is this mintmark inverted ?

from what i have been able to find the mm for 1973 should be a tall s with a serif at the top and a ball at the bottom. this appears to be just the opposite.

 

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Looks like a normal, yet worn, MMS-008 to me. Here is a link that may help: http://www.lincolncentresource.com/San_Fransisco_Mintmark_Styles.html

 

Based on the OPs photo and the photo in the link, I'd have to think that the MM on the OPs coin is inverted. The sample in the link shows the ball at the bottom of the S, while the OPs photo shows the ball at the top of the S.

 

Definitely not inverted. That is the typical "Tall S" mintmark that was first used in 52. It overlapped with the "Trumpet Tail S" during 52 and 53, but became the standard from 54 onward.

 

so are you saying it is some kind of damage to the coin that makes it look oppisite of the mintmark on lincolncent resource ?

 

This is from http://www.lincolncentresource.com/San_Fransisco_Mintmark_Styles.html
MMS-008

This is from the OP


LCR shows the ball at the bottom of the S.
OP shows the ball at the top of the S.

 

As I look more at the pics, I'm thinking that it may not be inverted.
The squared serif at the top may have been worn from to rounded and the top loop has the same dimensions as shown in CCs pic. The bottom ball looks to have been worn to smaller and the bottom loop has the same dimensions as that shown in the CC pic. I've changed my mind and now have to confidently say it's a properly aligned mint mark.
Also, I don't find an inverted MM on either LCR or coppercoins.

 

thank you all very much.

 

It definitely looks inverted to me. Serif s/b on top with the ball on the bottom.

http://www.varietyvista.com/San Francisco Mintmark Styles.htm

 

after all the input from this site and looking more closely at it, the deciding factor to me is the degree of the arcs in the s. after that i feel like it might not be inverted. wish it was.

 

When you are looking for inverted "S" mintmarks, it is important to look at the symmetry rather than the shapes of the ends which can vary significantly depending on punch angle, wear, PMD, etc. I also is important to know which mintmark styles are used for any given year. Below is a copy of the appropriate S from Variety Vista that I have inverted. Note how weird the shape is.



That is what the OP's mintmark would like if it was inverted vs the original.
vs

I look through Ebay for inverted mintmarks all the time. Most are comparing their mintmarks to the Knob-tailed "S" which was used only during '44, '45 and '46.

 

You are exactly right as I forgot the most important thing to be done when trying to make this determination from a photo.

FLIP THE PHOTO! Ugh!

 

that is a most helpful tidgit of info there. thanks

 

I posted an inverted "S" mintmark on a 1945 quarter on the following thread (post #29).

http://www.cointalk.com/threads/post-your-washington-quarters.210115/page-2