Home› U.S. Coin Forum

How does a coin become worn like this?

DD Posts: 1,997 ✭✭✭
in U.S. Coin Forum
The reverse is very odd looking.

Coin!

-D
"It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it."

-Aristotle

Dum loquimur fugerit invida aetas. Carpe diem quam minimum credula postero.

-Horace

Comments

  • STONESTONE Posts: 15,275 ✭
    How does a coin become worn like this?

    By being put in circulation!
  • tahoe98tahoe98 Posts: 11,388 ✭✭✭

    ...WOW! that was a lot of friction going on back then. perhaps from wool pants pockets. that would be very abrasive

    for sure. jmo. image
    "government is not reason, it is not eloquence-it is a force! like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master; never for a moment should it be left to irresponsible action." George Washington
  • guitarwesguitarwes Posts: 9,308 ✭✭✭
    carried and worn, toned dark, then carried and worm some mo'.

    @ Elite CNC Routing & Woodworks on Facebook. Check out my work.
    Too many positive BST transactions with too many members to list.
  • cladkingcladking Posts: 29,936 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>carried and worn, toned dark, then carried and worm some mo'. >>



    Yes.

    ...And then stored on its reverse in a cabinet for decades, maybe.
    tempus fugit extra philosophiam.
  • GaCoinGuyGaCoinGuy Posts: 2,856 ✭✭✭✭
    I like that circ cameo on the reverse.

    Neat coin. Imagine the stories it could tell.......
    imageimage

  • WoodenJeffersonWoodenJefferson Posts: 6,491 ✭✭✭✭
    Do to still crude manufacturing procedures of making the first US coins, the planchets were not always symmetrical in thickness. Instead of the rim being the high point on this coin, the central device was higher than the rim and prematurely wore during circulation.
    Chat Board Lingo

    "Keep your malarkey filter in good operating order" -Walter Breen
  • DD Posts: 1,997 ✭✭✭
    Nobody thinks there's any possibility of artificial wear? The wear on the obverse is much less contrasting than the wear on the reverse.

    -D
    "It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it."

    -Aristotle

    Dum loquimur fugerit invida aetas. Carpe diem quam minimum credula postero.

    -Horace
  • TevaTeva Posts: 830 ✭
    In the old days novice collectors would glue coins into a note book on heavy cardboard leaves. Only one side of the coin would be exposed to wear and the coins would be polished or rubbed to keep the display side clean shiny and presentable. I have five such note books that I purchased recently and they display similar wear.
    I can not say for sure but all the coins that I have removed from the note book have that look.
    Give the laziest man the toughest job and he will find the easiest way to get it done.
  • PerryHallPerryHall Posts: 47,509 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Agree. It does seem odd that the eagle is white and the fields are toned. Looks like it was rubbed on a flat surface to give it a cameo look.

    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

  • llafoellafoe Posts: 7,220 ✭✭
    WOW! That is one very well placed milk spot! image
    WANTED: Cincinnati Reds TEAM Cards
  • notwilightnotwilight Posts: 12,864 ✭✭✭
    OK, here is my guess. After it was taken out of circulation for the last time it was stored obv up in a drawer. The obv continued to tone while the rev was exposed to less air (less toning) and may have also experienced some cabinet friction as the drawer was opened and closed. --Jerry
  • NysotoNysoto Posts: 3,826 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Each of the 31 die pairings for 1795 half dollars will wear differently. Some have well engraved and struck hair that maintains detail longer than the reverse, others will show better detail on the eagle than the portrait. In general, the reverses wear flat before the obverse on 1795's. These used to be inexpensive enough to collect by die variety, I had 25 different varieties of 1795 at one time and have sold a few. On this coin, it had more recent friction on the reverse, and also the image could exaggerate this.
    Robert Scot: Engraving Liberty - biography of US Mint's first chief engraver
  • crypto79crypto79 Posts: 8,623 ✭
    I agree with all of the opinions stated before and would add that thumbing can sometimes play up a Cir cam look.

Leave a Comment

BoldItalicStrikethroughOrdered listUnordered list
Format
SpoilerCodeQuote
Heading 2Heading 1
Emoji
:):D:(;):/:o:s:p:'(:|B):#:*<3o:)>:)
Url
Image
Align leftAlign centerAlign rightToggle HTML viewToggle full pageToggle lights
Drop image/file
Home • U.S. Coin ForumComment As ...