O.K. I have noticed that on a number of coins, usually (silver) denarii, that there can be irregular 'bite' marks around the edge of the flan. (See example below.) Can someone please tell me how they got there? Can someone please tell me why they are there? Does there existence have an effect on the value of the coin?
i don't think it is exactly known TC. some have suggested that it was done to make counterfeiting more difficult. there are some fouree serrate coins however, i think DS has one. i wonder if they were less counterfeited than unserrated denari of the period?
Hi, Chris. (I love the new Avatar.) Therefore it was done to 'expose' the inside of the coin to prove that it was 'silver' all the way through?
Makes sense, but, like Chris said, some scoundrel will always find away around the safeguards. There are fouree serrated coins.
If you give a mouse a denarius...... I do know that on thinner coins the bite marks are due to the pressure from striking. As for Serrated Denarii, I don't know!
Thanks, Arnoldoe. Very good article. If it is very 'rare' to get a 'non-serrated' example of a 'serrated' coin then there can be no effect on the value of the coin, because there is only the one type to choose from. Mmmmmmmm. Interesting. @Bing - I read that in the article that Arnoldoe led me to. For every 'safeguard' there is a 'workaround', eh?
Remember that whenever a technique was put in place to deter or detect forgeries then the forgers would adapt. Producing a fouree Athenian owl with a test cut in place is one such example. A fouree serratus is another.
We now have "plastic money" ... => yup, Canada now has plastic bills (what's next?) ..... ummm well, I guess credit-cards
