1943 Merc - Extension to vertical bar of B in Liberty.

[DOCCS]

The extension to the top of the B is uniform, tapered down to the field, and the same height as the remaining B. It also follows the contours of the vertical bar and touches the rim. It is not metal movement from a hit - there is no source!

The most viable explanation is a die dent - or possibly a sneeze while the engraver was at work :-) Would appreciate some thoughts. I can put the coin back under scope if clearer pictures of the extension are required.

[occnumis2021]

appears to me to just be a normal die break with early claims to a cud.

if you check the cud site to see if this mm/date has a cud, this coin would be a precursor to that.

does the T in liberty also have one or is that just PMD? it looks like the coin may have obv/rev counting wheel damage which could explain the T.

[DOCCS]

There are a few cuds for 43-P but not in the same general location. PMD on the T, wheel damage runs from B thru to T.

I would quickly agree with a die break if it didn't appear so uniform/defined/precise. It literally looks as detailed as lettering - blending into the field. I'll guess it is plausible to have such a precise break but certainly not the norm.

[occnumis2021]

i revise my earlier wording to, die CHIP although i think a chip is a break.

now the question is, is a break a chip?

[MintErrors]

in my opinion, if it has some PMD, it might simply be a fragment of silver that landed in that area.
It could be a die chip as well.