I have an 1833 capped bust half dollar that I bought recently that has an odd characteristic about it -- it seems to have edge reeding going all the way around the coin combined with the normal lettering. My understanding is that coins pre 1836 did not have reeding? Is this some sort of error? I think the coin is an O-105. Thanks
No not an error , some coins had lines sort of like reeding both vertical and diagonal between the lettering . If you have a Redbook and look at the pre '37 halves they show a few pics like yours some even have Xs .
Wow. You learn something new in numismatics every day. Thank you for the advice. So apparently this style of vertical lines was part of the experimentation they were doing with the reeding between 1830-1836.
No , they weren't reeding , the were added when the lettering was added as just something to stop people from shaving the edges .
Did you look in your Redbook if you have one as some as early as 1809 had them , as they were more like the letter I .
I did look in the Red book, and that is really neat they have pictures of that. It just seems like kind of a ramshackle thing. Cool historical attribute to them. I don't know why they didn't just reed them all in the first place.
Because they didn't use true reeding until the use of closed collar dies . Before that they used a milling and upsetting machine to make the coins round and to add lettering or designs . Some designs from the upsetting machines were quite beautiful , think of the design on Spanish 8 reale coins . But your question is valid . Maybe they just didn't think of it yet and as you said the lines on your half were maybe experimental . Also remember the very 1st dollars and halves didn't have the denomination on either side of the coin , so they added it with lettering like FIFTY CENTS OR HALF A DOLLAR . Change seemed to come slowly .
I was at a show today and the seller/dealer made a big thing of an edge that said: FIFTY CENTS or LF A DOLLAR. no big deal.
Heck , I'll make some of mine read whatever he wants . You'd think he'd know it either wore off or maybe the coin wasn't perfectly round and missed a couple letters , still no biggie like you said Frank . What did you think , wear ?
Nah, not wear, just the way that the Castaing [? spelling] machine rolled it. I have a couple with double edge lettering. and various spelling errors.
I suppose whenever you're running metal over metal some letters might wear off or wear down . Also since it was done by hand turning a crank human error would come to play by inserting a coin twice or turning it back without removing a coin .
