I've been coming across coins now and then that have these goofy teeth like marks. They are not on all coins, but I keep coming across them now and then and I just wonder of they are really unusual and of interest to collectors. The marks are on cheek/temple and to the left of Washington.
*** Edited by Staff to Add Year / Mintmark / Denomination to Title. It's very important to have in the title. ***
As others have said, Reed Marks from colliding with other coins.
This is the sort of current U.S. coin that frustrates me. Look at how shallow and indistinct that design is! Almost certainly struck from a super tired die, and in 2023 there is really no reason for that.
With the high volume of coin production for circulation coins and the process below at philadelphia mint, you can certainly see many areas where coins contact each other and then dropped into the giant bags. Even after bagging into mint sewn bags they will also be transported and beyond which gives them further opportunity to potentially have contact marks or Reed Marks. Note that other mints producing coins for sets and collectors have a different production method to prevent a lot of that.
It's probably when they are under a ton of other coins in the bins at the mint and the reeding of one coin gets dug into the surface of another coin as they are shifting. Maybe since coins are quite hot when the come out of the hopper, they are softer and more likely to get the Reed Marks whereas in the smaller bags probably more of the contact marks.
Sometimes these Rim Strike markings can occur in interesting places, which can make the coin more interesting. A few weeks back I found a Bessie Coleman Quarter where the rim strikes appear to be bombs falling out of her plane. So sometimes these little bits of post damage can be fun to collect.
Quote: Sometimes these Rim Strike markings can occur in interesting places, which can make the coin more interesting. A few weeks back I found a Bessie Coleman Quarter where the rim strikes appear to be bombs falling out of her plane. So sometimes these little bits of post damage can be fun to collect.
Yes definately a fun/cool find, I'd keep that and might even fetch something on ebay, but its unfortunate the Reed Marks arent really an error so that lessens its appeal to serious collectors, unlike say the 2021 burning tower you may like which is an actual strikethrough error in just the right place which made it popular. Heres one of mine:
Thanks Datadragon for mentioning my "Bessie Drops Bombs" should be kept. I think it's a good example of not discarding a damaged coin, if the damage is interesting. Your burning building error is fantastic. But most of us newbies may never find a coin like yours. But we can still collect oddities that are not considered errors, but are still worth keeping. That's what makes the hobby fun.
Quote: Thanks Datadragon for mentioning my "Bessie Drops Bombs" should be kept. I think it's a good example of not discarding a damaged coin, if the damage is interesting. Your burning building error is fantastic. But most of us newbies may never find a coin like yours. But we can still collect oddities that are not considered errors, but are still worth keeping. That's what makes the hobby fun.
Yes, you can collect whatever you want and not everything has to be only about value. I'm sure if you start looking you can find some of them eventually, or can always buy the ones you are interested in - its just more fun to find but of course thats not always possible.
You are also getting correct information that its damage rather than an error so naturally it would have no added value, but certainly can have some oddities (novelties) in your collection if thats what you like. Some on the forum have collected counterstamped coins which also could be in that category as well as colored/holographic/plated coins. I probably wouldnt only collect them as they really wont generally retain the value you pay, but when you find something cool in pocket change that is different.
I agree datadragon. It's mind boggling how much can go wrong with a coin and just starting to learn some of the errors out there in general. Now if I found Reed Marks on Washington's neck I would keep it based on a Dracula theme! lol Cool ones with the plane and burning buildings through!
Quote: It's probably when they are under a ton of other coins in the bins at the mint and the reeding of one coin gets dug into the surface of another coin as they are shifting. Maybe since coins are quite hot when the come out of the hopper, they are softer and more likely to get the Reed Marks whereas in the smaller bags probably more of the contact marks.
I think 95% of them happen in the Ballistic Bags that weigh a few thousand pounds.
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Posted 06/24/2023 05:59 am
