1973 Proof Jefferson Error

[junglistOn1]

Where these railings on top of Monticello polished out or did the mint forget to engrave them on the original die. I have other nickels that have designs on them and this one has none.

[wavysteps]

More than likely polished out. The only die (except in a few rare instances) that has any type of re-engraving done is the master die. If that type of procedure is done it so that a design element when changed will show up on every coin minted.

There are some exceptions though; working hubs from 1934 to 1943 on the Lincoln cent had Lincolns bust channeled to improve die life. There is also indications that some of the working dies from the 1946-S Lincoln cent may have had some re-engraving to strengthen the weak 46 in the date.

BJ Neff

[junglistOn1]

Is there any possibility that it was left out of the Master Die. And if so, is there any other dates that this had happend to. Also is this similar to what happened to the 3 Legged Buffalo( not in value but in rarity).

[wavysteps]

Modern coins are started from galvanos for each year. This practice begin I think in the mid to late 1980's. So, if it was left off the master die, it would have been left off the galvano first and an incomplete transfer of design to the master hub, to the master die, to the working hub, to the working die. This would have meant that all coins minted in that year would miss that design element. That is more than likely not the case here.

Your reference to the 1937D, three legged buffalo seems to be the case in point and let us not forget the 1922 Lincoln cent without the D mint mark, another fine example of an over abraded design element. Plus, there are other examples that can be cited; designer initials on both obverse and reverse dies on various denominational coins that turn up missing after a die has been heavily abraded, etc.

One other possibility is that the coin was struck through grease which hardens in the recesses of some dies and effectively cancels out that design element.

BJ Neff

[diamond]

I agree that this area was subjected to overzealous die polishing.

[junglistOn1]

In any case( over polishing or striking thru a substance ) is this an error or is this something that is rare as the 3 Legged Buffalo or No D Lincoln or any other error that this occured to. Iam just trying to learn the knowledge that all of you know so one day someone may ask me, where I was taught.

[diamond]

Overzealous die polishing is considered an error. It really falls into the category of human error but is classified as a die error. It's very common. Except for the two overhyped examples that you mention, even the most severe cases are worth only a few bucks.

[jstraw13]

I just found a 1972D in one of my books that has the same issue/error, but mine is missing the vertical bar on the right side. Is it possible the die was not completed?

[jstraw13]

Sorry forgot pics:

[wavysteps]

For the die to be incomplete, it would start at the master die and work down to the working die. I would say, in this case, that you have a partial filled design element that is blocking the transfer of the full design onto the coin.

BJ Neff

[jstraw13]

Thanks very much, BJ.