This is a great coin featuring a very advanced die state, showing heavy flow lines not only around the rim but in the fields and the devices of the portrait and motto. There is little to no apparent wear and the weakness in the features are because the strike came from a very worn die set nearing the end of service. This example definitely does not have proof like surfaces !
I’m not going to lie, my first inclination was that this coin is a fake. The color and the random lumps and uneven surfaces would have scared me away. Admittedly, I’m not super familiar with these.
I am like you. My first inclination was altered surfaces. That is a darned interesting and educational piece.
That is why I posted this. I am actually curious as to how many die sets make it to this stage. I believe it isn't many and now will be on a quest to find out. Here are a couple of pics of two IHC's I picked up that haven't as much erosion and the dies probably weren't in service much longer after these strikes. I bought the first as a unattributed variety and submitted some pics to Mr Poliquin hoping for a find. He was aware of the die set and has a high grade example and will do the attribution when he finds the time. He requested that I send these two examples for the different die states.
