GSA Morgan Planchet Striations?

The reverse of this coin looks interesting, could this be planchet striations?

 

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That's my take on it. Note how flat the strike is in the largest leaves and talons (among the very first locations on a Morgan to reflect strike weakness). Think they had the dies set just a touch too far apart. This isn't uncommon on Carson City Morgans.

 

Thanks Dave, I've just never seen striations like that. I was thinking it could have also been a quick polish job.

 

I agree with Doug's assessment, but I would like to see full photos of both sides just to satisfy my curiosity.

Chris

 

I disagree with GDJMSP. These are 100% striations. Actually this is a fairly large patch; however most were struck out and are "fine." Some Morgans have even smaller patches so size is not a good indication. The striations in the field resemble hairlines from cleaning. That's why some may think it is post minting damage. The marks on the eagle are deeper. There is one reliable clue to determine these marks were on the original planchet and not struck out when the coin was made. Look closely and you will see original planchet frost (shows as white color) inside the lines. I'll guarantee that GDJMSP would agree with my opinion if he had the actual coin in hand.

 

I agree with dave. I don't think they set the die spacing correctly. That's a sweet one

GD, do you really think pmd on a bu cc gsa dollar to this extent would even be plausible aside from a naughty gsa slab packer or mint worker that was the "spit in your soup" type and just thought he'd have a little fun and just happened to pick an extreemly soft strike coin for his mischief? Occam's razor tells me no

 

Is that coin slabbed ?

 

Why would the striations be deeper on the eagle as more metal has to move in to fill the devices . It would seem to me that they then would be smaller on the eagle . I'm tending to agree with Doug unless you could explain this a little better . Good food for thought though , thanks .

 

The coin is gsa slabbed, which makes it more intriguing. I'll post more pics when I get home.

 

I don't know which reply is Doug; however I think it is the person who agreed with me that these were 100% striations. I should have used the term "coarse" rather than "deep." The marks on the eagle appear differently due to strike variables. The lines on the original planchet were probably very similar in appearance. When the planchet was struck, the high part of the die (produced the field) exerted more pressure or affected the planchet first causing the striations to become very fine or virtually disappear. While this happened, planchet metal was also flowing into the recessed design of the die. The flat strike on the coin indicates much of this metal never filled the die completely and left coarse (not struck out) striations behind on the eagle. Note the color of the "flat strike luster" on leaves w/o detail matches the color inside the striations. That is the "clue" I wrote about above.

 

Doug aka GDJMSP

 

Here's some more pics. I had to take them with a ziplock bag over the holder because I don't know if I'm keeping it (I mean, I always do) and the seller said to keep it intact if I want to return it. I wonder if the planchet was actually overweight or something.

 

These are called "roller marks," and were on the strip when it was rolled and drawn to the correct thickness.

 

Planchet striations or roller marks, whichever is preferred and an extreme case compared to most. That planchet was really rough before being struck based on striations remaining in the fields.

 

So is this cool or just a weak strike and rough planchet. Part of me kind of likes it, its like a coin in transition. Its also like a mint error?

 

I'll second the roller marks. Or the blank planchet got caught and scraped deeply before striking. Damage was in the minting process

 

Reminds me of my 89o from a few threads down.

 

I think they're from the planchet, too, because they run through the devices. They were probably on the strip before it was cut.