Hi everyone, my first post ever. Enjoying a lot the site and everyone's expertise and willingness to help. Question: I received this Morgan as a present, but I don't know if it's damaged or if it's a case of a cracked die. It does not go through side to side, but I don't know what to make of it. Thanks for your help.
It is a huge scratch, not a die crack. Die cracks show as ridges ABOVE the surface of the coin. This mark goes INTO the surface of the coin. There is a raised line to the left of the scratch, most obvious by the "S" in "PLURIBUS." That is from the metal that was displaced by the scratch.
For another coin type -- Saint-Gaudens -- Roger Burdette's recent book explains die cracks, die collapses, etc. in great detail. If you want the focus strictly on Morgans, there might be a book that covers that. Welcome !
