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The E-Sylum: Volume 12, Number 13, March 29, 2009, Article 17

MORE ON BROCKAGES

Mike Ellis writes:
Bill Snider's coin is not a brockage at all. It did, however, create a brockage. Bill's coin is double struck with an indent. An already struck coin found its way back into the coining chamber with a smaller in diameter planchet; presumably a normal planchet for a different denomination.

Then the original coin and the smaller planchet were struck forcing the smaller planchet into the surface of the coin. So now, the original coin has been struck a second time whether the first strike is visible or not. At the same time, the smaller planchet gets struck for the first time and the relief elements from the original coin are transferred in reverse and incused to the smaller planchet.

That newly struck, smaller planchet is now a brockage on an undersized planchet.

Chick's coin is a gorgeous, first stage brockage and the mate to Bill's coin would look very much the same except not all of the design would have transferred simply because it was smaller in diameter. To complicate matters even more, it appears Bill's coin, though most likely genuine and highly collectible in its own right, and the resulting and missing brockage were almost undoubtedly created on purpose.

Notice how the design elements inside the indent and the normal elements outside of the indent match so perfectly. The odds of that happening are astronomical against it unless it were "helped." Most likely the original coin was snuggly seated back onto the reverse die that had struck it the first time with the smaller diameter planchet hand placed on top and then struck.

Somewhere out there is or was a gorgeous brockage on an undersized planchet that would fit with Bill's coin as snuggly as two pieces of a puzzle!"


Below are images of Bill and Chick's coins side-by-side.
Victoria Brockage Brockage


Thanks for the explanation, Mike. These pieces are indeed a puzzlement, but knowledge of the minting process helps sort out the facts. Interesting pieces. -Editor




Wayne Homren, Editor

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