very strange 1942 merc dime

Hey guys, i picked up this odd looking dime today for $2... I am not sure what is going on here but i thought it was pretty cool anyway... Does this look like pmd? Could it be some sort of strike through error?? Im eager to hear your opinions! So what say you??

 

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A dropped torch comes to mind.

 

Lamination !

 

There is no torch on a Mercury Dime. More like a Lamination and/or Planchet Flaw.

 

Is that a mix between a dropped letter and a full torch?? Must be uber rare then!!

 

I never thought about it being a lamination, i dont recall ever seeing one on a merc dime either... is it worth anything??

 

I really wanted to say PMD, but it seems like something that extensive would have some effects on the reverse as well.

 

It looks like dirt to me. The coin isn't rare, so have you tried dipping it in acetone?

Chris

 

I was thinking an old sharpie mark, or corrosion. It seems to have filled the depressions and worn off the raised areas. Acetone it~ if gone a marker, if not, I would dip EZ-Est. If Gone its corrosion, if not, at least it is cleaner.

 

Oh sorry i should have mentioned: its definitely recessed on the coin... like a grease error would be... 1 more clue: it weighs in @ 2.5 grams as well so no metal loss either

 

Please excuse my use of the wrong term, as I have stared at Rosie's through a loupe for two nights in a row. I should have said column. In any case I believe if it was a planchet flaw the metal flow from the top of the bust would have closed the incuse in that area.I dont see that. And if it were a lamination the element in that area would have left with it. I may be wrong on all counts but I can at least offer an explanation of my opinion unlike most on here.

 

I don't think a grease error would leave a recessed area on a coin. Greasers eliminate characters or images on the field but not cause a recess. This one is getting interesting.

 

That's why I think lamination. The OP just stated that the area is recessed so the element left with it. Is that what you mean? And give your eyes some rest!

 

Aw, c'mon! Just dip it in acetone and see what happens.

Chris

 

Heres an example of what i mean: the device on this coin is recessed like mine with some detail missing... im by no means an expert obviously... just wondered if someone has seen anything like my coin before...

 

I think they meant the date was Struck Through. If they meant the recessed part of Kennedys face also then that's a new one for me.

 

A couple more... heres one of those rare ocassions when i wish i had a high power high dollar microscope..

 

Yes they are referring to the date as well but his ears missing..
And im not saying my coin is of the same caliber or if its even the same error... i know photos can play tricks so i was trying to give an example of what i meant by recessed...

 

http://coinauctionshelp.com/droppedletters.html#.VPgiZo5MHJs

This is quoted from the above site,

" "Dropped Letters" Mint ErrorStruck through dropped filling/dropped letter errors are some of the more dramatic types from the group known as strike-throughs. Their dramatic appearance and unusual method of creation make them a very interesting addition to any error coin collection. They are caused when a design element of the die becomes filled with grease, iron filings, and dust or dirt. These foreign materials usually clog the smaller devices of the die, letters and numbers.If a coin is struck while elements of the design are clogged, a common error is created known as a struck through grease type. Sometimes, the grease mixture becomes hard and compact through hundreds of strikes, is jarred loose and falls onto the planchet. When the coin is struck, a perfect letter, number or other feature is incuse into the coin.The dropped letter can fall onto either side of the coin. For instance, even if a number fell off the date on the obverse, it can be struck into the reverse. If you have collected error coins for any length of time, you have probably heard many say that if a coin thought to be an error has an incuse letter, it cannot be an error. That however, as evidenced by dropped letter errors, is actually possible."

 

The Merc looks like a lamination peel to me early in its life, then circulated a bit to help mask it. Any chance of a clear close up of the "E" by the effected area?

The Kennedy's head and the date are the grease-filled parts. Grease-filled dies don't cause a coin to recess, rather, prevents the metal from expanding up/down into the dies. (In the case of the head, it looks recessed, but the grease was trapped in the incuse area of the head on the die, causing the metal to flow around it/not into it as there is no place for the grease to go, so causes a void).