Abraded Coins

[tomasal]

I have found some fairly unique lincoln cents that are missing certain out edge features of the head. The coins are unique in what resulted. However, the error is summarily dismissed as abraded coin. Didn't they write an entire book on Buffalo Nickels which created varieties and more valued coins on these very things. Why is it that other coins haven't adopted this mindset.

I am told that "no that's an abrasion and there would be numerous abrasions." However, you have the same thing with most other errors. However, I have yet to see a coin like my own "abraded coins" shown anywhere in forums or auctions. They must not be that common.

Comments? Questions?

[Petespockets55]

.......I am told that "no that's an abrasion and there would be numerous abrasions." However, you have the same thing with most other errors. However, I have yet to see a coin like my own "abraded coins" shown anywhere in forums or auctions. They must not be that common.....

In a word: HYPE ............... (MARKETING if you prefer.)

As I see it there are three reasons a book is written.


1)It is written to fill a consumer's request.
2)It is written to create a consumer's need.
3)It is written because of an authors passion/obsession.

........ Didn't they write an entire book on Buffalo Nickels which created varieties and more valued coins on these very things. Why is it that other coins haven't adopted this mindset ......

See the above reply.
Maybe your area of interest is waiting for the book to be written to act as the catalyst.

(ps. Consider the plight of the "poor" Jefferson nickel collector whose values languish but opportunities are abundant. Not much demand.
And some people do collect all kinds of mint errors- Clashed, struck through, broad strike, die chips, gouges, Spiked head. etc)

Bottom line: collect for the joy/passion/obsession of what interests you, not the value.

[tomasal]

Exactly, you're absolutely right.

[GrumpyEd]

There might be more attention because the 3 leg buff got a lot of attention. In reality that is the one that gets big money, the missing feathers and pony tails and other things are known but get less attention.

There are other similar things in other series, like missing FG cents and missing FG halves, goiter neck cents, floating roof cents, 1922 no D cents. These are all things that are missing something from polishing/abrasion/filling.

There are only a few that get lots of money like the 3 leg buffs and no D 22 cents.
If you look at why those took off, the 22 is only because they made no 22-P cents so it got attention, the 3 leg Buff because it was cute to say it had 3 legs and the other deal is both of those got spots in folders long ago, a spot in a folder helps a lot, maybe if the 22-P and 3 legger never had spots in folders they would have never become so big, Same thing might even be true to some extent for the VDB cents, they were in the early folders so nobody could fill the folder without them so the mainstream folder fillers each "just had to have it to fill the folder". Being in folders helps shift a variety from niche to mainstream and only a few things got that.

[onecent1909]

When 2 dies hit together without a planchet in between they make a Clashing sound.
So the call these dies Clashed dies
any coins made after this moment and before any fixing of the die happens will be clashed coins. On memorial Lincoln Cents you can see Lincoln behind Bars or a prisoner cent as the Columns from the memorial building show in front and behind Lincoln.
To fix this they abraded or Polish the die to remove this remnant of the reverse design element on the obverse.
This is what happened to the 1937 D three legged nickle.
Part of the leg was polished on the die.
This is also what supposedly happened on the 1922 no D Strong reverse cent.
Those two coins carry a big premium.

The Nickle book you speak of was written for information and to help promote the abraded Buffalo nickels.
They still have not taken off very much, But so people do collect the 2 feather abraded die coins.
There are Many times the Lincoln Cents that survive that you can see the abrasion, a lot less Buffalo Nickles.

Your coin is not unique. who many exist, no way to tell as after that die was abraded till it was removed from operation created coins that look the same as your coin.
MOST people look at abraded dies, dismiss them as there are many,many of them as many dies get abraded. and toss them back into circulation, a piggy bank, a roll back to the bank, or into a 2x2.

Your coins may have a value someday, to someone.
as stated collect what you enjoy and do not worry about what other think or say.
Do not overpay,
you can always spend them down the road if you pulled them from circ.

One of my collections is a Die crack one a year for every year of the Lincoln Cent.
I have 1950-2017 and a few before 1950
No real value added, but I enjoy finding them.

[tomasal]

Thanks Grumpy. The cute or marketing factor definitely comes into play.

[tomasal]

I'm still not convinced that mine was an abraded event. I can clearly map the progression of the coin's change using multiple coins from the same roll. I can see spot on the hair almost melt away and create a drip pattern down the face. It then turns into debris on a couple of other coins that leaves imprints in their face and jaws. That debris moves around to different positions on other coins, while other features around the nose, lips and chin begin show an absence on the outer edges. I just doesn't fit what I've read about abraded events.

[Petespockets55]

Well...... we'd like to see! There's a lot of curious folks here.
Can you share some images?

[GrumpyEd]

I'm still not convinced that mine was an abraded event. I can clearly map the progression of the coin's change using multiple coins from the same roll. I can see spot on the hair almost melt away and create a drip pattern down the face. It then turns into debris on a couple of other coins that leaves imprints in their face and jaws. That debris moves around to different positions on other coins, while other features around the nose, lips and chin begin show an absence on the outer edges. I just doesn't fit what I've read about abraded events.

From what you described maybe it was grease, grease/gunk that could move or break away in bits. Post some pics if you have some or link to a thread if you already made one.

[jfines69]

You got to post some pics... Not often we see a progression series all at once... At least I haven't... With a progression series you can see what the die was doing over a short period of time versus at the beginning, middle and end of an event!!!