Has anyone ever noticed?

[creilly]

I was wonder if it is just me or if anyone has ever noticed that on the wheat's since I tend to avoid modern Lincolns in general. That sometimes you get a coin that looks like a "young" Lincoln, then one that looks "middle" aged then another that looks "old" then finally one that looks "skeletal"? Depending on die cracks and what not you can see wounds too.
Is it just that its late and Im watching something.. well listening to the life and times of Vad the Impaler or do you guys see that too sometimes... in just the way the coin is worn?

[coop]

Catherine: Depending on the coin. If the coin is cirulated, then it could be worn. If the coin is BU and you see evidence that you mention, it is a different type of wear. That would be die wear/die cracks/breaks/or what ever. Just as we look so cute and cuddly/nice and youthful/teenager/graduate/married/father or mother/grandparent/then old. A die goes through the same thing. Die wear lets the image's crispness dissapate. Die flow takes away the sharpness of the edges of the devices. Die scratches fill the fields. Die cracks/chips/breaks widen as the die splits deeper and deeper into the die. Finally a die break on the rim or the early retirement of a die because of disasterous die clash/break/cud. So just as we go through advancing age, experiences (good & Bad), ups and downs in out life, accidents sickness & old age. These all affect our lives. Same to with a die. Wear and tear (metal to metal contact) over and over, coin after coin, clash after clash, cleaning after cleaning, aging and retirement. The coins made are a record of the advancing die state and events that happen to that die. So we refer to them as EDS (Early Die State) MDS (Middle Die State) LDS (Late Die State) and VLDS (Very Late Die State). Of course not all coins are the exact four die states as this is a transitional process. Sometimes Obverse or Reverse die maybe changed. All in the process of making us the coins we love to collect.

[coppercoins]

Coop is right in that it has a lot to do with die wear. More worn dies will not show the detail that newer dies will show. Additionally, the design was re-engraved a few different times giving Lincoln a slightly different look.

[curly]

I really don't care for the way Lincoln "looks" on the modern cents. Too flat and impersonal. Naturally (because I collect them), I like the way he "looks" on the matte proofs. His features seem more angular to me.

[Steven]

Nice avatar curly.
Steven

[curly]

Thanks, Steven........Maybe some day I'll be able to convince Mrs. curly that I am Chain Cent worthy.

[coop]

Till then your stuck with the modern Abe. I like the early Lincolns in BU, the 09-1918. Nice wide rim and GREAT detail. They too are expensive to collect, but not as expensive as the chain Cent.