1836 Lettered Edge Half Dollar. I Think Nice For Grade - Your Thoughts?

The edge lettering process likely caused this, not PMD. View PCGS's plate coin for a MS60 Capped Half below, it's similar.

A die is used to apply the lettering. It leaves an "upset" appearing rim. When the piece was struck there was not enough outward metal flow and/or die pressure to "flatten" the blank. Lettering is applied prior to striking, open collar striking usually removed most of the upset rim. In this case it didn't. If interested Google "castaing machine" and/or view this link. https://coinweek.com/edge-collars-c...d-dimension/

@BH1964 Although your process of thinking is correct, that is simply not how bust halves will look in the striking process. Here is why...

The Castaing machine does indeed upset the rim, but no sharp edges are created. Any blank planchet will show a round and natural curvature of the edge rather than a sharp Rim Fin. Although we do not have a CBH blank planchet, here is an off center that perfectly demonstrates the effect of the Castaing machine pre-strike.




Additionally, to prove that the striking process does not somehow create a Rim Fin, here is an 1817 O-103 in which the die marriage produced examples with significant planchet expansion that went outside of the die's reach. Note the planchet metal is squeezed out through the dentils and no Rim Fin is produced.


Lastly, to show the " Rim Fin" defect has no correlation with the Castaing edge lettering machine, take a look at 11:30-1:00 O'Clock on the reverse of the OP coin. There is notable rim flatness (dentils missing/oval shaped planchet), which is sign of a Guido. A Guido is an unlettered portion of the edge which does not upset the rim, which as a result creates a weak spot on the rim. But, there is both Guido flatness and a sharp rim.

I've provided evidence to prove this incorrect, but if you can, post some more photos or evidence to back up your claim. I am open and curious to see what you are referencing to. The single 1818 PCGS photo is too difficult to examine, especially with the photo editing around the edge and the high reflectivity.

Since the subject has turned to education and the CBH edge lettering process, would one of you also comment on why some edge lettering on CBH tends to bleed over the edge creating what looks like rim dings when it is clearly due to some combination of either the lettering process, die state, strike and/or maybe planchet issues? And is there a term used to describe this? Thx, Adam

The overlapping of the edge lettering is most commonly seen on the earlier dates of the 1810s. Back then, the diameter of the coins were slightly larger (compared to 1830s), spreading the planchet and decreasing the thickness. Due to this, there was not much tolerance to have the edge lettering perfectly centered, and part of the edge lettering bleeded over the edge. When the coin is struck, there are unfilled portions that can appear as rim damage but are actually mint made which can be confirmed by the lack of displaced metal. The edge lettering was placed on by bar dies which are replaced every 3-5 die marriages on average. Perhaps the letters were larger on some bar dies, or maybe the planchet stock was rolled thinner than normal. The Castaing machine could have been set up in a way that the edge lettering was slightly off center. Not only are there equipment system faults, but there could also be worker handling errors that could produce mistakes on a single coin if it was not hand loaded into the machine properly.

I've seen PCGS detail a coin for rim damage despite it being clearly an edge lettering issue. The coin was returned to PCGS and it came back bent. It wasn't bent either, that is how that die marriage naturally appears. You can't always win with the grading games. Either way if you see a detailed or marked "damaged" coin for this minor edge lettering mistake, grab it for the discount!

Here is the best image I have on file, with the characteristics noted at 3, 6, and 9 O'Clock along the rim. This is not the most dramatic example I have seen, but it does show what we are looking for.