This 1835 half dime, die marriage LM-8.2, is obviously heavily cleaned and has a couple of non-minor rim dings. But it also has a depression on Liberty's cheek. I originally wrote this off as PMD but upon closer examination with the stereo microscope at 10X and 30X, I am having second thoughts. So, obverse and reverse with a blow-up of the depression are shown below. My observations: - The depression itself exhibits a sizable raised dimple at the bottom of the pit. This is the kind of artifact that occurs when a section of metal breaks off. It is not usual to see something like this when a punch is used, unless the punch itself is shaped to produce the dimple. - There is no evidence on the reverse of a bulge or raised area opposite the obverse depression that you might expect to see if a punch or impact had caused the depression. - The coin is not at all bent, again something you might expect to see if the coin had been impacted with a punch. Could this be a planchet flaw, where a piece of the planchet broke off either before or after striking? Or is it just ordinary PMD? It doesn't matter to me which it is since the coin is not worth much of anything anyway. This is more academic interest.
Stick the dime in a pack of rubber band 2x2 so the edge can be imaged at 90 degrees. Humor me please....I want to see the edge hit .....before I reply.
How deep would you describe the hit on the cheek? As Im thinking a dropped punch on her cheek..but it isn't....as the artifact would be outward not into her cheek. .its a shame that someone brillo-ed the coin...it has a lot of meat on her.
I took a look at trying to measure it but the size of the pit is so small that I don't have any measuring tools to get into it, despite having a machine shop with more measuring tools than you can shake a stick at. The pictures belie how small the coin and the pit really are. Visual comparison and estimation from the photos and from my stereo microscope lead me to conclude that the pit depth is no deeper than the height of Liberty's cheek above the surrounding field and probably a bit shallower.
Yeah I totally understand that... just trying to visualize it in my mind to try and make an educated guess. The reason I asked for the rim image is the same trying to see if it was done at the mint or post. Sometimes If the area looks like it was done recent ,or it may looks older. What I am seeing in that cheek mark looks like a small round ball shaped at the bottom. And cant visualize what could be the cause. Again without the doupt if it wasn't scrubed,and damaged its a nice coin.
If it's PMD, the edges of the pit should be raised. If not then I think a strike through, as KBBPLL wrote. Planchet flaws, in my limited experience, tend to have a rough or shaggy look to them.
Good thought about the smooth edges. But the dimple at the bottom still has me puzzled. But with a strike through caused by a hard object (as opposed to grease, say), it could have an infinitude of appearances.
