Die Usage Over Multiple Years -

keoj

I just read through the PCGS write up explaing the micro o counterfeit issue. I believe them, BUT one of the rationals for making the case was the utilization of a die over multiple years. I guess that I'm not quite convinced that this is a strong tell for a counterfeit. I know of a couple of cases and I'd like to see others discussed here. I'll go first.....

- There is a Type I wide cc Trade Dollar reverse die (1.2mm between the CC's...quite distinctive) that was used in 1873, 1874 and 1876. A three year spread over a short series.

Anyone know more multiple year die usages? What's the widest year range for a die?

keoj

JrGMan2004

I don't know long this might have gone on...

But during the Bust years at the mint, there was quite a bit of this that went on... in fact, I know of two die marriages of Capped Bust Half-Dimes... the reverse was struck with an obverse die dated 1831... then struck with an obv die dated 1830... then struck again with the 1831 die, then struck again with the 1830 die, and then struck again with the 1831 die before being retired...

Wolf359

Yes, but the die was copied from a real one apparently....one year was genuine, the other 3 years are copied.

PhillyJoe

Don't know much about trade dollars, but dies have a finite life of "x" number of strikes. In the 1950's and 60's each die, obverse and reverse was numbered, used (or possibly not used) and destroyed at the end of the year. The "die form" for lack of a better name had a check mark for each one used. Their destruction was witnessed and certified by the die room supervisor and the supervisor of the mint. Philadelphia made all of the dies and shipped them to each branch mint. Presumably, the dies were sent back for a final accounting.

Joe

longtimecollector

In the Seated Half Dollar series, there are MANY instances of reverse dies being used in consecutive years, (I'm unaware off the top of my head of anything further apart), with the strangest being the 1840 (O mint) WB-101........ The tail die is actually a carry-over from the 1838-39 Tail Hub, but seeing that the mintmark was on the OBVERSE of the half dollars in 1838-39, NO mintmark appeared on the reverse...... When the die was re-used in 1840, no mintmark was punched into the die, and this "medium letter" variety was thought to be a Philadelphia product for many years........ Breen #4747 lists it as a "P" mint, but it has since been proven to have been produced at New Orleans !!

cladking

There are some 1974 and '73 quarters with '72 reverses.