Any and all speculation welcome

I found this coin roll hunting years ago and put it in a blank hole in the back of my Dansco where it was forgotten. I stumbled on it again yesterday and my curiosity is at a peak again.

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

That is interesting.

 

Almost like some kind of die cap?

http://www.error-ref.com/struck_through_a_late_stage_die_cap/

 

Looks like a keeper! Some kind of capped die

 

Times 3! ~ Chris

 

I don't think it's a capped die. Those usually have a more regular appearance.

Given the texture of the coin, I strongly suspect this is struck through cloth. Here's one I used to own. This one was struck through some sort of canvas, whereas yours appears to be a finer weave cloth.

 

What are the caps made of? Does it damage the die when that happens?

 

I see the pattern your talking about. I thought that was lamination striations.

 

Did you read the article posted?

 

yes

 

Then you tell us what the caps are made of.

Not trying to be difficult. Pushing you to learn

 

Islanders link? ok i got it.

 

I considered that it might be a plating effect, from a mid-80's zincoln. I've seen that sort of parallel pattern on those sorts of coins. I can't really tell the date, but it looks like 198- something. However, I ruled that out because it is completely uniform across the entire coin. That's not usually how I see plating effects. It looks more like a cloth to me.

 

Yes, the link Islander posted describes what a "capped die" is, and how it's made. It describes what the "cap" is.

So what is it?

 

That would explain the die crack like lines as wrinkles in the cloth. I think this is probable. The lines in the coin you posted look like a polishing or sanding screen. We used at my place of employment for cleaning up tight fitting steel parts. Is it possible the mint used it for polishing dies?

 

It is a previously struck coin stuck to the die, which says causes ghosting in
the later stages. I would think an early stage die cap would cause ghosting.

 

Yup, good! A die cap would absolutely cause the soft, mushy, ghostlike details.

My problem with the die cap theory is that it does not explain the "die crack" like line, which is easily explained by a wrinkle in the cloth. It also does not explain the parallel lines, which is easily explained by a fine weave cloth.

 

Aside from the lines, at first glance it struck me as heat damage, but I do see a uniform texture on the surface.

 

I see no indication this coin was struck through cloth. The fine parallel lines are simply the original streaky surface of the planchet preserved by the relatively soft metal of the die cap. As for the curved ridge, I don't know what it represents, but it doesn't look like any folded cloth impression I've ever encountered. It shows every indication of having been struck through a late-stage die cap. You get all sorts of weird textures and topographies in such errors.

 

I will defer to mike, as he has vastly more knowledge and experience on the topic than I do.