1857 Flying Eagle Cent - Feedback wanted

Astrum

I purchased this eagle recently. It measured at 4.65g, is 19mm and the obv/rev match photo examples. The question I have concerns the condition of the obverse, particularly the lines.
-Lines are raised from the surface.
-S through the eagle and beneath the date.
-Center of the eagle to the M.
There are what seem to be smaller lines radiating from the larger ones, above and below the date.
I wanted some more opinions about it - PMD? Die error? Does it have more value than book price, and should I send it to be slabbed?
Any input would be appreciated.

jmlanzaf

Looks like a die break

Aspie_Rocco

Looks almost like some knuckle head “X-ed” the coin. Like cut an x into it. Then it circulated more and wore down on high points.

291fifth

Aspie_Rocco seems to have it correct. This is post mint damage and not a die break.

Hemispherical

Welcome to the forums @Astrum!

With that X someone may thought the coin was not real... is it?

The pics appear to have been modified... or something... the coin appears to be elongated east-west.

Need a true (non-modified) pic.

lkenefic

It doesn't really look like any die break I've ever seen. Aren't there usually rim cuds accompanying such breaks? The rims on this piece look fairly well in tact. I don't think it's PMD either. Usually that leaves a gouge and the metal wells up around each side of the "valley". Judging by how the line bisects the "S" in States, I say it was struck through something during the minting process... There are a lot of people that will likely weigh in...

Oh, BTW... Welcome to the forum! Awesome first post!

TomB

That is moved metal from where the coin was cut by something sharp. It is not an error or variety, it is post-mint damage.

jmlanzaf

@Aspie_Rocco said:
Looks almost like some knuckle head “X-ed” the coin. Like cut an x into it. Then it circulated more and wore down on high points.

If you look at the side view, the "X" is almost definitely raised.

jmlanzaf

@lkenefic said:
It doesn't really look like any die break I've ever seen. Aren't there usually rim cuds accompanying such breaks? The rims on this piece look fairly well in tact. I don't think it's PMD either. Usually that leaves a gouge and the metal wells up around each side of the "valley". Judging by how the line bisects the "S" in States, I say it was struck through something during the minting process... There are a lot of people that will likely weigh in...

Oh, BTW... Welcome to the forum! Awesome first post!

Why would a strike through leave a raised line

lkenefic

@jmlanzaf said:

Why would a strike through leave a raised line

Do strike throughs only leave an incused surface? I thought it could be both... I've seen pieces that have had wire or some metal leave a divot where the wire was struck through and I've seen others where the struck through metal was still on the surface of the coin. I suppose... and this is conjecture on my part... that if a coin still had the metal that was struck through and left to circulate, it could wear down and give a similar appearance to the OP's coin. Is there some other anomaly that could cause this? Like I said... awesome first post and I'm hoping someone more knowledgeable might chime in... Inquiring minds and all...

Aspie_Rocco

@jmlanzaf said:

@Aspie_Rocco said:
Looks almost like some knuckle head “X-ed” the coin. Like cut an x into it. Then it circulated more and wore down on high points.

If you look at the side view, the "X" is almost definitely raised.

This had me confused too. It looks really high on the design. Could raised metal have moved after being smoothed?
The rigid straightness of the lines removed the option of a normal die crack and I wonder a little if the die was X-ed. A crack would be more textured.

I think point of begging on cut is on top left. The cut disappeared over left wing tip. And goes into the rim.

Aspie_Rocco

Where is @EagleEye (Rick Snow) ?

lkenefic

The raised metal in the fields is definitely throwing me off too.

EagleEye

@TomB got it right. When you cut deep into a piece of metal it raises the excess metal to one side of the cut. The coin was cut when it was less worn. The subsequent wear pushed the raised metal down on the high points.

ricko

Thanks @TomB and @EagleEye.... PMD... Such a perfect 'cut' would have to be PMD...Cheers, RickO

Astrum

Thank you to everyone for taking the time to look at my coin. I don't think i'll be sending it off unless I wanted it graded with a description of "cut". Still it is two of the series I have found, now I just need a '56...