Hi guys. I'm new here, and this is my first post. I joined because I would like others opinion on a few things. So first, I bought a couple of rolls of pennies and dimes and quarters from the bank about three weeks ago. The penny rolls I got were all brand new unopened 2020 pennies. While going through one of the rolls I came across this penny,that on the reverse, in the first A of the word state,there is a star aperently stamped in the middle. I know your going to say someone did this but I SWEAR this came from a brand new unopened roll. Has anyone ever heard or seen anything like this??? Sorry I try and get better pictures in a few minutes
I don't see a star, I see a face, with his eyes looking up toward the top of his head, like he's wondering, "Why is that so pointy up there?" What do you think? Or that could be a hit the A took when it was shoved into the roll and I could be letting my imagination run a little wild here.
Probably an issue with a grease filled die not allowing the letter A to form properly. Nothing major. It looks like a star but it wasn't done intentionally by the Mint. It's just Paredolia.
It took a second but I actually see what your talking about.lol. and now that I've seen it I can't unsee it.
If I had a better picture you would see it really star there is no mistaking it. I'm just wondering if anyone has EVER came across anything like this.ive only been doing this for like three years, which I know isn't long, but I never seen something like this before
It's incused into both stems of the letter A. Just 2 tiny spots. That would happen in the very beginning of die deterioration. Small amounts of compacted grease
Well, look at it this way. First, the Mint didn't roll those pennies. So, the coin got molested before it got wrapped.
Thank you everyone for your help. It's always good to have a fresh pair of eyes on things. Ill try for better pictures next time.lol
Sorry, Paddy, not buying it. That's a hit of some kind. Were it just grease, the whole crevice would be affected, not just some small part in the middle, because the grease is distributed uniformly, necessarily seeping into every crevice. That goes to why these dies are greased, in the first place. That has nothing whatsoever to do with early or for that matter any stages of die deterioration. It's simply so the dies, which are running hot, like an engine, don't seize to the planchets. As these dies are greased, every crevice takes its share in, necessarily, it can't be helped, they're crevices. That filled-in grease doesn't harden in the middle, somewhere. As it hardens, it hardens throughout the crevice. So keep swinging, if you want, but it's not hardened grease, I'm not persuaded, something hit it.
Play around with taking photos. I see you were trying to take a picture using a loupe. As you probably know, you have to be dead center in the magnifier or you'll bend the image.
IMO. the coin took a hit and when you get a good photo, you will see the proof. Three or four others got this one right, IMO.
Me, too...see the marks but can't "see" a star. Like the blot test...different folks see different things.