Washington Dollar with D above Crown

[Nickelman]

Was wondering if anyone could help identify the cause of this? The D itself appears to be flush with the field with the center of the D and outside edges slightly recessed. Thanks for any comments.

[diamond]

It's a contact mark from the edge of another dollar coin. It's not an error, just mint damage.

[wavysteps]

This very well maybe a case of a dropped letter from the word PRESIDENT (the D), however, that is hard to determine unless you have the coin in hand.

Normally, dropped letters will indent the planchet as you have described.

BJ Neff

[diamond]

Remember, BJ, dropped letters are incuse. This isn't. Only the area outside the letter and inside the letter are recessed (very slightly), which is what you'd expect of a contact mark from the incuse edge lettering on the edge of the coin.

[wavysteps]

Mike - I do know that a dropped letter is incused and that is the way I read the post, with the outer edge of the "D" being recessed (incused). If the field around the "D" is slighly recessed, then I can go along with the idea that it is a rim contact mark for an incused design will leave a slight raised mirror image.

That is why I said that a final determination should be made with coin in hand.

BJ

[diamond]

I now see how the original description can be interpreted in more than one way. For what it's worth, I've seen many dozens of contact marks that look exactly like this "D", but I've not seen a single legitimate dropped letter on a Presidential dollar.

[Nickelman]

Thanks your opinions. I agree this could be a contact mark but my only question is would this contact have happened to the blank planchet because the D is the same level and finish as the field as if it was pressed flat?

[wavysteps]

When the planchet is struck with both dies, the resulting "cold" metal flow has a tendency to obliterate any such marks that are on the planchet.

I took the liberty of enhancing your photos and as such agree with Mike's analysis that this very well maybe a contact mark. It appears that the circle around LIBERTY has a small indent to the right of the "D". This maybe part of the rim that made contact with the coin. Also, a bit more subtle are the fine die scratches that continue through the D in the same direction as the surrounding field. Since these scratches are not on the planchet before the strike, a dropped letter or numeral would not show these scratches underneath. In this case, the scratches do continue through, which would indicate that they were there before the applied mark (D).

BJ Neff