What's up with the Motto on this 1889 Morgan? (More photos added)

Oney

I picked this up at the Boston coin show last weekend. The coinis almost PL but I discovered something about the motto. The top of the G, d, w, e, t and r are very faded almost missing. The bottoms of w, e, t and r are double stamped. See the marks to the lower right of each letter? What caused these? Any help would be appreciated.



Motto

majorbigtime

Banged to BeeJesus?

Coxe

Looks like it got friendly with the rims of some others in the bag. Can't tell for sure, but the reverse looks like it might be clashed.

Oney

These are not marks from another coin....I'll add more photos.

Coxe

I see what you are saying. If it was a doubling on the die for the motto, I would expect that to be a hub defect and appear on other ones as well. In this case, perhaps we should rule out strike doubling. The legend doesn't exhibit anything noticeable. Next might be an artifact of aggressive polishing of the die in that area. Coming out of the depressions of the letters might have effectively wiped in shadows. Keep looking at it.

Myqqy

Next might be an artifact of aggressive polishing of the die in that area

That was my thought regarding the fading look of some of the letters.....

Oney

Any other thoughts?

1921obsession

I think it's die deterioration - the details of the motto are so small compared to the pressure exerted that they usually wear out more quickly than the rest of the die.