An incredibly rare error type. Instead of sitting flat and horizontal in the collar, it was nearly perfectly vertical upon striking. But exactly how this got a grade of MS66RD is beyond me. ~Joe Cronin
I don't understand the need to assign a grade to errors like these. Cool coin, but is the grade REALLY needed?
I don't understand the mechanics of this at all. If it was nearly vertical in the chamber, why wasn't it mashed flat? Was it ejected past the collar before the dies finished closing on it?
I guess I don't really understand that myself. I know sometimes they fold in a lot or become straight up foldover strikes. But as to why some don't bend it all I'm guessing maybe it was perfectly vertical and not in an angle? That could make a difference.
Edge Strikes and Fold-Over Strikes are related, but I don't know the difference as to how one is folded over and struck, and the other stands on the edge and gets struck. Yes, the obvious answer is that the edge strike coin's planchet was perfectly vertical when the dies came together, but then why didn't it fold over from the striking pressure? Even 'standing up' perfectly, the planchet would fold with 65 tons of pressure, I would think.
It could be they were setting up the machine pressure, like a trial strike and somehow the planchet got out of the mint rather in the junk box. What held it in a vertical position? The planchets don't come into the machine vertical? Did it rotate in the fingers?
I would think the ones that were perfectly vertical are the ones that create foldover strikes. If they aren't completely vertical, once the pressure starts being applied the die recesses hold it for a moment and then the coin comes shooting out of the press
If I had to guess, I'd say about a half-dozen or so, maybe a few more. All Cents, as I recall, but I'm thinking there's a nickel (maybe) tossing around in my memory pool.
No real mystery as to why a coin becomes an edge strike instead of a foldover strike. If the disc deviates even slightly from a perfectly vertical position, it will be kicked out of the striking chamber or fall on its side within the striking chamber as the hammer die exerts pressure on the edge.
