1996 LMC Die Cracks Don't Always Stop At The Rim!

Here are a few images of double struck coins in my educational files:
I know we are talking about die cracks, but I'm trying to see if all dies show the set down on the die to form the rims. So by looking at these outlines of the strike edge of die areas, maybe we can come to a decision on this subject. Does the dies end with end of the fields, or is there an area on the die that makes the rim appear? Or is it just on one side or both? Or is is just on proof coins or business strikes? I've always assumed that the edge of the die was the area before the rim.









I'm going to be out most of the day. (my wife is in the hospital right now and has been for 8 days) so I'll be back to see what others thoughts are on this? I have images of dies I'll post later to examine later. But I've got to run right now. sorry

Best wishes, Coop, for your wife's successful healing.

I am looking forward to seeing them. It is clear to me at this point that the step down shoulder on a die creates the inside and top surface of the rim and that the collar forms the outside of the rim (edge of the coin). I think this means that any coin with a rim had to have been formed from a die with a shoulder. The complete face of a die, thus, would include the shoulder.

Whether or not a crack goes into the rim is determined by the depth of the crack. A shallow crack would not go over the top of the rim. A deep crack would go over the top of the rim.

I would be willing for someone to provide evidence which shows I am wrong about that. I do not see such evidence in observations of double/broad struck coins, since there can be other explanations for the lack of a design rim in those cases.

If no collar is present, then no rim can form up. The outward flow of material needs to hit a wall (collar) to stop outward motion or flow and start the backfill that forms or fills the rim and other devices.

Also wonder if the backfill effect can seal the rim crack a bit as the materials outward flow is abruptly stopped and reverses back against or into the die(s) cavity? Thanks, Doug.

And here is an image of a Lincoln Shield cent die (same type shoulder):

This effect generally occurs or associated with an out of round blank going through the upset process is unable to raise or create the proto rim correctly.




Pete, we may need to go back to the early 1800's to find a die with no design rim included on the die itself. I know of known used on common US coins circulating today. Thanks, Doug.

http://appraisemycoins.com/Anatomyofacoin.aspx

Here is an interesting article which discusses a coin's proto rim and design rim.

http://www.coinworld.com/news/us-co...rm.all.html#