1891 (Small Filled Block S) Seated Liberty Dime

[ncwayne]

I probably am misinterpreting it, help me? If it's the only REVERSE DIE known to have a filled S mintmark? What does that mean, do I have a different Reverse Die? I'm definitely not an expert! Thanks

No expert here, either, but the reverse die is the tooling used, along with an obverse die, to mint, i.e., press the coin blank (a plain disc of silver alloy that was stamped out of a sheet or roll of coin silver prior to the actual imprinting (minting) of the coin, under tons of force in a huge machine. Probably a rotary press with numerous stations, each containing an obverse die and a reverse die.
So, if one of the reverse dies had a badly formed S mintmark (or more likely the fine detail became "filled" with an accumulation of material transferred from the numerous blanks being stamped by it), then all the coins minted in that station on the machine(s) after the mintmark became filled with the accumulated material transferred from the coin blanks, would have a "filled" mintmark, until the examination of the minted coins revealed the poorly detailed mintmark and maintenance was done on the machine, i.e., replacing the damaged die with a good one (or cleaning the accumulated material out of the die and then putting it back in service).
As you might expect, the higher contours of the die "face" are pressed deeper into the blank, creating the deeper features of the coin which are the last to wear down/off. And the lower contours of the die are pressed more shallowly into the blank, creating the lighter features of the coin (which are the first features to wear down/off in circulation.

So the coin you found was ONE OF THE MANY COINS that was minted using the only reverse die known to have the filled mintmark.
And "only reverse die KNOWN to have the filled mintmark" is not the same as "only reverse die to have the filled mintmark." So, there could have been other reverse dies with filled mintmarks (according to that statement).
HTH

 

[ncwayne]

Then I put it under the microscope and discovered it is also doubled die!

I may be wrong about this, but I don't believe this is a double strike. Seems a double strike would present itself as a "halo" or "echo" (my terms for lack of better) of ALL features of the coin, and possibly both sides of the coin.
I think your coin presents some "roughness" in the detail of that specific lettering you picture, but it is not visible in the circumferential feature adjacent to the lettering. All features are "struck" at the same time.

Like I said, I may be wrong about this. but I suspect inspection of most coins at this magnification would reveal a fair number of similar rough and imperfect margins.

 

[timwied]

Ok! I think I understand now! I'm a little slow here, correct me if I'm wrong. The only Reverse Die Known could have produced potentially thousands of dimes before being discovered? Right? If he would have said the only Seated Liberty Dime Known with the block S, then I would have number two. Thanks, the wording had me confused. You are a genius! As for the Doubled Die, I've seen a lot of coins advertised as Doubled Die Coins and have very minor Doubling compared to this one, are they really NOT dd's?

 

[timwied]

I will have to put it back under the microscope to see if I can find more imperfections besides the outside lettering! Thanks for the tip! I may get straightened out one of these days? For each thing I learn, I'm one thing closer to being an expert!!! LOL! Thanks again ncwayne!

 

[timwied]

Here's an update on my 1891S small filled block S. I did the soaking in aluminum foil and baking soda a couple of times then put it in a folder. This last week I used a pencil eraser and gently rubbed it all over, washed it with soap, soaked it in acetone to get the moisture out, then coated it with renaissance wax, it's what museums use to protect stuff. This is the outcome! Not bad!!!

 

[timwied]

[attachment 324411 IMAG2941.jpg][attachment 324412 IMAG2944.jpg]
I put the wrong pictures up, here are the ones AFTER I put the Ren Wax on. Here's an update on my 1891S small filled block S. I did the soaking in aluminum foil and baking soda a couple of times then put it in a folder. This last week I used a pencil eraser and gently rubbed it all over, washed it with soap, soaked it in acetone to get the moisture out, then coated it with renaissance wax, it's what museums use to protect stuff. This is the outcome! Not bad!!!

 

[E-Trac-Ohio]

Congrats on a GREAT find !