1879 Morgan with a raised K on cheek...

[cabinfvrr-migration]

I am not a collector and don't really know anything about coins... I have an 1879 Morgan in nice shape, It has a K on the cheek. It's not scratched in, but rather Raised as if minted that way.. I can't find any info... please help I have a scan of it, but not sure how to get it on here... just signed up.. thanks in advance OK got a low res scan in... It's much better than the pic shows...

[skippy]

Looks like graffiti in your photo.

 

Are you sure it's not raised because there is a trough next to it that moved metal?

 

[cabinfvrr-migration]

It is raised.. not engraved, I even used a pencil and paper over it to get a rubbing to make sure it was raised

[Smilie Puss]

Check the reed coin edge to see if tunneling could explain this.

 

Its been known that mint marks can be fashioned this way. Otherwise, if no evidence of tunneling a Mint employee could have put his initials in the working die for kicks after the annealling process but before heat treatment (hardens the die for striking longevity).

 

Since few are ever reported this may have been a one strike experiment to verify machine settings using a test die rather than a new die pair that could be damaged if settings were not correct. Some how the test coin walked out of the mint and into circulation history. Who can be sure?

[WoodenJefferson]

Without actually viewing the coin, it is hard to tell exactly what has happened here, but rest assured, it did not leave the Mint with the letter K embossed on Ms. Liberty's cheek. This is probably some manner of graffiti etched into the surface in a way that raised the metal up off the surface and that is how you are getting a positive rubbing. A close examination, at least 5X magnification will reveal that a sharp instrument was used to crudely render this design. There are collectors for this sort of handy work, but this one is not very artistic in nature.

 

I in no way wanted to burst your bubble cabinfvrr, but we really need to tell you the truth about this particular coin. Does it have a mint mark, O, S or CC on the reverse below the eagle?

[Coindude]

Honestly, from the pictures, it looks like graffiti. Looks like the raised edge after someone took a razor or a sharp knife to it.

[cabinfvrr-migration]

The scan on here is not clear enough to get it to you. but I have a 1200dpi scan that very clearly shows it was not scratched in. and looking under a magnifying glass confirms that... it's raised and nearly perfect, as to show it was not done by hand... it's kinda of cool actually....

[MunkyMan95]

It's graffiti.

 

It may appear raised because, when you scratch a coin like this, metal gets pushed out of the way. If you cut into the surface of the coin, the metal will get pushed out to the side, making it look as if the entire mark is raised. In fact, only the edges of the scratches are raised from the displaced metal.

 

Does that make sense?

[cabinfvrr-migration]

sure that makes sense, but I'm telling you it's not that way. the lines don't even intersect, like the was a stamp wouldn't. there is no scratched in cut mark, it's just raised and rounded edged to the original surface, not sharp like it was cut in

 

[jgrinz]

It's graffiti.

 

It may appear raised because, when you scratch a coin like this, metal gets pushed out of the way. If you cut into the surface of the coin, the metal will get pushed out to the side, making it look as if the entire mark is raised. In fact, only the edges of the scratches are raised from the displaced metal.

 

Does that make sense?

 

If this was the case there would be raised metal on BOTH sides of the instrument used for the deed. It does not appear to be the case here

A sideways picture along the field surface towards the 'graffiti' would help in the interpretation of the raised area.

 

 

 

 

 

[cabinfvrr-migration]

new pic uploaded, trying to get another that "fits"

 

[michael]

post mint damage

[xJack]

The new pic tells me it's definitely graffitti.

 

Those fine black lines next to the raised metal are the grooves, they've filled with dirt and grime.

 

 

From a metalsmithing perspective - if the metal is not raised both sides, this would indicate the intstrument that was used had a single beveled edge - something like a razor blade. A pocketknife (double beveled edge) would make two raised bumps.

 

:twocents:

[James_OldeTowne]

It's graffiti.

 

It may appear raised because, when you scratch a coin like this, metal gets pushed out of the way. If you cut into the surface of the coin, the metal will get pushed out to the side, making it look as if the entire mark is raised.

I agree 100%. It's also a method used to create bogus die-cracks and die-scratches. I once owned a bust half with an absolutely convincing unknown "die crack" that I knew had to be just such a scratch, and it was later proven to be so.

[rrantique]

I am not a collector and don't really know anything about coins... I have an 1879 Morgan in nice shape, It has a K on the cheek. It's not scratched in, but rather Raised as if minted that way.. I can't find any info... please help I have a scan of it, but not sure how to get it on here... just signed up.. thanks in advance OK got a low res scan in... It's much better than the pic shows...

 

Welcome to forum.

 

I can't really tell if this is optical illusion or if it is indeed raised. Its is definitely post mint. I have arrows pointing to different marks that indicate scratches across the letter that indicate a raised letter OTOH it would seem incused.

I tend to believe it is graffiti.