I bought this at an auction last month at a very reasonable price. It’s a 1999 Denver issued Quarter Die. Nothing left on the die face but this is one of the Quarters that was produced by this die. A nice looking business strike. Not a spitting horse.
Heavy for its size and having it makes it easier to understand the minting process. The force is quite high to strike coins. The number you see on the die matches the certificate I have and that’s the number of the die.
Somewhere in an auction I looked at this week there was one of these sets available. If I remember correctly, the COA said the coin that came along with it was the first coin struck with that die.
Hang around with Tool & Die guys...you get to experience some heavy objects. Some progressive dies are enormous (and quite heavy). And some of the mechanical presses are massive. They shake the ground when they strike parts. And when the tools collide...unmistakable!!
I would take the claim, “first coin struck with this die” with a grain of salt. There is no way to prove that unless the Denver Mint did that the time, very specifically. Modern presses strike over one hundred coins a minute. Grabbing up the very first coin would be quite an accomplishment. I remember when these canceled dies were sold, and I have no recollection that they were sold with “the first coin struck.”
Afraid not and no way of knowing that I know of. The entire face was obliterated. If there’s a way to trace the number on the die, I suspect you could find out but I wouldn’t know how to do that.
That is an anvil die. Note the long neck between the die body and the face of the die. It is long like that because after the strike the anvil die rises up and pushes the coin out of the collar and it needs that long neck in order to do that. the hammer dies have a a much shorter neck because it only has to go a short distance into the collar to strike the coin and then the short neck makes it easier to get it out of the way of the feed fingers.
Another good one CN. One question, where are you putting all this stuff? My wife would have killed by now. Don't answer I don't want to give her any ideas. Thanks, and good luck.
When I was 18 i worked in a metal stamping shop, i saw a guy lose a hand in a 500 ton Bliss press. The die setters had just put in new dies and were doing a test stroke, so the light curtain was disabled. He said "clear", another guy stroked the press, he wasn't clear.
That was unfortunate to say the least. Bypassing the checks can be costly. I know a few missing part of a digit. And they weren’t necessarily being reckless. Heavy tools and equipment. Hazardous.
Yes it is. Makes me wonder if was a first strike with this die. We will never know but you don’t see business strike coins this good.
