Shattered c. 1779

[JTO]

A shattered 1797 Half Cent

 

Here is s coin with a well recognized repunched date (1 over 1). I am curious as to what the markings are to the right of the upper 1. Are they the remnants of the re-punched date? There does not appear to be anything on the reverse to explain them as die clashes.

 

It also has evidence of several major obverse die cracks. The cracks are described in a left-to-right fashion. Die crack #1 that runs from just before 12 O'clock to Miss Liberty's hairline And then appears to angle slightly to the left and disappears in her hair.. A second die crack (#2) from just past 12 O'clock runs in a wandering line that intersects the third crack in a perpendicular fashion just below the "Y" in Liberty. The third crack (#3) is more subtle crack and appears to go from approximately 2 O'clock just to the left of the Y in Liberty and then intersects Miss Liberty at her temporal scalp line. The fourth (#4) crack extends from approximately 4 O'clock upward Ending at the underside of Miss Liberty's nose. Finally there is what I believe is a die clash that extends from perpendicular to crack #3 and extending the intersection of the pole and Liberty's neck.

 

See more journals by JTOThank you for reading my post, I don't presume to be a Numismatic expert, I just enjoy the hobby. I hope some of you have enjoyed this or other of my posts.John

[Six Mile Rick]

Die cracks are a FUN twist to the hobby!!

 

Rick

[greysoldier]

Absolutely ! How about an 1843 half dollar reverse.....

 

[Electric Peak]

Hey John, Very cool!

 

Manley's "The HALF CENT Die State Book 1793-1857" does not offer an explanation for those other marks above the 7s. I'd guess some sloppy work with the tools was responsible. Manley's description of the progression of cracks doesn't match your description exactly. He says the clash is actually a crack, and does not mention a crack from just past 12:00 going to under the Y. I suspect your coin has a subtle scratch or two that look a little like a crack. The latest described state of the die has the RTY "extremely weak" (and "usually entirely gone"), as in your example. Your coin has a scratch across the right field where two of the cracks form an inverted "y". That scratch may be obscuring another crack that makes an "A" shape with the inverted y.

 

Alan

[RWB]

This is what keeps collectors interested in large cents and half cents.

[coinsbygary]

This is what keeps collectors interested in large cents and half cents.

 

Speaking of Large Cents, my shattered example is one of two 1802 stemless varieties. Notice the shattered dies on both the reverse and especially the obverse. I believe that the reverse also displays a planchet defect near the rim of the coin at about 9:00.

Gary

 

[johnny9434]

Die cracks are a FUN twist to the hobby!!

 

Rick

+1 i totally agree and it adds some excitement sometimes as well