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Message:: [QUOTE="JBK, post: 15464, member: 1101"]I'm tempted to throw in a little insult to close this thing down, but first I'll add my two cents' worth. The hole on the obverse is clean, but the hole on the reverse, despite some wear from circulation or handling, is a bit messier.  As has already been stated, the answer is in the “exit wound”.  If this were a damaged planchet, the strike would be sharp at the hole area, but it is not.  There is some distortion.  This is proof, in my opinion, that the coin was holed after it was made.  As to what made the hole?  It is all speculation.  BUT…experience (and there is plenty of it here) shows that there are all manner of odd shapes and sizes of holes that have been made over the years.  In the very old days, drills were not even necessarily used.  Maybe an awl or file or something, with repeated turning or punching to get the hole.  These old holes are often not round, especially if someone worked on it with a file.  As to why it was made where it is, and not closer to the edge?  Who the heck knows.  When I was young I did a lot of thing to coins that I could not even begin to explain now.  But, that experience gave me enough knowledge to know that all manner of damage and distortions can be inflicted on coins, and there are ways to create different results. And we haven’t even begun to talk about blow torches or lasers…….[/QUOTE]