1793 Liberty Cap

Discussion in 'US Coins Forum' started by 900fine, Jan 19, 2011.

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  1. Marshall

    Marshall Junior Member

    [​IMG]

    These are the signs of multiple strikes. The numerous vertical portions of the lettering are too numerous to point out and difficult to identify as a particular letter so I left that off. Most of the features are evidence of one prior strike, but the date is evidence of a third.
     
    Marshall, Jan 20, 2011
    #21 + Quote Reply
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  3. Leadfoot

    Leadfoot there is no spoon

    I didn't want to say anything, but since you did.... The area around LIBERTY on the obverse does seem to have been tooled. Anywhere else?
     
    Leadfoot, Jan 20, 2011
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  4. Leadfoot

    Leadfoot there is no spoon

    p.s. interesting observation, Marshall. I didn't see any evidence of multiple strikes when I first viewed the coin.
     
    Leadfoot, Jan 20, 2011
    #23 + Quote Reply
  5. GDJMSP

    GDJMSP Numismatist Moderator

    As I told you when I viewed the coin in person, I couldn't really see any signs of tooling. That doesn't mean there aren't any though because as I also said I have very limited experience with these coins.

    What did surprise me though and what I do have experience with were the surfaces of this coin. I was downright impressed with them. These pics do not do this coin justice IMO for the surfaces are much nicer than these pics show. The corrosion and pitting commonly found on early copper just wasn't there. As I recall my comment at the time was that in regard to planchet quality it just doesn't get any better than that.

    But back to the tooling issue. I can remember thinking to myself when you asked me about it that what you were seeing might have been due to the coin being struck twice. But I discounted the idea partly because of my inexperience with the coin and partly because, given the minting process at the time, I thought a double strike unlikely.

    But given Marshall's experience with early copper and his thinking about the coin being double struck, then perhaps that is exactly what it was. Because honestly I could not see any signs of tooling or tool marks. For whatever that is worth.

    I still think your best bet (or the owner's) is to get the coin slabbed and go from there.
     
    GDJMSP, Jan 20, 2011
    #24 + Quote Reply
  6. Leadfoot

    Leadfoot there is no spoon

    Darn, I wish I had seen this coin in-hand. :( Very interesting discussion, gentlemen.
     
    Leadfoot, Jan 20, 2011
    #25 + Quote Reply
  7. Catbert

    Catbert Evil Cat

    Rick - if you are interested in the how what happened in France affected the British (and indirectly the U.S.), see if you can find a copy of "The Shadow of the Guillotine" by David Bindman (it is out of print). This is a book that contains many references to visual images that reflected the times ("from Blake's illuminated books and Gillray's satirical prints to Wedgwood medallions and gory waxworks from Madame Tussaud's"). It's a fascinating book that catalogs the British reactions from 1789-1799.

    Thanks for posting your great early copper!
     
    Catbert, Jan 20, 2011
    #26 + Quote Reply
  8. Conder101

    Conder101 Numismatist

    There are also some nice Conder tokens that relate to the French revolution.
     
    Conder101, Jan 22, 2011
    #27 + Quote Reply
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