Hello all again, got my first clump of nickels here and I found this guy from 1966. Not sure if this is from wear or from the mint. Considering the metal where the ponytail should be is flat with the background I’d say this is a mint error. I’m still not too good at detecting errors (the people that usually help me will know that) but I think this is what they call a “grease error”? Let me know if I’m wrong I’m open to criticism.
There are those collectors out there but they are few and far between. If your a collector keep it, if your just trying to flip coins it's worth 4.5 cents.
http://www.error-ref.com/design-devouring-die-wear/ Not caused by an Over-polished Die issue. Polished Dies are reserved for proof coins.
That's a fair example of an overpolished die. Keep in mind that the mint was still producing 1964 nickels at that point so they didn't make the usual cache of working dies in 1965, 1966, and 1967. So your specimen was among the last to be produced by that die. Flip worthy in my book.
It is called intentional die abrasion. The common term everyone uses is die polish. http://www.error-ref.com/thinning-and-loss-of-design-elements/
It is a misnomer to say that the line seen on a business strike coin is caused by Die Polishing when they are in fact caused by Die Cleaning. Coin dies are polished to remove scratches in the surface of a die in order to produce a proof-like coin. It is a very skilled and time consuming process. Die Cleaning is an action done to the dies while they are in service to remove debris so the dies can produce a better looking coin. This is a very aggressive action that uses course grit sanding that can in turn leaves lines scratched into the dies. This action also can change the depth or relief of the die. The relief reduction that you notice on a coin is caused from die wear and or die cleaning. The face of the coin die get worn away from these actions. Coin dies that are used for business strike are not polished. That action is reserved for dies that strike proof coins.
I remember watching a show on PBS back in the 80's where they used modified dental tools and a microscope to clean the dies. I couldn't imagine doing that job day in and day out for 30 years.
I do not agree, It is an Error coin. But yes, it has no value to most collectors. http://www.error-ref.com/thinning-and-loss-of-design-elements/ http://www.error-ref.com/design-devouring-die-wear/
I believe that is an example of end of life die strike. I'm sure soon after that the die probably cracked or broke.
Blast I do, but they're tucked away on a flash drive. I'll find the coin on the morrow and get you some fresh photogs.......
@alurid......... Maine Centennials are notorious for die polish lines. Sorry it took so long for the photogs.
Nice coin. The lines are quite prominent on this coin. My Maine Centennial Half has a weak E in E Pluribus Unum and abrasion lines telling me that there was debris in the die at time of striking, which would require die cleaning. I would not call those polishing lines. They are abrasion line from the dies having been cleaned. Polishing is truly an action that removes line from the face of the die. The "Lines" are easiest to see on coins that retain a high degree of mint surface and luster when they are present.
