FINAL CALL BOURSE TABLES EAC/JRCS show: Please note that the deadline for inclusion of your table in the annual program is March 26 so it can get to the printers. Please contact bourse chairman Bim Gander at bimgander (at) gmail.com if you wish to have a table at this year's convention.
The educational program is nearly set. The following speakers are gratefully acknowledged for their willingness to share their expertise with early silver(and copper) collectors:
Steve Tompkins: "Counterfeit Bust Coinage, Contemporary and Modern"
Rob Matuska: "An Investigation of the Causes of Planchet Errors"
Jim Matthews: "All Cracked Up and With Pieces Falling Out"
Bob Fagaly: "Pricing Relationships in United States Coinage"...both silver and copper topic.
These talks Friday and Saturday will join six other copper and colonial topics....
In addition we will have numerous displays (you can still add yours). More later...
Finally, I am willing to guide a small group of intrepid travelers down the McKenzie River on a paddle raft. This would either be before the show on Tuesday May 10, possibly Wednesday May 11, or afterward on Monday, May 16...depending on interest and my show duties as co-chair.
I would need at least 6 willing paddlers as you are the power source. The McKenzie is a national wild and scenic river and is beautiful class II-III whitewater rain or shine...it is about 2.5 HR drive from the convention center and a full day trip. If interested, please send me an email at cascades1787 (at) yahoo.com
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Mike Sherrill wrote:
A response to Winston Zack in last week’s newsletter
Thank you for posting photos of this interesting draped dime.
The attribution of 1802 JR2 is most likely; also possible is an unknown 1802 obverse die from which only a few examples were struck. The remnant of the final digit looks most like a 2, and other diagnostics don’t match the 1803 obverses. On coins of this grade I guess it is easier to say what it is not, instead of what it is.
Previously I have not seen any die cracks/cuds on 1802 JR2 in the area of interest on your new coin. From the images it does appear the obverse die has broken and a piece has sunken and tilted with the interior at a slightly lower level than the rim. The relative lack of wear above the date and especially at star 13 indicates the area is raised and absorbed most of the wear. This tilting and the ‘crispness’ around the break leads me towards a retained vs. a full cud. I expect even a retained cud with this much sinking would cause a corresponding area of weakness on the reverse where on a coin of this grade the design will be completely gone. I am unsure of the die rotation from the obverse to reverse in the image, so I would study this corresponding area of the reverse in detail.
I was not able to think of any other defect or damage to the planchet or die other than a cud that would account for these characteristics.
I had a short correspondence with Ed Price regarding this coin, and he commented it does appear to be a cud, and if so will change the emission order for 1802 obverse 1, with 1802 JR3 now struck before JR2. The original emission order for 1802 obverse 1 was somewhat tenuous anyway due to the absence of any significant die deterioration, and it may have been determined using only the inconclusive evidence of obverse clash marks.
It is interesting to note that perhaps both known 1802 obverse dies failed with massive die breaks. The 1802 obverse 2 die at the end of its life has a large retained cud through LIB. Although there have been references to this die break being a full cud, I have never seen one.
Mike
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A final note from the editor:
As a reminder, back issues of the John Reich Journal are available for $9 each (postpaid) from the JRCS. Many, but not all, back issues are available. To inquire, send an email message to jrnewsletter (at) jrcs.org
