is this a die gouge?

ILikeMercs

where the MM would be?

TorinoCobra71

Hard to tell from that pic.....

TorinoCobra71

ILikeMercs

til I can take a better pic, which I'm having a hard time doing, all I can say is, is that it's NOT a scratch but it is an indentation.

Shamika

Agreed that it's tough to tell for certain.

FredWeinberg

Looks like a "struck thru" area.....

ILikeMercs

Shamika

Actually, now that I look at the angle of light, it is not a die gouge. Otherwise, it would be coming out of the field instead of being an impression. I think it's a strikethrough.

coppercoins

Agreed. A die gouge is indented on the die, thus it is in positive relief on the resulting coins - it 'stands out' from where the surface should be in that area. If the item on the coin is lower than it should be, then it was something sitting between the die and the coin when the coin was struck.

ILikeMercs

Thanks for the expert opinions. Thanks for clarifying Copper on a die gouge. Excellent point.

Now, what's a (technically) strike through? TIA.

coppercoins

Technically, something foreign sitting on the planchet or die when the coin is struck. The item takes up space where the metal of the planchet would normally fill in the die, thus leaving an indented area on the resulting coin. The most common form of 'struck through' is grease or dirt, which often causes letters or other details to come out flat and without much detail.