Help needed with this bust half error.

DHeath

I recently purchased the 1836 Bust half pictured in the links below. While looking at the lettered edge, I noticed a misplaced O overpunched with an H in the word half that was almost half way off the edge. Is this an uncommon occurence, or was it fairly common in the lettered edge coins. Additionally, this coin has some wear, but has pockets of remaining luster. My best guess at grade is AU-53. Does that look right to you guys based on the scans?

Obverse
Reverse
Edge

Placid

No idea about the error. Nice looking coin at least in the pictures. Looks Au58 or MS to me

JimD

Deformed edge lettering is very common on "lettered edge" Bust Halves. AU53 looks about right.

RotatedRainbows

JimD is correct in the fact that edge letter defects are very common and add no value except if it is completely doubled or tripled edge lettering. I have an 1810 that has completely doubled edge lettering but still have not figured out a way to get a good picture of it. Somewhere I have wrote down exactly what the edge says, I will see if I can find it. As for the grade I think AU 50 (although I don't really believe in using numbers on early circulated bust coinage) would be closer as it appears to have little field luster which is required for it to be anywhere near CH AU

clw54

Here's a similar thread from last year.

lathmach

This is also common on the lettered edge early copper coins.

Ray

Conder101

These early lettered edges were applied to the planchets before striking using a device known as a Castaining machine. This machine consists of a flat working surface with a flat steel plate mounted to the surface. On one edge of this plate is half of the inscription in raised letters. The other edge die would placed jst slightly lees than the diameter of the planchet away so that the other half of the inscription which was on it is facing the first die. The second die would be set up with gearing teeth so that a gear with a crank would force it to move laterally past the first die. The die would be cranked all the way to one extreme and a planchet placed where the two dies are starting to come together. As the moving die is cranked past the fixed die the planchet makes one half a rotation and is impressed with the edge inscription and the dge is slightly upset at the same time. The finished planchet is removed and replaced with another one and the die is cranked back to its starting point lettering the second planchet in the process. If the moving die is not cranked completely to the extreme at either end the next planchet lettered will display a blundered edge. Since each die contains half the inscription you either get the OR overlapping HALF, or the end of the word DOLLAR will overlap part of FIFTY (One die would read FIFTY CENTS OR and the other one reads HALF A DOLLAR.) How much it overlaps will depend on how short of the extreme points the moving die was when it's direction was reversed. (FIFTY CENTS HAOLRF A DOLLAR, etc.)

If the finished planchet was not removed and the die cranked back to the starting point , the planchet would be drawn back through and receive a second impression of the inscription resulting in a double edge legend. Run it again and you get a tripled edge etc.

It was also possible for these edge dies to be put in place either right side up or upside down so you could have half the inscription upright and the second half backwards and upside down (FIFTY CENTS OR RALLOD A FLAH Sorry I can't invert the letters or make them face the other way.)

So these can occur on any variety

DHeath

Thanks Conder and all. BTW - Conder, that was a great explaination of what happened to my half, and I appreciate the grading help. It's really different having to examine three surfaces.

RotatedRainbows

I stopped by the bank and picked up my bust half with doubled edge lettering that also has a cracked planchet on the reverse. The edge reads as follows

dolfiyftycenctesnts or or half a hadlofllar a

dorkkarl

gotta get my 2c worth. the error is extremely common. note that if this coin were in plastic, you would miss out on the very interesting "3d side of this coin. congratulations on a great purchase.

BTW net au-50 / lightly cleaned imo.

K S