Hi all, This is my first post. Please bear with me on this one. I recently ran across an 1844 Seated Liberty Half Dollar. Although it looks to have been dipped sometime in the past (some toning has returned) it has AU+ details. When I looped it with a 10x loop, I noticed a line that runs from the top of the rim to the bottom. I'll describe it as simply as I can and if anyone has any indication what happened, (defective planchet, defective die, ??) I would be very appreciative. Here goes: There is a dead-straight line on the obverse which runs from the rim area near the star (her nose is pointing directly at the star) to the rim at the bottom (The last picture highlights the line with black arrows). At first I thought it was the everyday scratch, but under a 10x loop this is what I saw: This is definitely not a break in the planchet or the die. It is a grooved line not raised from a break in the die and there is no "serrations" on the sides from a break in the planchet. There are a series of microscopic lines (they look like grain lines) running vertical at about a 11 o'clock to 5 o'clock angle. The larger of the lines (which I pointed out with the black arrows), follows these lines exactly with the exact spacing in between. If you took a rule and followed the line, it is exactly straight with NO deviation. The line follows the contours of the raised Lady Liberty with no breaks most of the way down. In other words, it catches the highs, the hills and the valleys with little to no breaks in the line. The depth of the line is stronger on the raised figure and lighter in the fields on on the rim but it definitely extends from the top of 1 rim, down the side, over the bead, the field, Lady Liberty, the lower field and up to the bottom rim with virtually no break. There looks to be NO metal displacement like you would see with a normal scratch from a staple or scribe. That's about it. ANY help would be appreciated. Questions welcomed.
The "microscopic" lines are from the coin being harshly cleaned. My guess is that the coin is just scratched. I like the details. Wish someone didnt use a piece of steel wool or a brillo pad on it though.
Everything you see are scratches. The coin was also cleaned to death. Sorry but that is just what it is.
yes it has a lot of cleaning lines, but that is not what he is talking about. He points out a SINGLE heavy line bisecting the coin. It can be seen best in the third image crossing the right leg, from upper left to lower right about a quarter inch right of the shield. Having said that I think it is just a scratch on the coin.
