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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Conder101, post: 1538534, member: 66&quot;]I could see the misplaced date elements seen in the denticals as being a hardness test.&nbsp; When the die was tested the diameter of the die face was larger than the finished diameter so most if not all of the digits would be cut away when they reduced the diameter down to final size after hubbing.&nbsp; The traces still seen in the denticals are just cases where the digits were punched a little too high.&nbsp; But I find it hard to believe they would be doing it to test hardness up in the areas close to the center of the die where chances of the numbers still being visible after hubbing would be high.</p><p><br /></p><p>One thing you need to understand about the early overdates is that while they are trying to salvage a previous years die, they are NOT doing it to a die that has already been used to make coins.&nbsp; Except for two cases every early overdate is a case where an unused, non-harden die was leftover at the end of the year.&nbsp; The new date was punched in, the die was hardened, and then it was used.&nbsp; If a used die was still serviceable at the end of the year they would just continue using it with the old date until it failed.</p><p><br /></p><p>The reason used dies were not redated was because they couldn&#039;t repunch hardened tool steel easily, and since the hardening of the die was when it was at the greatest risk of failure, why risk a die that had already survived it.&nbsp; The chance of surviving it a second time would be small.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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