Capped Bust Half - die alignment?...

RTS

Capped Bust Half - die alignment?

Pictured is a CBH 1812 (O-107?) - is die alignment ever used as a diagnostic for variety? I think not but was wondering - does die alignment affect grade at all? Comments on CBH die alignment appreciated.

slumlord98

I assume you are referring to the fact that your coin shows a slight rotation from the normal 180 alignment . This is exceedingly common on the early years of CBHs. It happened because there was no stop to hold the set screw to prevent the dies from rotating in their collars. When one mentions die alignment, that refers to how well the faces of the dies are aligned. Some die marriages show exceedingly poor alignment, resulting in one side of the coin (L/R) being very well struck, and the other side showing a poor strike. Some of the most dramatic examples are 1811 O.101 (dot date), and 1814 O.108 E/A. 1814/3 also shows this but it is not as dramatic as the others.

Post some pics of your misaligned dies!

mozin

Yep, we want pictures!

slumlord98

This image of an 1814 O.101 shows the effects of misaligned dies. Compare the stars on the left with the stars on the right. Even on this lowly EF coin, it is quite noticeable, however, it doesn't really show on the reverse. Does anyone (except Mozin) care to hazard a guess as to what is significant about this coin?



Notice on the next coin that the problem has been dealt with. All stars are more evenly formed. At K6, notice what appears to be an edge bump is actually where the coin rode up out of the Castaing machine, causing exactly half the edge to exhibit a tapered effect. Some who have examinde this coin feel it was leaning against the collar and pinched. The lettering is deeper at the top and very shallowly impressed at the bottom. This coin shows another interesting effect. There is a lump under E3 on the reverse, visible in the Overton plate. Whatever came between the dies was also impressed into the obverse by S12. It is left of the upright at about K10. It's kind of faint.



Looking for, and finding, obscure little effects of the minting process is what drives me to keep looking.

RTS

Thanks for the comments.

JadeRareCoin

Does anyone (except Mozin) care to hazard a guess as to what is significant about this coin?

Missing the usual clash marks found on O-101??


BTW, is the second coin from the Mohawk Valley Hoard??? Please explain this one to me at the Countryside show this month, as I am too slow to comprehend from your images......

slumlord98

The concept isn't really difficult to understand. Look closely at the first image I posted, notice the shape, especially the flatness, of stars 1-7. Compare those to stars 8-13. Notice the difference? Now compare stars 1-7 on the second coin to stars 1-7 on the first coin. See the difference? After a very few strikes, one of the dies was removed and the bottom of the shaft was shimmed in order to give more even alignment. I made some reverse images that will be posted later.

JadeRareCoin

The concept isn't really difficult to understand.

You forget whom you are talking to!

Actually, I understand that part of your display, but I am confused as to how the Castaing machine plays into misalignment. It doesn't. And the lump that relates to the Overton plate coin?

slumlord98

The edge anomaly was imparted on the coin by the Castaing machine and possibly the collar; this has nothing to do with die alignment, I was just pointing out another interesting feature of the Mohawk River valley coin. The lump on the obverse at star 12 is also something separate. When I post the reverse images, it will tie in with the lump.

mozin

slumlord98,

It didn't register with me immediately what else is going on with the first 1814. I don't recall ever seeing what is special about this coin of yours. Neither of my AUs have this special feature.