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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;desertgem, post: 3956747, member: 15199&quot;]Wade, I will try to explain why you can see what you do. This mm was struck on the working die&nbsp; with a punch. The raised S on the mm punch left a reverse image on the working die, meaning the image was incluse, inward projecting, so that when the working die in turn struck a planchet, the mm would stand above the field as metal moved into depressed area of the working die. In order to produce the area between the upper curve of the S and the slanted part would have to penetrate to the bottom field level and same for the lower curve.&nbsp; Early struck coins usually had in that era clean shapes. But as the working die struck more and more planchets into coins the thin protrusions of the working die that made the depressed areas in the S wore down or broke/chipped out and this would produce raised areas in the tight areas of the mm, These usually occur near the serifs or enlarged structures near the &#039;ends&#039; of the letter. this is what you are seeing. </p><p><br /></p><p>Of course modern dies have the mintmark on the die rather than punching it in.</p><p><br /></p><p>IMO, Jim[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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