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why is the obverse wear always greater than the reverse?

my3centsmy3cents Posts: 1,411
in U.S. Coin Forum
simple question. I've seen many coins posted here over the years and the borderline UNC coins seem to have much more wear/rub on the obverse.

Any ideas why it isn't more even?

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Comments

  • fivecentsfivecents Posts: 11,207 ✭✭✭✭✭
    It all depends on the design of the coin. Barber coins wear faster on the reverses than the obverses.
  • cladkingcladking Posts: 28,751 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Most coins are made a little bit bowl-shaped with the reverse inside where it's protected.
    tempus fugit extra philosophiam.
  • coinspeculatorcoinspeculator Posts: 209
    a coin will wear the highest devices first regardless of side. because they come into friction and contact first than the lower devices.
  • WeissWeiss Posts: 9,942 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Cabinet friction or wear is evident on coins from older collections. That means the reverse actually gets more wear than the obverse. Coins stored face up, even on soft velvet surfaces, can suffer minute wear ever time coin cabinet drawers are opened and closed. Multiply that times hundreds of opens and closes over a decades or longer, and you get more wear on the reverse.
    We are like children who look at print and see a serpent in the last letter but one, and a sword in the last.
    --Severian the Lame
  • MikeInFLMikeInFL Posts: 10,188 ✭✭✭✭
    Higher relief on the obverses...Mike
    Collector of Large Cents, US Type, and modern pocket change.
  • majorbigtimemajorbigtime Posts: 2,937 ✭
    It's not,

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