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A defective 18th century U.S. coin die ...

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Earlier this week I purchased a 1798 silver dollar, which is die variety Bolender 17 or BB-101. This variety is scarce to rare because the obverse die failed soon after it went into service. The deterioration of this die is obvious when one looks at the coin shortly at various angles.

 

First here is the obverse of the coin.

 

1798DollarRMe_zpsa330d17f.jpg

 

When one looks at the coin at an angle you will see that there is a bulge in the right field in back of Ms. Liberty's head. Since a raised part on the coin reflects a indentation on the die, this is an example of the die being pushed in or sinking. This is not a good sign if you are a coin press operator.

 

1798DollarBuldge_zpsb0fdc899.jpg

 

Secondly that is a large die crack that is developing along the first seven stars. This crack may have been the result of the bulge. As a result the denticles along that side of the coin are incomplete. If this die were to be left in service the entire rim of the die may have given way which would result in a cud. I don't know if this happened to this die because I'm not aware of a cud die state for this die.

 

1798DollarRdiebreak_zpsbf0c1443.jpg

 

For those who are unfamiliar with what a cud looks like, here is one on a 1796 dime, located to the right of the date.

 

1796DimeO.jpg

 

My objective here is was provide an example of the problems that plagued the first U.S. mint in its early days. The steel was that was used in this die was probably defective which cause its early failure. After spending hours to make the die it failed after perhaps only a few thousand or so impressions.

 

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Thanks for posting this, Bill.

 

I should mention that the cud you've shown in the last photo is to the left of the date, not to the right as you stated.

 

Chris

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Might be from poor hardening of the die -- annular cracks are a sign of collapse due to hardness changes from edge to center of die shank.

 

Still—they are neat coins! Real "personality."

 

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After spending hours to make the die it failed after perhaps only a few thousand or so impressions.

Sometimes a lot less. In the case of the dime there is only one specimen known that does not have the cud, and even that piece does have the crack that became the cud. That die almost certainly failed during hardening.

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After spending hours to make the die it failed after perhaps only a few thousand or so impressions.

Sometimes a lot less. In the case of the dime there is only one specimen known that does not have the cud, and even that piece does have the crack that became the cud. That die almost certainly failed during hardening.

 

I define "failure" as that point where the die can't make any more coins, or the coins it is making are so bad that they are an embarrassment to the mint that is issuing them. This is often called the "terminal die state." I know that only one 1796 JR-1 dime is known with the die break to the LEFT of the date, but I don't view the pieces with the only the cud in that spot as "terminal." Despite its faults that die produced a large number of coins for the time given the fact that this variety is "common" relative to many other early mint die pairs.

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In later years, shattering of dies could be dangerous.

 

"In about 1870 mint officials had the idea to use a hydraulic press to strike medals and proof coins. Small hydraulic presses had been used for many years in pressing water from silver precipitate, so the idea was not without merit. However, no suitable equipment was available. By 1888, technological growth of the railroad industry had resulted in hydraulic presses capable of high pressures needed to fit locomotive wheels to axels. A medal pressing test was made at the plant of William Sellers & Co. using an ordinary hydraulic press made for the railroads. During the test, a steel die collar shattered and pieces of metal injured the mint’s coiner, William S. Steel. This dampened interest by the mint until 1891 when Sellers & Co. made free, accurate tests of coining pressure at the Philadelphia Mint." [Excerpt from "From Mine to Mint."]

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Might be from poor hardening of the die -- annular cracks are a sign of collapse due to hardness changes from edge to center of die shank.

 

Still—they are neat coins! Real "personality."

i agree, it is a real personality all of their own. thats one thing i do like about them :)
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