My first 1700s U.S. Error! 1797 reverse of 1797 Stems. I think it might be off center as the top of the reverse is cut off, but was sold as a broadstrike. The way I see it, who cares. Pretty sure it wont get a details grade, and I already know it is genuine. I am thinking an F-15 minimum as some parts are sharp, especially the word LIBERTY, the face, as is most of the last 3/4 of the reverse, but the top of the reverse lettering has worn away. I am sending this to either PCGS or NGC. How do they grade a coin with these extremes in detail? Any expert help is appreciated.
I think its a missaligned die (mad) strike. It a nice looking coin. F-15 might be a stretch. Im thinking more like a 12. Let us know the outcome.
Actually, I don't think it can be a misaligned die strike. Don't MADs only appear off-centered on one side while the other is normal? This is off on both sides.
Hmmm. Even how the edge pattern starts to disappear on the obverse at 5 o'clock, and the bottom of the date is cut off? Not being argumentative. Just genuinely asking.
I'd say it is both off-center and has misaligned dies. It is off on both sides in the same direction, and part of the design is off the planchet. It is off-center. But the reverse is off a little more than the obv, MAD. MAD's can happen with either hammer or anvil die (even both at once), but because the anvil die always remains inside the collar on modern coins the anvil die can never be mis-aligned more than a tiny amount. In the case of the 1797 cent though the dies were not contained in a close collar, so the anvil die can be mis-aligned considerably more.
