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 Replies: 7 / Views: 1,420 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1582 Posts |
This is another one that was in the pennies I got this weekend. The first 5 appears to be filled in. Is this what is commonly referred to as grease filled? Ralph Image: Wheat cent /a - Filled S.jpg" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">  1955 S Wheat cent - Filled S.jpg 48.16 KB Image: Wheat cent /a - Filled S - Reverse.jpg" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> 1995 S Wheat cent - Filled S - Reverse.jpg 53.78 KB |
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Moderator
 United States
23522 Posts |
I have to wonder - at the top of the curve, it looks like part of it is there and part of it isn't. If it were a fill, the grease, being liquid, would have flowed as low as it could get, evenly, and then refused to compress any further. So, the whole stroke of the number would be there, just more or less full depending on how much grease was in the die.
I'm left with the possibilities of either post-mint damage, or something more solid having gotten between the die and the planchet.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
1582 Posts |
For some reason, copper coins and scanners don't seem to work well together. Tried to get a little closer to the date to give you a better look. No matter what happened to it, it looks weird, huh? Ralph Image: Close Up of 5.jpg10.68 KB |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7629 Posts |
That's a die chip - a piece of the die chipped off and broke free. The result is a raised area on the coin in the area where the piece of the die is absent. A Grease Filled Die does the exact opposite - it fills in the cavities of the die keeping flat the parts of the coin that are supposed to be raised in relief. This can result in nearly missing letters or other details on an otherwise normal coin. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1582 Posts |
Thanks for clearing that up for me - if I don't ask, I won't learn. I suppose this mishap occurs when a die has been used excessively, and starting to get worn out, huh?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7629 Posts |
Not really. Some dies have flaws that don't reveal themselves until used; die chips can happen at any stage in a die's life. It's not all about excessive use and wear, as is evidenced by dies with chips that don't have much wear. There are plenty of them in Lincoln cents alone. Not sure about other series, the Lincolns are all I study.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7123 Posts |
I agree its a die chip ,, they seem to occur way more frequently on the cents and for some reason on the 40 and 50 cents,, but they are certianly not limited to them.
Rick
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1582 Posts |
Okay guys. I assumed, with the number of cent coins minted, it was not an uncommon occurance, but it's something new to me, and, anytime you get your first of anything, it's a keeper - no matter the value.
Ralph
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Replies: 7 / Views: 1,420 |
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Posted 02/05/2007 4:42 pm
Close Up of 5.jpg
