What is going on with this 1794 S-72 large cent?

I was looking up images of S-72 large cents, and I saw this coin. I noticed how all the devices on the reverse were flattened and made “fat”. I’m wondering if anyone knows how this happened.

The coin in question (PCGS AU-55):



A normal specimen (PCGS AU-58):

 

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Something smushed it - damaged reverse. Please don't bother asking how the reverse can be damaged yet the obverse is OK. Lots of "stuff" happens when I'm not around.

 

Is there any published information on the late dies states? Dies didn't always crack and break up. Sometimes, they just "got tired."

 

Shame about that damaged reverse. It has a nice fairly large rim ding at 6 o'clock. At some point it was flattened.

 

Maybe from a hot die ?

 

Both pieces have the same die crack upper left reverse. On the top one the crack is more pronounced. The die was wearing out.

 

Yup:

https://www.pcgs.com/books/earlycents/1794/90

I thought about that, but here are a few from a later die state:

That isn’t the cause of the flattening on the reverse, apparently

 

That was my very question. Something hot sat on the reverse?

 

Die wear does NOT cause letters to flatten into the field as these do. It is simply PMD.

 

So you’re saying PCGS made a $10000 mistake?

 

As a grader...how does this get overlooked? Is it simply because of the quality of the obverse making it rare? That doesn’t seem like a good reason.

 

My guess is something wasn't level and they put the coin face down on a wooden floor & put some REALLY heavy flat metal thing on top of it.

 

wouldn’t that also mess up the obverse?

 

With the lack of damage on the obverse, I guess the grader assumed it was a result of the later die state. The copper guys at PCGS have shown themselves to not be familiar with the minutiae of the many varieties.

Or maybe they were just lenient, such as this straight-graded large cent with environmental encrustations all over it

 

It might leave an imprint on a soft pine floor and transfer a woodgrain toning pattern on the coin like it has

 

I absolutely agree. The flattening probably did not happen to the obverse because when it was hit it was on a piece of smooth leather or the like.

Still a very nice coin, even with the damage.

 

I thought I was very clear. It's my humble "Liittle drip under pressure" opinion that is a damaged coin and should have been put into a "detail" holder by any company claiming to be a major grading service.

As for the $10,000... I don't know where that # came from but apparently that is what the R-2 coin was worth to someone.

 

You are asking the wrong person.

 

Fair enough.

 

I suggest that the OP post his question on the COLLECTOR'S UNIVERSE message board where it may be discussed further.