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 Replies: 12 / Views: 1,804 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3276 Posts |
so I've been looking at getting a 1940 s Mercury dime and I bought one. it is awesome but it has strange scratches on it.. in front of the forehead and behind the neck. I started looking at others on ebay and saw the same thing. check this one out for example: http://cgi.ebay.com/1940-S-Mercury-...em4cf9417e3fIs this common? what cause this? it looked like my coin was damaged but then I saw several Mercury dimes on ebay with the same markings. what's going on? |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
That is odd. Also, that little dark spot behind the head. I wonder if that coin has been cleaned with a tooth brush and something. Might be from the actual metal sheet they were using back then too.
Same little scratches on the reverse also. Since not in a slab, I would suspect a small brush cleaning but still could have been on the actual sheet the coin was made from.
Edited by just carl
08/11/2011 09:09 am
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
17884 Posts |
I think you will find that those are "die polish" lines from removal of clashmarks. Clashmarks are common on Mercury's and many coins show these lines from harsh coarse "polishing" of the dies.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5832 Posts |
Edited by macmercury
08/11/2011 10:01 am
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
12437 Posts |
Quote:
Since not in a slab, I would suspect a small brush cleaning Did you even look at the auction Carl? It is slabbed by PCGS as MS-64FB... |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2120 Posts |
You cant really tell in pictures, but when you have it in hand, those die polish marks will appear raised, not recessed like scratches would.
But yea. Die polish marks.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
Quote:
Did you even look at the auction Carl? It is slabbed by PCGS as MS-64FB...
Gee I guess I missed that. Yes I did look but missed that little detail. WOW what a mistake. Quote:
I think you will find that those are "die polish" lines from removal of clashmarks. Clashmarks are common on Mercury's and many coins show these lines from harsh coarse "polishing" of the dies. Thanks Conder101. I've got well over 3,000 Mercury dimes and always thought those with those marks had been cleaned. Good to know. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3283 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
3276 Posts |
i have one that has the same marks. I didn't think cleaning because the obverse looks tremendous and clean all over, except for those two marks. so then I thought it got scratched somehow. so I looked on ebay for another and noticed the same marks in other pictures. so what are die polish marks? I'm sorry but I'm not familiar. |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
12437 Posts |
Dies are abraded(polished) to remove clash marks for the purpose of resurfacing the dies. Sometimes, the die polishing can be a bit overzealous and will remove some detail-  Edited by biokemist6
08/11/2011 2:32 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3276 Posts |
Cool, thanks for the info! I just learned something new :)
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
Quote:
Posted 08/11/2011 09:53 am
I think you will find that those are "die polish" lines from removal of clashmarks. Clashmarks are common on Mercury's and many coins show these lines from harsh coarse "polishing" of the dies.
I see what you mean. I just went and examined many of the Merc's in my set #1, almost all MS, and sure enough, a really close look and there were those lines. Faint but there. |
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Valued Member
United States
439 Posts |
That guy looks like his nose is about to fall off.
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Replies: 12 / Views: 1,804 |
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Posted 08/11/2011 09:53 am
