large 8

[fiddle-fart]

I've compared it to another 1988
this is a little different
any suggestions way



Mike

[coppercoins]

It appears to be somewhat weakly struck (aside from the hit that damaged it). A weak strike can cause the letters to appear somewhat fatter than normal because the edges of all the letters on our coins are beveled so they will release from the dies after a strike. It goes without mention that if you have a mountain with a slightly flat top, then if you shave down half the mountain the slightly flat top will be much larger.

[Dick]

Mike, I comncur, and to add to that, the proximity to the rim, will also make the "outer numeral at more risk of being "Polished down, and the resultant number can be narrower than the left, or inner number.
Dick

[coppercoins]

Actually if the die were 'polished down' the letter would be thinner than normal. A cone shaped island in the middle of a lake would have beveled edges. Looking at it from the top it could be a mile wide in any direction. Fill the lake with more water raising the water level by 20 feet and it would significantly reduce the size of the island, making it narrower than before.

This same effect happens when a die is polished. Devices in the area polished become narrower because they are being shortened from beneath. Remember that coins are the exact opposite of their dies. The lowest point (the field) of the coin is the highest point of a die.

The only thing related to the strike that can cause letters to appear thicker is a weak strike. This isn't because the base of the letter is thicker, but because the top of the letter is thicker giving us the optical illusion that the entire letter is thicker.

[nightshade]

i believe dick meant that the coin itself has worn down i have seen a few coins i have where a certain letter is "fatter" than the one beside it however i can also tell because of either the rim or the field around it that the number or even by looking at the number itself that it is due to natural wear and damage for example if the 8 is i a register drawer and it is dragged across the surface it would have slightly more wear on that edge of the coin than another