What did/or does the US mint do with used coin dies after they deface or cancel them?
NumisOxide
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I know the US Mint does sell modern coin dies. You can buy some of them directly from the mint, but what about the old days (19th- early 20th century). Did the mint sell them to collectors back then, too? I do know that the mint did reuse reverse dies a lot. Also, sometimes obverse dies. That's why there are overdate coins. When the die life was up, what did the mint do with it after they cancelled it? Lets see what you all know about this subject. Thanks.
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Comments
Looking for alot of crap.
means have been used over the years.
I think the mint use to cancelle the dies then ether sell them for scrape or dug a hole and dump them in.
I think I read a story about the DPW of Denver laying a road and found a bunch of cancelled dies.
I have an example of a Morgan obv and rev that was cancelled with a big X stamped into a slab of silver,also an example of a seated dime rev and a $5.00 lib obv that were cancelled.
I think cancelled dies and stampings from such dies are COOL.
Brian
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p.s. This actually did happen to some Indian head dies. They scored them with an X and tossed them. Someon got a hold of some and a few smart guys figured out what they could make with them. This is why they now "puddle" the dies with a blow tortch.
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
Later they wre canceled and sold for scrap, or simply buried on the grounds. During the recent renovations at the Carson City mint a large number of canceled dies were found buried. They were under a sidewalk, if I remember correctly. Eventually after the scandels of the restriking the law required that at the end of the year all old dies on hand were to be destroyed "by fire and sledge", meaning that they should be heated to softness and the die faces destroyed by being defaced through blows of a sledgehammer. What was done with the dies after that was done was not stated, but they were probably sold as scrap. Eventually they just melted the face of the die with a welding torch.
On the other question: Yes, just like today, after collecting became popular post Civil War, you wrote the mint and they'd send you coins generally wrapped in tissue paper. Or you could get them from a local dealer like the Chapman Bros. who cherrypicked nice coins from the mint. They would also get you "proofs" or other oddballs from their friends at the mint on order.
numobri, that's awesome that you own a couple of dies. Cancelled dies are cool. I'll probably buy some modern coin dies from the mint. Even though they deface them.
John,
I do not own the dies only stampings from such dies.
I still think they'er cool.
Brian
<< <i>John,
I do not own the dies only stampings from such dies.
I still think they'er cool.
Brian >>
I misunderstood, sorry. That's still cool.