Interesting 71-S proof

[eagames]

A friend had a bunch of 71-S proofs to look at, out of the group there were 3 coins like this.

They have a raised area above the vertical bars on LIBERTY with some sep lines and some sep lines on the motto.

The motto may be strike doubling and not related to whatever is going on with LIBERTY.

I couldn't explain the raised areas on LIBERTY.

Any ideas? Anyone seen this on a 71-S proof????

[Bob P]

The 'nubs' on top of LIBERTY may be trails. There is some precident on this anomaly on normal business strike coins. Let's see if BJ comes here and gives his opinion on them.

[eagames]

Bob,

I was thinking about trails too. I'll link this in the trails section for BJs attention

Another possible cause I'm thinking about is if it could be trails caused by something the mint used to prep the die as a proof. Like trails from the polishing instead of from the hubbing.

[wavysteps2003]

I would agree that this coin does have the indications of having trails. There may have been minimal movement of the die against the hub.

As for polishing; there are more than a few detractors for that theory to have this process as the cause for trails. When all is analyzed as to how trails are formed, everything points to the end of hubbing as the point of creation for this anomaly.

BJ Neff

[Dick]

BJ, If I might "stray"a bit. Is it likely that trails are created as you say at the end of the hubbing process, but from an unlikely source, such as the stress caused by thehardening after the die has been anealed, and struck?
As in "case-haedening" of steel, when it is quenched, it puts heavy stress on the surface. This might account for the 'trails", (and maybe the wavy steps). Your thoughts?

[wavysteps2003]

Hi Dick - When trail lines are seen under high magnification, it becomes clear what is happening to create this anomaly. The normal trail line has a sharp top and a wide base, mush like a triangle. As the trail line moves further away from its point of origin (a design element), the base of the line becomes smaller in width, while the sharp top remains the same. This gradual decreasing continues until the trail line fades.

Furthermore, trail lines are not straight, even though they do appear to be so. Again, higher magnification is needed to see this. This fact is important because it equates to a slow moving condition that causes the anomaly and not that of a high speed occurrence. Thermal warping, expansion and elasticity under pressure all fall into this category.

The most important fact is that trail dies do have a repetitious pattern, not only in the same year, but over a span of decades. What this means is that the device that is making the trail lines must have been in use over that span of years. The only device that comes to mind is the hub (or the die if it is a trail working hub, which there is).

I have just completed a 73 page report on trail dies that is in circulation among the experts. I am not to sure how they will take it, but the few who have indicated that they have read it seem to agree with my theory.

BJ Neff

[Dick]

Thank you BJ! I appreciate your response. It is obvious that you have 'delved deeply into the trails anonily, and beyond a doubt, you will be recognized for your research, and efforts to illistrate, explain, and describe what is happening. Once more i thank you for inviting me to this forum. I have learned much, thanks to you and many others whom have made many a worth-while day for mr. I firmly believe, a day in which we do not learn something new, is a day wasted!

[eagames]

BJ,
Thanks for the reply. I'll send an email to you and Dennis (it's his coin).

[eagames]

See the other thread. It's a trail coin.

http://www.coppercoins.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5525