1885 Morgan, I'm All Cracked Up1 - Coin Community Forum

To participate in the forum you must log in or register.

Author	Replies: 6 / Views: 1,990
NGiles Pillar of the Community United States 527 Posts	Posted 04/18/2007 01:20 am It's been a while, but I'm back in action. I've been sick so I haven't done much with my coins. I bought this coin on ebay and when I received it I was surprised by the amount of die cracking I found on it. I know that minor die cracks are very common, but how much cracking is normal? I'm just looking for your thoughts on this coin. The pictures are pretty clear. tell me what you think, especially with the EP 2 picture. It looks as if the number two has been rubbed on the coin, but if it were rubbed from another coin the number would be backwards. Maybe it is just an interesting scratch? The most interesting crack extends from the hair line under the neck. to the naked eye it looks like an extra strand of hair. It forks and goes through the 1 on the date and looks as if it has displaced some of the metal. Image: EP 2.jpg 35.23 KB Image: 1885 hair crack.jpg 86.21 KB Image: 1885 P crack.jpg 39.09 KB Image: 1885 Obverse.jpg 70.66 KB Image: 1885 One U crack.jpg 62.86 KB Image: 1885 Reverse.jpg 67.04 KB Image: 1885 US crack.jpg 59.75 KB Report this Post to the Staff

Jaobler Pillar of the Community United States 6384 Posts	Posted 04/18/2007 12:22 pm Hello NGiles, glad you're feeling better! It's pretty common to see Morgan dollars with die cracks, especially through the letters of United States of America on the reverse. They don't seem quite as common on the obverse and the cracks at the date on your coin are particularly heavy. They don't hurt the value and they definitely make the coin more unique. I wouldn't be surprised if some Morgan collectors are willing to pay a premium for coins with severe die cracks. The 2 in the obverse field is very strange. It really does look like a 2 and the shape is similar to the 2 numeral used for Morgan dates (like on an 1882 coin). However, it looks smaller than a Morgan date numeral. Can you tell if the metal that forms the 2 is raised? If so, it would almost have to be an as-struck feature which means the die had the 2 engraved or punched into it. If it's indented into the coin surface, it's probably an alteration. Do we have any Morgan experts or error specialists that can comment? Report this Post to the Staff
SsuperDdave Moderator United States 23522 Posts	Posted 04/18/2007 3:11 pm I hate to say this, but someone is going to need to explain where that "2" is to me. The cracking around the 1 is really cool. That's an uncommon pattern for Morgan die cracks. Can you have a look between the ER of AMERICA, to see if there's a small die chip there, right between them at the top? I note from the last pic a vertical line extending upward from the eagle's wing towards the "n" in "In." That's indicative of a die clash. 1885P's are known for clashing, and there are three or four specific clash-related VAM's. Those have the common feature of a portion of the "n" in "In" showing next to the front of Liberty's neck, and it's worth your while to check this area very closely. Here's a link to the VAMworld page of one such VAM, with good pics of what the clash would look like if your coin has it: http://vamworld.wikispaces.com/1885-P+VAM-4A Report this Post to the Staff
Jaobler Pillar of the Community United States 6384 Posts	Posted 04/18/2007 4:36 pm SuperDave, the "2" is in the obverse field about halfway between the dot (between E and Pluribus) and the bridge of Liberty's nose. It isn't real distinct but I see it in both the EP2 image and the 1885 Obverse image. Perhaps it's just some kind of surface damage, but it does look like a 2 to me! Report this Post to the Staff
NGiles Pillar of the Community United States 527 Posts	Posted 04/19/2007 10:36 am SuperDave, The reverse does show the typical die clashes, however the obverse does not. I think the dies were mixed together after they started to wear out. The 2 is very faint and may not realy be a 2 at all but that is what it looks like to me. There is no die chip between the e and r in america, and I have looked very closely for the n by the neck as you suggested and I can't see anything. Report this Post to the Staff
tights24 Pillar of the Community United States 2254 Posts	Posted 04/19/2007 7:46 pm Don't know much about your coin, but I do see the "2". I think that is very interesting to say the least, and I am curious to see what the experts have to say. I can't believe Dave did not see this, but I'm sure he will upon closer observation. Maybe Becky knows what's up here? Report this Post to the Staff
Morgan Fred Rest in Peace United States 2684 Posts	Posted 04/19/2007 10:10 pm I also see the "2" fairly clearly and I don't think it's a casual mark that happens to look like a 2. I don't have an explanation for it unless it's some form of chop mark (highly unlikely) or perhaps a Nevada casino's mark (possible). Beyond these speculations (which is exactly what they are), I've never seen anything like it. Unless somebody comes up with a solution, it may remain an interesting mystery. Report this Post to the Staff
	Replies: 6 / Views: 1,990

To participate in the forum you must log in or register.

All Forums Category: US Coins and Currency Forums Forum: US Classic and Colonial Variety and Error Coins

Silver Gold Bull US is the United States leading bullion dealer. We deliver gold coins, gold bars, silver coins, silver bars and precious metals to your door. Order today!

The First Dollar, your premier source for bullion and rare coins. See our bullion list on the site and the coin inventory on ebay.

View Last 100 New Topics

View Last 100 Active Topics

Disclaimer: While a tremendous amount of effort goes into ensuring the accuracy of the information contained in this site, Coin Community assumes no liability for errors. Copyright 2005 - 2026 Coin Community Family- all rights reserved worldwide. Use of any images or content on this website without prior written permission of Coin Community or the original lender is strictly prohibited.
Contact Us | Advertise Here | Privacy Policy / Terms of Use

Coin Community Forum

It took 0.29 seconds to rattle this change.