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 Replies: 40 / Views: 8,606 |
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
636 Posts |
I was just surfing through various coin websites and all of the sudden my curiosity got the best of me.
What\s the purpose of denticles on coins? I just saw an 1860 Brazilian and it had them.
Im going to throw it out there and say...to help protect the image on the rest of the coin, with the hopes that they would wear down 1st?
Thanks Edited by Dollar1948
05/09/2010 12:47 pm
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Pillar of the Community
1844 Posts |
Im guessing they originaly made this way to stop the blank from slipping out of place on the press or what ever they used.? Great question....But who is correct ?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2408 Posts |
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Valued Member
United States
462 Posts |
That's interesting about the stacking. I also thought that they served as a way to judge how much of the rim of the coin had been shaved off.
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Valued Member
423 Posts |
I also heard it was to stop shaving coins (when they were made of precious metals). I don't factual know for sure though.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
603 Posts |
the ridges on the edge of the coin were to stop people shaving silver coins, I have no idea what the denticles are for
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
1051 Posts |
I am under the impression that beads and denticles are anti-counterfeit measures.
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Valued Member
United States
493 Posts |
Denticles allow for easier stacking of the coins
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Valued Member
United States
148 Posts |
Also I want to add that when coins were produce from precious metals, the thinner you made the coin, the larger diameter you could get, and then the denticles beef up the collar edge, which make the coin less "bendable" and feel thicker all around.
beefing edges is a common trade in many products, just look at granite counter tops, they usually 1/2 the thickness you see on the edge (bull nose)
even your shoes soles... etc, etc...
Edited by leprecoin
05/09/2010 2:38 pm
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
899 Posts |
Great question $48...  They are also used as identifiers for certain varieties such as the 1966 small bead dollar and others... |
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Valued Member
423 Posts |
Now pick your answer!! =P
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Pillar of the Community
 Canada
636 Posts |
Thanks for all the input...I think I will lean towards leprecoin's suggestion that denticles add structural integrity to the circulated coins.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2373 Posts |
I remember reading somewhere that one of the initial reasons was to deter counterfeiting. nlp
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Pillar of the Community
 Canada
9864 Posts |
I think that original purpose of denticles was to prevent people from shaving coins and then "spooning" a new rim.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
14454 Posts |
not sure about Canadian coins but I don't think the denticles on American coins had anything to do with counterfeiting. The reeding on the edge was there to be able to tell if the coin was shaved though as was said above. before reeding on coins some people would shave the edge of the coins and then spend them for face value and if they did enough they would have a free coin out of it (or the amount of precious metal to equal the amount of the coins face value) and no one would ever know. With the reding if they shaved it the merchants could tell
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
1733 Posts |
Since the latin root means tooth, maybe that's where you are supposed to bite it to make sure it's not lead.
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Replies: 40 / Views: 8,606 |
Posted 05/09/2010 12:33 pm
