other mark right above the shoulder is the same, or a scratch that would get a details grade. It might grade decent if they are not scratches.
First off, I think it was a planchet defect due to the "scars" not touching the incuse design. Secondly, @paddyman98, your avatar is improperly handling that coin. Make it stop.
Unlikely, I'd say. It's a small, 20th century gold coin. All of those factors in combination weigh pretty heavily against it being adjustment marks. Also, they look fairly deep. Striking would have lessened the marks, so they would have had to have been extremely deep in the planchet otherwise. Why file it down so heavily in one small area?
Nice one! I'd definitely call it a planchet error, which is more unusual with gold from what I've seen. Don't think it would increase the value much, but certainly makes the piece more interesting!
Post Strike Damage In the Pratt Indians NOTHING can be higher than the field of the coin. Look at the marks below OF A. There are definite ridges on the side toward the eagle that are higher than the field. As what ever it was that caused these marks goes through the lettering you can seewhere it made contact with the upright of the E, the lower right curve of the S the right side of the O and lower upright of the F. There does not appear to be any trace of these marks down in the bottom of the recess on either side of the letters. So it wasn't there pre-Strike. Whatever it was made the marks on the field and the letters which are at just about the same height as the field, and left ridges that are above the height of the field, PSD.
