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What Is It About The Minting Process That Causes MS 60 Through 65 Rarities In Otherwise Common Date

The 1941 S Half Dollar. Why so pricey and rare in MS65?
The 1934 S Peace Dollar. The price goes nuts at MS60.
The 1884 S Morgan also gets out of hand at MS60.
There are countless examples of this. None would be considered a key date in their series, yet at a VERY attainable grade for the years surrounding them, they are $$$$$$$$$$$ very expensive and equally difficult to find. Why is that?
It seems to me the answer has to be the minting process. The dies used have to be sub par or the pressure used to strike the coins has to be insufficient in comparison to the year before or year after.
I don't see any way the manor in which the coins were released or circulated could possibly be so different as to be the cause of this inconsistancy. What do you think? image

Comments

  • The minting process "then" was not as technical as it is today. There are many variables on the subject of how a coin is pressed. Materials, machinery, labor skill etc. Early coins in those higher grades are rare because most coins "then' were circulated and not so much collected.
  • cladkingcladking Posts: 28,631 ✭✭✭✭✭
    It is very much in the minting process. Different coins have different reasons for being
    hard to find in choice condition. It can be from marking, hubbing, striking, or die life. The
    problems can be experienced at different points in the minting and handling of the coins.
    Some coins are affected by numerous problems which can result in an extreme scarcity of
    gems. For the main part the mint makes changes in the process beginning right at the
    start of the year so every coin can be affected.

    Tempus fugit.
  • cladkingcladking Posts: 28,631 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>The minting process "then" was not as technical as it is today. There are many variables on the subject of how a coin is pressed. Materials, machinery, labor skill etc. Early coins in those higher grades are rare because most coins "then' were circulated and not so much collected. >>



    For most circulating issues this is more of a problem today than it was
    in the past. Old coins were circulated or have suffered other ravages
    of time, but today's coins are rarely made well with few exceptions.
    Tempus fugit.

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