A hot lips question.

direwolf1972

So why do so few "hot lips" coins exist in AU or better condition? From what I've been able to theorize it is just harder to spot in higher grades. That as the as the surface of the coin wears it is easier to spot the die doubling. I have viewed photos of a few of the high AU coins and even a MS or two and it is much harder to see the doubling in the photos. In which case I'm assuming it is also harder to see it in hand.

Are there really many more high grade hot lips coins running around that no one has ever noticed due to the lack of wear? I'm not talking thousands. Just substantially more than the numbers indicate. Or am I totally off base with my theory?

GoldenEyeNumismatics

To put it in your own words---"you're totally off-base."

They're tough to come by in higher grades because they all went into circulation. Very few turned up in the Mint Bag hoards of the 1960's, and few were saved. They were simply all released for circulation, and thus were worn down to lower grades. A similar situation is present with 1892-S Morgans. They all went into circulation and few were saved, thus they are rare is higher grades. It has nothing to do with the ability to identify the variety itself.

options26

I'm looking and will let you know, lol.

I too wonder. I find these things everywhere in low grades, seems like there should be a few in high grades left.

direwolf1972

Thanks for the answer. Must have been some bad pics then. They really stand out in XF but in AU or higher when I've have seen them they are much harder to spot (even in relatively same sized pictures). It must have something also to do with the circ's having literally a dirty effect from wear, where as the AU and MS coins usually are blast white and dont have any crud (for lack of a better word) down in the lips area to make it stand out.

DennisH

Here's my theory for another possible reason:

1888-O is a date that often comes poorly struck and with mediocre lustre. The doubling of the obverse die did nothing to help either of those characteristics. So when the B.U. coins went into circulation the effects of wear took hold much more rapidly than on many other date coins.

options26

Remember to always look at the ER in Liberty to confirm your findings. I would think that would be easy to see in any grade. The doubling covers the bottom of them up.