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Message:: [QUOTE="ziggy9, post: 470102, member: 8360"]Remember that in the 1800's the machines produced at a MUCH slower rate than modern machines. This allowed time for inspection of more coins. In the modern process the first sign that there is a problem is often a change in the sound of the machine operating. By the time it is noticed and the equipment shut down there may be hundreds, if not thousands of die cracks, misaligned dies, cuds, or whatever already in the hopper. The mint is not looking to make every coin perfect, just useable, so they don't bother to sort through the thousands of coins in the hopper to find the errors.  As far as the "godless dollars" are concerned, the process was flawed.  They would stamp the edges first and then the coins would go into a hopper and be wheeled to the next machines. At least one hopper bypassed the first machine and were therefor not stamped on the edge. This has supposedly been fixed. As for weak edges, this is a die pressure adjustment issue. The thing we have to remember is the mint is making a product that is designed to do its job for a period of time and be scrapped. they are not trying to make every coin a collector's piece. (if they were the cost's would be rediculous). That's why one in MS-66 or above is so special, and true errors are reare enough that they do demand a premium.. Richard[/QUOTE]