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 Replies: 25 / Views: 5,414 |
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New Member
United States
4 Posts |
I'm new to the CCF. I used to collect coins when I was about 8-12 years old and 5 years later, I am starting to get into it again a little. One thing I've always noticed, and I don't know if anyone else has noticed this, is that the older coins like Pennies, Nickels, Dimes, Quarters and Half Dollars, were all pressed deeper. It seems that all the coins got suddely more flat-ish (at least to me) in the early 1980's. I have posted 2 pictures of a side-by-side comparison of an old and new Half Dollar, and a Penny. Maybe it's my ADHD, I always notice things that msot people don't notice. Or maybe everyone else has noticed this, I don't know, I've never really asked anyone.    |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1788 Posts |
I'd thought about this too, and I'm not really sure about the answer. I'd assume mint technology has gotten better. Nice redline hot wheel though!
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Pillar of the Community
7234 Posts |
 Seems like the 74 half has flatter details than the 98! Edited by Mark1959
05/20/2018 6:38 pm
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10284 Posts |
I'm going to take a wild guess and say that the dies have a longer life by making the designs less deep.
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21786 Posts |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10034 Posts |
When roll searching I found that '89 halves are very deeply pressed also as compared to others. But its difficult to find a good strike on this date.
This has puzzled me also.
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
4911 Posts |
this isn't due to how well coins were/are struck..it is a matter of the hub's (i believe this is the correct word) details being redefined which results in the relief becoming lower. as the hub sinks more and more working dies, the detail is slowly lost, and therefor needs to be redefined. as the details are redefined it is inevitable that some of the relief will be lost at the same time. this is proven when you compare your 'flatter' coin's details to the details of the older pieces..notice the older ones have mushier details such as Lincoln's beard while the newer piece has much more crisp design details?
Feel free to call me Will.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4085 Posts |
I have definitely noticed that pre-83 copper cents have a better strike than zinclons - to the point where I can usually pick out the copper ones without even looking at the date.
I haven't really noticed it so much with the nickel or clad coins although I do feel like the pre-65 silver struck better than the modern clad coins as well.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
6130 Posts |
TNG nailed it. Coins stopped circulating as credit cards took over in the 80s/90s, so it became a game of maximizing seignorage, the "profit" from minting coins. Shallow relief means longer die life, less costs sunk into die production, and a better bottom line. Deeper relief coins last longer in circulation, but that doesn't matter because they just sit around in jars and rolls nowadays.
More to your question, I believe that they started using computers and lasers to engrave the dies starting in the 90s.
Edited by Finn235
05/20/2018 8:08 pm
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Rest in Peace
10197 Posts |
Plus the actual technology of the strike is different. In the late 90's ALL coins were made with the single-squeeze of both hub and working die use. Th older striking forms used hydraulic pressure to stamp, this was a variable, it would be increased/decreased for maximum production, older dies got hit harder to make impressions.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
717 Posts |
I have thought about this also.
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New Member
 United States
4 Posts |
Thanks for all the answers. Looks like it might be either 1 reason or possibly multiple reasons. Also, I have taken a picture of some quarters I have laying around. They all seem to get a little flatter pressed as they get newer. Even the really worn 1945 has more depth than the MS60-ish (Minus the gunk on it) 1998 quarter.  Edited by ferrari
05/20/2018 8:54 pm
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Pillar of the Community
979 Posts |
Well you see back then america actually cared about what its money looked like and now it is all about making as much as they can and not caring about them looking good.
This is just my own opinion.
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Bedrock of the Community
Canada
24885 Posts |
To the Forum. |
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New Member
Canada
34 Posts |
Just another reason why I don't collect modern coins.  |
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Moderator
 United States
188213 Posts |
to the Community! As stated above, lower relief allows for longer die life. It also allows for the machinery to run much faster since lower relief requires less time for the image to form. |
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Replies: 25 / Views: 5,414 |
Posted 05/20/2018 6:37 pm
