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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;SPP Ottawa, post: 2394987, member: 39508&quot;]Die deterioration, back in 1996 the dies were chrome plated, and the plating often chipped away where the fields met the devices on the dies. This practice of chrome plating the dies started in 1942. Hans Zoell used the term &quot;mortar set&quot; for this phenomenon most commonly seen on the 1943 to 1945 5-cent coins.</p><p><br /></p><p>You also see this on 1986 nickel dollars, and occasionally on 1-cent coins from the 1940s and early 50s. It is also see on the 1944 NFLD 1-cent, so much so, it was called the &quot;Map variety&quot;, because it looks like the background fields were like an old map of the world.</p><p><br /></p><p>In 2004, the Royal Canadian Mint implemented a titanium nitride die coating, so you will not see this type of die deterioration on newer coins.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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