I hope I posted this on the correct category. Can anyone tell me how the rays on this mexican coin appear on the eagle side? Does this 'error' indicate a counterfeit coin? I have posted this recently as 1867 Durango CP. thanks guys.
It appears to be a clashed die. It happens when the dies strike each other without a planchet between them.
Hi Lincoln Cents. Aaaaah I knew I have read about this type of error somewhere. Just couldn't remember until your answer about the no planchet between the dies. Hahaha thank you. I'm still learning about error coins. So this also proves that this coin has been STRUCK, right? And not casted? :smile
As LC stated, a clash occurs when the dies strike each other with no planchet in the coining chamber. Since the fields represent the highest area on the face of each obverse and reverse die, when they clash, the face of one or both dies is compressed, silhouetting a particular device. On subsequent planchet strikes, this silhouetted impression will appear recessed on the coin. Sometimes the Mint will attempt to polish the die to remove the clash, but quite often a clash will eventually disappear from continued use. Unlike the die-making process where the designed is engraved and heated, rengraved and reheated sometimes as many as ten times to harden the steel, a clash occurs when the steel is relatively cold. Therefore, it is not as permanent. Oftentimes, you can find two or more coins that were produced from the same clashed dies, but the appearance of the clashes can differ because some or all of the clash has faded. Chris
It could still be faked, I recon it would be much harder to do (maybe). It also appears to have flow lines, which show on the surface of a struck coin, so it most likely has not been cast.
Hi Chris. Thank you so much for sharing that info. Now I understand it well. In fact, I appreciate the coin much more now. ;-)
I bought the bunch of mexican coins from a lady who kept the coins for their silver, thus, sold them for silver. There are lots of old folks in the mountains who kept silver coins as heirloom. I didn't look at the dates when I bought the bunch and was surprised to find several high catalog pieces. I guess the coins were not altered in any way since the folks knew nothing about premiums. ;-)
No, because if they use a coin with clash marks to make their casting mold, the fakes will also have clash marks.
Making counterfeit coins using a cast is one of the cruder methods. First, a mold would have to be made from a legitimate coin. The mold would recreate (as raised marks) all of the nicks, dings, gouges and scrapes that were on the legitimate coin. When the cast copy is formed, these marks would then be recessed just as they were on the legitimate coin, and since there would be no patination on the surface, many of them would look odd or stand out like a sore thumb. The seam from the mold can also be another giveaway. Most often, it will be where the two halves of the mold join along the edge (the third side of a coin). Any excess metal that exudes from the seam would have to be polished or ground away which creates abnormal striations that you wouldn't expect to see from the metal flow on a legitimate coin. If the coin has a reeded edge, it is even more difficult to remove the excess metal that exudes from the seam. The metal flow, itself, which should be visible under magnification on both sides of, say, an AU or MS coin would be nonexistent on a cast counterfeit. Chris
Thank you for all the info guys. I also posted this on the other forum what's it worth? ... Are these genuine? ..... There were also some information shared that shed a lot of light about this coin, especially according to our friend swhuck. Thank you guys you have been wonderful.
