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Posted 02/05/2021 3:38 pm
Apologies if this is duplicative of earlier explanations, but I thought I'd take a shot at explaining it:
When the coin has incuse devices, the working die that makes the coin has to have raised devices to create the finished effect.
When the working die gets doubled, the raised devices are in effect reduced in size slightly because the second impression or movement (depending on which method is used) is slightly misaligned with the raised device. Because of the misalignment, the metal forming the raised device is depressed, sometimes a little and sometime a lot.
The doubled die is now used to make a new coin, but because the raised devices are smaller on the die, the incuse devices will also be smaller on the coin.
Further, if the doubling/depression of the raised devices is minor and doesn't flatten the affected portion of the raised device all the way to be flush with the fields, you'll end up with a raised device that looks like it has a step or shelf in it.
This raised device will then make an incuse device that also looks like it has a step or shelf on it, which is typically how we describe MD in a coin.
However, since it's an incuse device, it's actually indicative of a doubled die.
Seems counter intuitive at first, I know.
Another way to think about it is like this - If the working hub and die were so misaligned such that the raised device on the die were 90% covered by a non raised area of the hub, what would happen to the raised device? 90% of it would disappear, right?
If this die were then used to make a coin, would the 90% flattened device on the die make a bigger or a smaller incuse device on the coin?
Clearly, a smaller raised die device makes a smaller incuse coin device. Hence doubling on an incuse device can be determined by looking for devices that are smaller in size.
When the coin has incuse devices, the working die that makes the coin has to have raised devices to create the finished effect.
When the working die gets doubled, the raised devices are in effect reduced in size slightly because the second impression or movement (depending on which method is used) is slightly misaligned with the raised device. Because of the misalignment, the metal forming the raised device is depressed, sometimes a little and sometime a lot.
The doubled die is now used to make a new coin, but because the raised devices are smaller on the die, the incuse devices will also be smaller on the coin.
Further, if the doubling/depression of the raised devices is minor and doesn't flatten the affected portion of the raised device all the way to be flush with the fields, you'll end up with a raised device that looks like it has a step or shelf in it.
This raised device will then make an incuse device that also looks like it has a step or shelf on it, which is typically how we describe MD in a coin.
However, since it's an incuse device, it's actually indicative of a doubled die.
Seems counter intuitive at first, I know.
Another way to think about it is like this - If the working hub and die were so misaligned such that the raised device on the die were 90% covered by a non raised area of the hub, what would happen to the raised device? 90% of it would disappear, right?
If this die were then used to make a coin, would the 90% flattened device on the die make a bigger or a smaller incuse device on the coin?
Clearly, a smaller raised die device makes a smaller incuse coin device. Hence doubling on an incuse device can be determined by looking for devices that are smaller in size.
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