Trivia - Edges

There are two main reasons for reeding on a coin's edge.

1. Before reeding, unscrupulous people would scrape or file flakes off the edges of copper, gold and silver coins. Reeding prevents this. Eight different varieties of reeding are incorporated. Three of these utilize the full width of the edge (coin's thickness); straight lines, left-slanted lines and right-slanted lines. Three occupy only the very center of the coin edge's width; again, straight lines, left-slanted and right-slanted. The other two are a herringbone design; one facing left and one facing right, full width.

2. To make it harder for counterfeiters three varieties of security reeding were improvised using solid blocks and straight lines.

You, a numismatist, should know what reedings are on the edge of the type or variety of coin/s you collect, so you can protect yourself from acquiring a counterfeit or fake coin.

NOTE 1: There is another edge factor to become familiar with; lettered. Do the coins you collect have edge lettering? There are five things you should know. What is the message? Is it repetitive? Are the letters raised or incuse?

Are devices like dots, stars, hyphens, rosettes, or some other symbol used to separate the words or phrases? Does the wording face toward the obverse of the coin, the reverse of the coin or do they alternately face opposite directions?

NOTE 1.a: 1992 Olympic silver dollars minted at Denver have a lettered edge. It reads XXV OLYMPICS and is impressed four times, alternately inverted, on a reeded background!

NOTE 1.b: West Point minted 173,224 uncirculated versions of the 1993 "Bill of Rights" silver half dollars. For some reason 9,656 of these were secretly edge-stamped with a serial number and the initials of two nonprofit organizations (the Madison Foundation and the American Numismatic Association). The obverse of the coin depicts James Madison writing the Bill of Rights

NOTE 2: Some slabbing companies now have (or soon will have) slabs that not only reveal the obverse and reverse of a coin, but will also let you see the edge.

Clinker

 

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Good info Clinker.

One of the principal diagnostics for attributing Maria Therese Thalers, original and restrikes, is the edge markings. There are several varieties used at various restrike mints over the centuries that this coin has been produced.

 

Thanks for the extra input.

Clinker

 

This trivia encouraged me to go dig out my two Maria Theresa Thalers that I bought many years ago in Egypt and look at the edges, they have the words CLEMENTIA AND IUSTITIA with a pattern of dots, stars and comet-like images. They're such beautiful coins. Due to their origin in the bowels of Cairo's Khan Al-Khalili market, however, I have never completely trusted their authenticity.

Thanks for the info, Clinker

 

Acanthite, if you want to verify your MTs, try scrolling about halfway down this page for detailed information on the edge designs.

 

I've never heard of this. Does the variety with the edge stamping command a premium?

 

Those sites are very informative, that was fun to puzzle out. Thanks for the tip.

 

Clinker,
Another interesting trivia post!Thanks.
Here is my favorite "artsy" edge design.A 1930's Hungarian 5 Pengo.

 

To Toddestan

toddestan:

Not at this time. Once they get listed as a separate vaiety in a "trends" publication or when dealers start puting them in their "coins for sale" lists or on their websites, they'll start appreciating in value. At this time I don't know of any being offered for sale.

Clinker

 

satootoka:

Thanks for adding to my trivia! The website page was the icing on the cake!

Clinker

 

Doug,
Was it by any chance the milled Spanish pillar coins with that floral edged design?
I always thought it was to prevent clipping or filing.

 

I don't suppose you just happen to own one of these do you Doug?:smile

 

ND86: That's the quality of the CT members. A willingness to share. That's why we, novice collector and long-time pro, comes here!

Clinker

 

Doug,
I only have one of his coins myself and it certainly isn't gold and definitely has no edge markings.In fact it's downright scruffy lookin' but what the heck

 

The £1 circulation coins (in the UK) and the €2 circulation coins (here in Euroland) use that combination too.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Fake-and-real.jpg (the upper one is a fake piece)
http://www.emuenzen.de/galerie/data/500/Vergleich_2_Euro_Rand.jpg

Also, in both cases the "orientation" of the edge inscription is pretty much accidental: First the edge elements (letters, ornaments, etc.) are done, then the obverse and reverse are struck.

A side note - for our 2 cent coins another interesting edge variety is used: One incused line that goes all around the edge and "divides" it into two halves ...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Eurocent_edges_(2,10,20).jpg

Christian

 

Double Tournois.

Mikjo0,your Double Tournois was struck at the La Rochelle Mint.The 'H' mintmark is found below the King's portrait.

Aidan.

 

chrisid:

Thanks for sharing that info on the Euros.

Clinker