Need explanation for 2008-P Oklahoma Quarter anormally

[Varietynut]

While checking through some state quarters that I purchased from a friend, I found two Oklahoma quarters with a small raised area along the front edge of the pheasants wing, and three more that has a much larger area. I was just curious as to what would have caused these low areas in the die. any opinions would be appreciated.

[wavysteps]

I am not to sure what caused a weakness in this area of the die, however, I have seen more than a few with die breaks, chips and cracks along the wing of this bird. Sometimes called a second wing (E-bay auctions) these are nothing more than a premature breaking down of the die.

Also, the flowers on this reverse are prone to develop "extra" petals, which again are nothing more than well placed die chips.

BJ Neff

[diamond]

They look too flat, and the borders look too smooth for them to be die chips. I suspect some type of die deformation.

[Digenes]

I found one of these also, and after looking at it for a while I think it might be a die chip. It looks like a single raised line runing from about 3/4 of the way up the wing to the body.

Dave

[jazzcoins]

Could be a posible die gouge but they do look flat for that something with the die deterioration maybe.
Jazzcoins joe

[wavysteps]

Actually I think that these maybe the first stages of a die chip. The second set of pictures look more like a retained die break. Once that retained die break falls out, you will have a rather large die chip.

BJ Neff

[russellhome]

Actually I think that these maybe the first stages of a die chip. The second set of pictures look more like a retained die break. Once that retained die break falls out, you will have a rather large die chip.

BJ Neff

I think BJ nailed it. IMO - it is some sort of die deformation/deterioration in prelude to a big die chip. I've seen this anomaly at least 100 times in various (but similar) forms and stages on this OK quarter. That area in front of the wing is prone to this chip formation. It starts as a faint die crack and ends up being a large, flat, and unusually uniform die chip. Because it is such a big chip, I kept a dozen or so. But I stopped saving them after it became apparent that they are really common in that location on this Oklahoma design.

Here is one of the better ones I found. Part of it looks like a normal chip. The rest is either a more uniform chip or perhaps some other form of die deformation as Mike D suggests. I can't say for sure. But it is clearly a raised anomaly.



Two other designs I've noted with similar weak spots are:

1) The 2008 New Mexico 25c reverse often shows deformation in the field just above the square state outline. I have yet to see this area broken away to form a chip - but I imagine there are plenty out there.

2) The 2005 Ocean In View Nickel reverse has a weak spot in the design at about 5 o'clock near the rim. Many people attempted to sell these on eBay as 'the Landslide' error. I've searched just about as many OIV nickels as anyone - and found this die chip not to be all that common. But when it does happen, it always seems to happen in this one place. One roll I bought had several examples of nickels struck with a die just as a large chip was forming.

On this 'Before' example, a crack has formed and a small chip is visible along the crack - but the major die chip has not happened yet.


On this 'After' example, you can still see the original small chip - surrounded by a much larger chip.


I imagine this is one reason why the Mint liked sticking with one design year after year on earlier coinage. When a design has proven to be durable and sustain a nice long life of striking coins, why mess with it? These days, by the time the mint figures out they have a design prone to early deterioration, it is too late to do anything about it.

[Varietynut]

Need explanation for 2008-P Oklahoma Quarter anormally

I want to thank everyone that responded to my post. I got a lot more information than I ever dreamed of, and I appreciate it all. Thanks!!!!

Louie