Morgan Die Clash Gauge

[mikew148]

I was fortunate to read a thread here a few weeks ago, by CPM9BALL I believe, about this tool and the contact information for the man who makes them. Thank you for that information, I received mine yesterday.

 

This is a great tool. It's made of two plexiglass discs, beautifully laser etched with the design elements of the Morgan Dollar. It has a diameter of 5 -1/8th inches, which makes it very easy to read. I really like the outer rotation gauge (Denticle Ring) . There's a line on each of the plexiglass discs, that when lined up, show what a Morgan would look like if the dies were properly aligned at the time of striking. The gauge is then rotated with each box (Denticle) representing 2.4 degrees of Die rotation which, subsequently, shows where clashed details would be located. I also learned that this tool design is the same one that was sent to Leroy Van Allen, John Baumgart and other prominent Vammers back in the day.

 

I find it works best when I set it on a black background as it gives great contrast to the white design elements. (see image)

 

Even if I wasn't interested in Clashed Dies and VAM's, I would still like to own this tool because it's a nice looking, working, piece of art. It's going to sit on my mantel when I'm not using it and I'm sure will be the start of many conversations about Morgan Dollars, Clashed Dies, VAM's and coin collecting in general.

 

Once I received my tool I contacted Terry, the man who makes them. I asked if I could show a picture of it here and give his contact information for anyone that would like to purchase one. He agreed, so here it is.

 

 

Terry's email address is - tj4fa@hotmail.com

 

For a chuckle make sure you mention the misspelling of the word Gauge on the outer rim of the tool!(Guage) Here's a quote from him on the subject - "I'm still embarrassed about the misspelled versions though" . (don't tell him that I mentioned it!!!)

 

He's a fun person to do a transaction with as I'm sure you will see if you choose to contact him

 

 

 

 

 

[cpm9ball]

I hope that you find this tool to be helpful in understanding more about Morgan clashes.

 

I noted that you mentioned putting it on your mantel. I might suggest that you put it in a Zip-Loc bag to keep it dust free. That's what I did.

 

Chris

 

PS. I never even noticed the misspelling. ! By the way, Mike, you misspelled "mantel".

[mikew148]

 

PS. I never even noticed the misspelling. ! By the way, Mike, you misspelled "mantel".

 

Haha, So I did. Unless of course, I meant I was going to put it on top of my piece of the Earth's mantle which happens to reside on my mantel.

I didn't capitalize the M so any attempt to escape using a Mickey Mantle reference would simply be out of the question!

 

I'll be working on a way to make one of these definitions work!

 

man·tle (mntl)

n.

1. A loose sleeveless coat worn over outer garments; a cloak.

2. Something that covers, envelops, or conceals: "On a summer night . . . a mantle of dust hangs over the gravel roads" (John Dollard).

3. Variant of mantel.

4. The outer covering of a wall.

5. A zone of hot gases around a flame.

6. A device in gas lamps consisting of a sheath of threads that gives off brilliant illumination when heated by the flame.

7. Anatomy The cerebral cortex.

8. Geology The layer of the earth between the crust and the core.

9. The outer wall and casing of a blast furnace above the hearth.

10. The wings, shoulder feathers, and back of a bird when differently colored from the rest of the body.

11. Zoology

a. A fold or pair of folds of the body wall that lines the shell and secretes the substance that forms the shell in mollusks and brachiopods.

b. The soft outer wall lining the shell of a tunicate or barnacle.

 

Better yet, I'll just change the spelling in the OP!

[Crohnos01]

I guess I am truly a red neck... My first thought was that you were going to put it on your gas lantern filament....

 

Really cool... Thanks for posting this. I would like to have one for future collecting endeavours as well... I will probably want to put it on my desk however....