Orphan digit impression

[Guest]

Hi Folks,

Getting late, so if I blow it gramtically or spelling, forgive me in advance...

I have found a phantom impression on two different coins. It appears to be a 1, and is located just below the 6. It appears that in each case, the phantom matches approx. the geometry of 1; where, one digit has a taper, and its phantom ha a taper, and the other has a slight taper on top, and the phantom appears to have the same. Here are pices from to different coins: #10 and #31.

Comments please. If you know, what is the technical term for this? and.. is it worth anything?

-Brooks

[Brad]

Those appear to be die scratches. Dies were harshly polished, especially in the 60's.

[MintyFresh]

Not mere die scratches

Hey Brad,

Thanks for your input. I do not think that they are simple die scratches. In the figures below I have labled the scratches as makers. I have found these same anomolies on eight coins so far.

It looks like the die for the date crashed and double stamped. In fact thism moring, while building a new figure to accompany a submittal for a variety attribution, I discovered another hit in between the 1 and the 9. The sweeping makers I denoted appear to be the travel of the die when it hit (just a guess).

The I created an overlay of the 1 and superimposed it over the anomolies and it fits almost perfectly. I do not believe that these are simple unpolished die scratches. I rotated the coins to view in varying degrees of light and they all project a digit.

-Brooks

Those appear to be die scratches. Dies were harshly polished, especially in the 60's.

[Wheat Cents]

I agree w Brad. They appear to be parallel die scratches and running through the date. Very common. It might give you that impression. If you think otherwise send 'em in to Bob Piazza to take a look.

[MintyFresh]

Thanks, I'll do that. I find it highly improbable, though, that 20+ (so far) coins have the exact geometrical feature comprised of four 90 degree angles, and each the exact size and proprtion to a 1 in the date. There is no variation in the placement.

It may be a one that was ground off the die. How it got ther, I cannot hindel a guess.

At any event, I will be sending off to Bob.

Thanks for the input - :-)

-Brooks

I agree w Brad. They appear to be parallel die scratches and running through the date. Very common. It might give you that impression. If you think otherwise send 'em in to Bob Piazza to take a look.

[Wheat Cents]

20+ (so far) coins have the exact geometrical feature comprised of four 90 degree angles ... -Brooks

I would hope so.. They should be exact as die scratches exist on the die and should be on all coins struck with that die at that time in its life. Die scratches appears as raised thin lines usually on the fields of a struck coin and are one of the fingerprints which tells one the die's life progression.

[mustbebob]

I really think you are reaching for straws here Brooks. These are indeed simple die scratches. Note that all of the scratches in that area are running in the same direction. First of all,the possibility of it being anything other than die scratches is pretty remote. There is no separate die for the date, so the die 'crashing' is not a possibility. Even if it was a 1 digit, it would be solid, not an outline of the number. Please remember that the easiest, and most logical explanations are usually the correct ones. Great work on the photos and geometric drawings though.

[bhp3rd]

Die polishing very common.

Die polishing very common.