Why do the reverses of these Ptolemaic coins (and sometimes the obverse) appear to have punched out centers? Was this done at minting to hold the coin in place? Do other types of coins have this feature? Thanks, ahead of time. guy Note: Not my coins. Images from Heritage Auctions.
If you check out this link, and scroll down a bit you will see a very good explanation regarding "punch marks". The short answer is that they were created during the preparation of the flan for striking. Likely a tool was used to hold the flan in place as it was rotated in a circular motion to make it easier to shave the edges of the flan to the right dimensions. Regards, -Kurt http://www.calgarycoin.com/reference/grading/flan.htm
You are very welcome Guy. I always learn something new myself, whether I am answering or asking the question:thumb: -Kurt
Thank you for finding the link. Not surprising to see that Ancient Doug already addressed this issue...more than a decade ago: http://www.forumancientcoins.com/dougsmith/phil2mar.html guy
The link below and several pages following it show drawings of machines explaining the pits. There is always controversy caused by people who have not studied the evidence and can not accept the explanations as offered. We are left with the major question as to how the people responsible for these coins could accept something so ugly in the middle of their otherwise well made product. I do not know that one!
You would be surprised in my estimation at what people accept as normal and "just part of money". There are loads of examples. Take chinese cash. When other people copied them, since this is what "money" looked like, they copied the design but not the reason. The Chinese put square holes in the cash to put them on a square rod so excess metal could be easily filed away. Others made the coins look like the Chinese ones, but you can tell never put them on square rods for ease of production. They simply copied what looked like "money" to them, without understanding why. Same with limes coins, etc. I imagine this treatment of planchets was developed and was needed when the Ptolemy's struck their massive bronzes, and it continued later simply because, "that is what they look like". Just an opinion though.
