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Message:: [QUOTE="19Lyds, post: 2415455, member: 15929"]"Grease Filled Die" is a generic term used to describe the build up of dust, machine oil and bits of metals which are inherent in ANY machining process such as the manufacture of coins. Since the coining presses operate at hundreds of strikes per second and typical die lie is counted in millions of strikes, it is not uncommon for debris (commonly referred to as grease) to get compressed into the recesses of one or both die devices and possibly filling up those recesses to produce a coin such as the OP's. Typically, a "worn" die produces distorted devices due to the rounding of the device edges during the coining process. Often times, folks confuse this rounding and wear with die doubling. It is simply the normal wear that any piece of metal would have being smashed against another piece of metal under 76-100 tons of pressure at a rate of 100 times a minute. [ATTACH=full]499769[/ATTACH] A die whose life has been over extended produces grainy fields in addition to distorted devices. But rarely if ever missing devices. [ATTACH=full]499770[/ATTACH] Basically, if the rim of the coin is full, then any distortion or disappearance of devices is NOT due to a weak strike OR a worn die which only leaves the generic term "grease filled die". Generic in the same sense as finding an "uncirculated coin" in circulation since "grease" does not really mean actual "grease" but coining debris.[/QUOTE]