I have this 1913 D Wheat Penny with strange cracks on both sides of the coin. I am attaching pics to this post and would like to hear feedback on what this may be.
This 1913 D Wheat penny has strange cracks in the planchet. I am wondering if this coin is valuable as a result of this deformity. Please provide feedback. I am new here and just learning as a result of coming into a rather large collection of coins, and I appreciate any help in regards to this particular coin in my collection. Thanks in advance!
Those are intentional scratches PMD - Post Mint Damage Not a Mint Error Not valuable. Only worth One Cent.
I basically agree with the two previous respondents that, due to the rather horrific damage your coin suffered, it is essentially worth only face value (one cent). However, since the 1913-D is a slightly better date (worth $2.53 in G4 per Numismedia), you could adjust for the damage and hypothetically say that it's worth 25-50 cents or so to someone who was desperate enough to fill that slot in their album. It's what we old-time collectors used to refer to as a "filler", because of that. Damaged coins like this are also referred to as "culls", as per definition 5 of the word here.
It looks like the abuser of this poor cent tried to carve their initials on the front, but lacked the control over their knife to do a good job of it. @lordmarcovan gave me this love token, where a skilled person ground off the design first, and then intricately carved a new design. You may look around for "Love Token" and "Hobo Nickel" to see the high art this can become in the right hands.
I was going to put that one on my hat, but since you and I share the same last initial, I thought you should have it. Love tokens and hobo carvings are NOT culls, of course, unless the artist was really, really bad!
@youletmeworryaboutthat - if I recall your introductory post, you inherited an accumulation of coins including a number of Wheat cents, yes? Perhaps you could get a Lincoln cent folder or album and see how many holes you can fill. With a 1913-D, you've filled the hole for one of the slightly tougher early mintmarked pieces, if only with a temporary space filler. It's a fun pursuit, and exactly how three or four generations of collectors have gotten their start.
Not YouTube videos by backwards ballcap wearers talking about errors that are not? Hrrrumpf. Who knew?
Too bad about the intentional initials and X carvings as this would be a good coin. In this damaged condition it still may bring a dollar. The problem is, let's say someone buys it because they need that coin for their album. There's no upside it's always going to be damaged and a dealer or serious collector will reject it.
You could say it's a filler, but getting a problem free 13-D cent to fill a hole costs what, a few bucks? Cool find, but it has very little if any value.
It looks like the initials are D A R = Daughters of the American Revolution and the design? on the reverse could be the beginning of a Voodoo hex sign. Now THAT'S one way to put a marketable spin on an otherwise unmarketable coin. Just check your morals and ethics at the door on your way out. lol
I think the crisscross/starburst knife slash pattern on the reverse is the product of boredom alone, and without any deeper meaning. I've seen it before on coins from the 1800s on up.