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 Replies: 10 / Views: 1,411 |
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New Member
United States
43 Posts |
Hello All. I'm new to the forum, but have been checking out the site for the past few weeks-great place for coin info. I've been collecting for three years now. Fell in love with Seated Quarters-probably a bad idea since I don't have unlimited funds. But anyways I was looking over my collection and noticed a 1853 w/ ray variety had an extra piece of a ray attached to it? I was wondering if anybody had some insight into what could have caused it and if they have seen anything like this? I opened the case to make sure it wasn't some debris-it was not. I've looked through 7 pages of ebay posts, and have not run across another like it. Any help would be greatly appreciated.   Edited by nicelytoned
04/11/2015 12:24 am
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Moderator
 United States
14463 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5825 Posts |
I just looked at mine.
The ray is the same length.
But it doesn't have that extra piece.
Two guesses:
-- die scratch
-- strike inclusion
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Pillar of the Community
United States
652 Posts |
Similar to a "dropped letter" maybe? Where a piece of metal from a preceeding coin broke off & stuck in the die and fell off on the next coin minted? Just a guess.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1566 Posts |
 It looks like a die chip to me. Edited by Celticsoul
04/11/2015 11:34 am
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
17884 Posts |
I think it may be something stuck on the coin.
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New Member
 United States
43 Posts |
Conder101 - I also thought it might be something stuck on the coin which is why I opened the case to see if I could blow it off. It's definitely part of the coin-the toning matches the rest of the coin and the object matches the coin's rays shape. After reading about dropped letters (thank you mackwork), I'm pretty sure it would be something like this. It would make sense that after numerous strikes, especially this year and mint, and with the plentiful small pieces being formed in the way of the rays that those crevices would get clogged and drop onto the planchets. Kanga-I couldn't find any info on strike inclusion-would you be able fill me in on what that is?
Also, how is it that a piece of metal falls onto a coin and then gets struck by the die, and it is not flattened and formed to the area it rested it on? Basically the way I am understanding the dropped letter. Thanks for the help guys. Pretty excited to find something unique in my collection.
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New Member
United States
43 Posts |
Disregard my entire post. I finally got the nerve to touch the thing and the piece did come off. When I observed it through the magnifier it looked just like a ray, and the color matched the rest of the coin. SO THE WINNER IS..........CONDER101-something stuck on the coin!!! Haha. Should have known-I'm not lucky enough. Learned some new stuff though. Thanks all.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7840 Posts |
nicelytoned, this was a good introduction thread and it got quite a few members re-looking at their coins. Edited by oih82w8
04/11/2015 10:07 pm
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Moderator
United States
23522 Posts |
I'm actually relieved to hear this. I was looking at it last night thinking, "This is too cute. Too perfect." Looked at 30 or so at Heritage, found nothing, fell asleep.
One of the reasons they discontinued the rays - which everyone liked - was because they were so difficult to strike. Plenty of chance to believe a dropped "letter" with that in mind.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
17884 Posts |
The problem with the "dropped letter" theory that everyone always seems to forget is that a dropped letter (or ray) would be a solid object sitting on the planchet that would be forced INTO the metal by the die. That would leave an INCUSE feature on the coin, not a raised one.
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Replies: 10 / Views: 1,411 |
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Posted 04/11/2015 12:14 am
