What Caused This Damage?

ToddsPoint

Gold Member
Mar 2, 2018
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Todds Point, IL
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My avatar is a coin I have. 1832 50c. My mom-in-law found it on the surface after an old house was razed and gave it to me. Bless her heart! It has damage at 10 o'clock on the reverse. A "slide" or "skid" mark for lack of a better term. Here is the coin.

a.JPG b.JPG

While looking at coin pics on a coin forum, I noticed another 50c of the same series with the same damage. After looking even more, I found no shortage of damaged coins, all with the same skid mark. Here are several more with the same damage.

c.jpg d.jpg g.jpg h.jpg i.JPG j.JPG m.JPG n.JPG

Obviously damage from the mint, but what happened? Gary
 

trdking

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Feb 28, 2015
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Fullerton CA
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I am no expert. But I do know that there are many varieties of this coin in this year. Over 20 if I am not mistaken. They look like die fill or light strike to me. One appears to have a wide die crack or PMD Groove and is suspect because of the obvious PMD in the field below it. The rest seem to be filled die errors. I searched a few and also see that this is a common theme when observing this year coin. No-one seems to care about it or mention it. I must be very common
 

PetesPockets55

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Apr 18, 2013
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I think you are talking about the area of the banner at PLURIBUS.
The location is similar on all the coins you posted, but it does vary a little on each coin. Yours is actually closer to the E.

The areas on the coins look slightly indented which would be slightly raised on the die, but there is too much variation to be a die issue.
So it is probably because that area is directly opposite the bust on the obverse and there is limited silver to fill this area of the banner.
The same effect happens with the Lincoln cent series. Lincoln's bust affects metal flow into the devices on the reverse directly opposite the bust on memorials and shield cents.

BTW- that mother in law is a keeper! :icon_thumright:
 

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