I found this cent, sorry i dont have a picture of it yet, that seems to have a mark on the back that i think is something of a cracked die. On the reverse of the cent, right at the first T in States, there is a raised line on the surface of the coin that goes from the rim, down to the T and stops, then continues on the other side of the top line of the T. Any ideas? If its a cracked die, wouldnt it also affect the MOTO? If its not a cracked die, what would have caused the raised mark?
I will try to get a pic or a scan tonight. But at what stage would it have cracked so it does not go through the MOTO but rather under it in sorts... I would think a die crack would also crack the letter T, not stop at the T and continue on the other side.
Simplest way to determine if you have a die crack or a something else, is by looking to see if the "error" raised up, or if it is incused into the coin. Die cracks are always "raised up". Will wait on the picts As for the hap-hazard pattern of what your seeing, think of a die-crack much like what it looks like....a lightning bolt. Electricity always follows the path of least resistance, same goes with a die crack. A die crack is a essentially a stress fracture in the metal of the die. As pressure is put on it, crystaline structures in the metal break. The weaker structures will break before the stronger structures. I'd guess that the die crack actually goes through the T, but without extreme maginification, you probably can't see evidence of it....and if the coin is circulated, that evidence probably wore off.
Generally if the raised area goes under the device it may be a die scratch or gouge ,Rather than a crack . Here is an example of a die gouge on a roosevelt dime and also a die crack shown going through the O of one and the P of pluribus on a 1922-D cent. Hope this helps Rick
how would a die gouge happen in the process of creating the die where it wouldnt interfere with the design ??
Best way to explain it - it skips over the top. You have to remember, on a coin die the fields are the high points and the design elements are the low points. So when a worker is using a tool on a die and slips - ooops we have a die gouge. But the gouge is often just visible in the fields because they are the high points.
