I'm seriously interested in this coin, not because it's beautiful, but because it clearly demonstrates the problems the mint had with these issues. ANACS grades it AU55, with the added description "struck on defective blank". Do you think that refers to the "woody" alloy mix, or what appears to be a lamination (or some such other flaw) around the A of AMERICA? Or do you see something else? (There's some lint on the holder which the seller assures me is on the outside - ignore it.)
I think they were just referring to the poorly mixed alloy, giving the coin the dramatic coloring difference John.
I've just never seen a woody referred to as a defective blank by a TPG, but that's probably just my inexperience.
Neither have I really, but it is dramatically unmixed. Maybe there is something going on at the AM, I just cannot tell from photos. It would be a lot easier to tell if not in the coffin.
It looks to me like there is a hole at the AM. Although this is likely a result of the poorly mixed alloy, I do not think the planchet was "defective" because of the woody. The hole would be a good possibility. FWIW, I just got back 22 woodys from ANACS. Although they were very rough on the grading, none were called "defective planchet".
That was exactly my thinking. Thanks guys, but I wonder how they came to the conclusion that it was a defective blank as opposed to PMD. I need to post a better pic. I probably will buy it at this point - I'm too intrigued to let it go.
I agree the blank was defective, it is a woody - and there is missing metal in the AM of America. Cool coin though.
