1921-S $1 - Likely PMD, but its always puzzled me...

phnatacc

Frankly I think the most likely explanation is that some kind of extremely caustic acid landed on the spot shown. But theres also always been something at the back of my head that made me think this coin could have been struck on a pre-damaged planchet.

Even if its a legitimate error I wouldn't expect there to be much premium for a damaged planchet strike. So this is all really more of an exercise to stop me from wondering when I stumble across this coin every few months.

Thanks in advance for your opinions, be they neophyte or scholarly.

here are the images....


Cropped to reduce size.


Cropped to reduce size.


Obverse 1:1 crop


Reverse 1:1 crop


Superimposed crop

Weiss

You've got our host's URL at the beginning of your image file name. Try it with just http://www.pheh.org/photodump/1921S-oddity-O.jpg :

Weiss

TRADECOIN

Very neat looking. Clashed die ???

phnatacc

<< <i>You've got our host's URL at the beginning of your image file name. >>



Just checked them all. They all look correct when I look at the images, and they all look correct when I press the edit button.

messydesk

I don't think this is PMD. Looks like a severe planchet flaw that went all the way through the coin. The planchet may have fallen apart after it left the mint, but if so, it's because it was struck on a planchet that was going to fall apart like this. Some people like big laminations and such. This is cooler, in my opinion, assuming my assessment is correct.

phnatacc

<< <i>

<< <i>You've got our host's URL at the beginning of your image file name. >>



Just checked them all. They all look correct when I look at the images, and they all look correct when I press the edit button. >>



Okay, that is truly bizarre. In Safari they are all correct



<< <i>http://www.pheh.org/photodump/1921S-oddity-O.jpg >>



But when I load the page in Firefox, they are indeed completely whacked out.

I'm at a loss on this one. But everyone seems to have covered the images since I figured out its showing up that way in Firefox and no in Safari.

gonzer

Perhaps the planchet had a piece of embedded slag which fell out after striking.

19Lyds

Looks like a planchet to me since a corrosive would have left
Much smoother edges.

19Lyds

Dang iPhone with fat fingers!

Planchet FLAW....

WoodenJefferson

I do not see PMD, but I do see a flawed planchet prior to striking. Interesting...

jonathanb

Awesome -- a 'blowhole' defective planchet. Defective planchets are not rare. Ones where the defect goes entirely through the planchet are rare. I don't see any reason to doubt that this is a legitimate mint error.

Probably worth several hundred dollars. Nice find!

messydesk

Ah, good, an official sounding name for it! I figured it was worth a premium, but several hundred dollars is a PREMIUM! While it's not a special VAM because of this, I'll point the guys at VAMWorld to it. Most have probably never seen something like this before. I hadn't until now.

stealer

<< <i>Most have probably never seen something like this before. I hadn't until now. >>


This is truly a fantastic error!

CaptHenway

Looks genuine and mint made to me.

Not sure what would have caused that. A piece of slag would have been so tightly wedged into those irregularities it could never have fallen out. Perhaps an air bubble that got distorted during rolling and then "popped?"

Neat error!

TD

CaptHenway

Can you get a very precise weights?

coindeuce

Planchet stock flaw. In metallurgical terms, a crystalline or granular fracture, usually resulting from non-cohesive impurities in the primary metal. The non-cohesive impurity likely broke away in the rolling process, before the blank was even cut from the sheet, and escaped detection through the entire minting process and post production inspection. This flaw also appears occasionally on other 1921 Morgans in the form of a small fissure completely through the edge of the coin. Seen several of them, and once owned a Copper-Nickel Indian cent with exact same feature.

phnatacc

Thanks everyone for all the comments and information.

I will post an exact weight on Monday when I get back work (spending the weekend at the River as the boating season comes to a close).

I did bring some coins, my camera and my tripod (alas no "extra" copystand, or lighting for the River . Don't think I have anything as odd/intriguing as this piece but I do hope to post some more.

I guess I'll send it in with my next slow-boat submission and will let everyone know what the TPGs think.

Thanks again!