Die cracks or scratches? or planchet striations?

moursund

I've a 1972 clad Ike which has either a lot of die cracks on the reverse, or a lot of scratches; these are narrow, mostly straight (although 1 takes an angle half way along), and merrily traverse across field and devices. These are so narrow, I can't tell for sure whether the surface is raised (as a die crack), or carved into (as an exacto knife scratch )

How can a fellow tell if fine lines are cracks or scratches? Maybe I need a better light source than flourescent...

Thanks,

am

paigowjohnny

Can't speak for Ikes...but the die cracks on Morgans that I've seen are usually "wide" enough that I can tell they're cracks.

I'm wondering if maybe you have some "cabinet (friction/slide) rub "

moursund

Maybe somebody "rubbed" it over the tip of a thumbtack several times from different directions...

I think I need to find a good stereo microscope with a good light source, and see if the lines are raised or not.

am

paigowjohnny

In my rather limited experience, die cracks don't stay real straight for very long either...

nwcs

Die cracks and die polish are rarely perfectly straight over a long distance. Could be a scratched planchet or a polishing cloth. Halogen is the best way to look at them. Look at them with magnification and see if the lines are raised or lowered (recessed). Die polish is raised. Scratches are recessed.

coinguy1

moursund,

In my experience, in every case I can think of (though my memory is far from wonderful), die cracks which appear in the fields of a coin, will stop or be interrupted in some fashion, once they reach the devices.

If what you are seeing goes straight from the fields through the devices, with no interruption, it sounds like scratches. Also, die cracks tend to veer off, at leat a bit, in one or more directions. Lastly, if it is scratches that you are seeing, they might display a slightly different color or look as they intersect the raised portions of the devices. Obviously, without seeing it, I can't be certain.

kranky

I think it would be very unlikely to have multiple die cracks that are parallel.

moursund

Well, geez, I paid $1.50 for that Ike dollar! I guess with those scratches, it probably is worth only $1.01.

am

stujoe

If you have the right light and a good loupe or magnification, you can tell die cracks from scratches because die cracks will be raised off the coin because metal flowed into the die. Scratches will be dug into the coin.

misterR

They are planchet striations. Most commonly seen on 72-Ds. The force of the strike was not enough to totally wipe them off of the blank planchet. Notice that the coins with these striations are also weakly struck.

clackamas

Its rare to see a die crack that is actually straight.

moursund

planchet striations? Hmmm, interesting, that could be it... or maybe scratches... Weird.

am