Many of us know that the edge lettering of the Presidential and Sacajawea coins have a Position A & B, upside down and right side up lettering looking at the obverse. My question is, is this part of the upsetting mill process where this happens randomly? Most of my MS rolls seem to have about a 50/50 mix of these. Thanks in advance. Tom
Before the Blank Planchets are struck with the Obverse and Reverse Die the Edge lettering is applied. There is no way to control the way the Planchet should fall into the chamber to be struck. So it could either be position A or position B.. Simple I have seen Blank Planchets being sold with the Only the Edge Lettering.
Thanks paddy. Answers my question perfectly. All this time I though the edge lettering was after, or a third step. See, I just learned something new and thanks to you.
Paddyman98 is incorrect the coins are struck and then the edge lettering is applied in a process similar to that used in the upsetting of the planchets. It IS a third step. Upsetting, coining and then lettering. If the edges were lettered first and then struck in a close plain collar the lettering would be crushed. But the coins come out of the press and fall into bins and are carried by conveyors and dumped into other bins that feed the edge lettering device so they still enter randomly oriented.
@tommyc03 Ok.. I always thought it was the other way around. Thank you Condor.. Anyway, it still gets applied any way the coin lands to receive the edge lettering.
Actually all the proof are in Position B, Position A is impossible. When the dollars first came out PCGS specified the lettering upright when the obv is up as position B. The edges of the proof coins also show three vertical bars on the edge, the separation points of the three segments. There is also a rare edge error on some Jefferson dollars. On some dollars the edge segments were placed in the press out of order. Instead of says 2007 S E Pluribus Unum In God We Trust, they say 2007 S In God We Trust E Pluribus Unum.
As is typical, I was confused by the nonsensical nomenclature. Per... http://www.smalldollars.com/dollar/page33.html Position B, also known as Type 1, is with the lettering right side up when the obverse is up. Position A, also known as Type 2, is with the lettering upside down when the obverse is up. B is 1 is right side up A is 2 is upside down Morons.
