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Are die cracks common on 1876 5 pfennig's ?

JRoccoJRocco Posts: 14,277 ✭✭✭✭✭
in World & Ancient Coins Forum
Looking at this 1876 5 pfennig, you can see some really large die cracks almost to the point of the coin starting to break up on the pfe of pfennig. Is this common to this era's coinage or the exception?
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Comments

  • AskariAskari Posts: 3,713 ✭
    Munich produced the most examples after Berlin. It was a busy time as they were still producing to replace all the pre-Empire small change. After 1876, the Munich mintages dropped off considerably. It's not too surprising to see die cracks in this period -- certainly no more so than for US coins of the same period. As for this die, I doubt it served very much longer!
    Askari



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  • PhilipPhilip Posts: 847
    I have a question regarding the coin - how do you know it's a die crack and not a planchet flaw? How do you distinguish between the two in general?
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  • JRoccoJRocco Posts: 14,277 ✭✭✭✭✭
    That is a really great question Philip. I will try to explain it as best as I know how. A planchet flaw usually shows itself as cracks with missing or broken out metal, sometimes extreme whereas a die crack shows itself as an area or a line of raised metal. This die crack can lead to progressing die chips and eventually the destruction of the die itself. I will try to show what I am saying with some better pics if I can get some together. This coin has lines of raised metal (die cracks). Good question- if anyone can chime in and better explain this please feel free to add to this.
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