Here is a neat one i found today, I think it is a die crack? that goes from his cheek bone all the way to the rim. It is thicker coming out of his mouth kind looks like he smoking a stogie. LOL
A die gouge is scratched into the die face. It is therefore an incuse (sunken) feature in the die face. Any feature in the die face that is recessed shows up on the coin as a raised feature. So all die gouges are raised on the coin.
Mikediamond Please continue with your explaination,How would the die become gouged and what are the characteristics that set them apart from a die crack?
Most die gouges have no obvious source. Folks speculate about an accident with a tool during installation. A die gouge is often restricted to the field, is usually straight, is usually wider than most die cracks, and often has two blind ends. Die cracks are visible on both design and field, tend to meander in a jagged fashion, are usually thin, and usually have one end connected to the rim.
Thank You ! Would I be correct in my thinking that die cracks are much more common than a die gouge based upon the fact that a gouge would be an accidental occurance rather than being caused by the fatigue of a particular die? If so do die gouges carry any premium as an error?
Die gouges aren't particularly rare, although they are rarer than die cracks. Just as with die cracks, rarity and value increase with the width, depth, and length of the die gouge. Sacagawea dollars with the "Wounded Eagle" die gouge sometimes sell for more than $200 dollars. However, die gouges like that seen in your Lincoln cent are worth perhaps a dollar. I neglected to mention one other, less likely, diagnosis for your error. You sometimes get linear blisters on copper-plated zinc Lincoln cents. The best test for these is to place the coin under a microscope and gently press on the ridge with the tip of a toothpick. If the metal flexes, it's a blister. If it doesn't give, then it's probably a die gouge.
Mikediamond This is not my error,,,Iam just Interested in the cause and effect of this type of things and am really new to error collecting, I have pulled a hundred or so coins from circulation with all different kinds of anomolies and am just attempting to attribute them to a specific cause,,with a little interest in value also.
Interesting I think the luneur blister theory is right on track, under closer examination, not visible to the naked eye there are quite a few more of these lines and when i press on them with a toothpick they move and as i run the toothpick over them the line will dissappear but then they pop back up exactly as they were before. I didn't poke at the one that looks like a smoke, I was afraid I may tear it or somehow mess it up. It's an amazing learning experience when someone elses knowledge can open ones eyes and enable them to see something even after looking at it a hundred times without ever knownig it was there. Thanks P.S I would say it is similar to a window thats tinted and has little air pockets causing littles blisters.
I am trying to learn about error coins now (yeah, I know, it's always something new with me ) and I have the Price Guide to Mint Errors book by Alan Herbert. It doesn't mention linear blisters. Is there another term for this? I still haven't read the book cover-to-cover but as topics come up, I break out my book and read about them.
I'm glad you nailed down the cause as a linear blister. "Blistered plating" typically assumes a more familiar appearance of small bumps on the coin's surface. But bubble tracks and elongated blisters also occur. I don't know if Alan Herbert mentions these. No error reference is so comprehensive that it includes absolutely everything. You learn to fill in the gaps as you mature in the hobby. Blistered plating is so common that it's generally not worth anything, unless the coin looks like it has smallpox. Even then you're talking about a coin worth no more than a dollar.
Mikediamond, Haven't heard the "smallpox" description before. Does that mean the same thing as "orange peel" or something different entirely? Thanks - another learner
Ahhh...ok...Thanks....I have a 199X (its in storage) proof lincoln that is heavily blistered, so was curious. Thanks again.
