Picked this up on eBay for $8.61. Go figure.

Hi,
It was cut with a tool after it left the mint. Its a good example of a damaged coin.
Bill

Ya think? That's amazing. To cut an Unc, 1917 and save it all these years or to have an Unc. 1917 and cut in now. Either is amazing to me.

A couple additional views may help with an explanation:

when looking for a clip the easiest way to tell that it is a true clip is to look for the blaksley effect...this is a mark on the rim of the coin directily across from the clipped area....this is caused by the pressure from th strike not being equal on both sides of the planchet...not all real clips will have a large one...but the larger the clip the larger the effect....the coin should have had a very noticeable one...there look like there might be something...but it's hard to say

here is a good picture of the effect that I am talking about on a very similar clip

Thats a nice example. Learning something everyday.

might I also add that it is usually more prominent on the coins made with harder metal...such as the older pre 82 copper cents....these newer zinc cents just squish so much easier

Matt are you talking about the bulging, weakly struck area at the 4 oclock position on the reverse?
If so that's a good example and thanks for teaching me something today.

that's correct at the 4 oclock position on the reverse and even a little bit on th obverse...I am going to see if I can find some more examples from e bay

here are a few I found on e bay

Here's a couple showing the effect from my own collection.





Both of these coins exhibit, what looks to me to be, the "Blakesley effect
", where weakness appears near the rim area diametrically opposed to the
clip. That's a good sign for authenticity I suppose. Still, if one were
willing to cut the coin, would one not be willing to hammer it a bit as
well? There are other diagnostics, like fishtailing, and this type of error
certainly can be authenticated by grading companies.


More info here:
http://www.triton.vg/clip.html
http://members.optusnet.com.au/~ihartshorn...terms/clips.htm

nice examples

grazie LD - hey where u been?

eehh just been busy with the shop...the market is starting to make it kinda crazy....and people have begun spring cleaning so collections are coming out of the woodwork. I want to get back here an work on the error coin guide I started...hey maybe i'll do that now

I hope you do get back to it - I thought that the parts I read were very good!

Hi,
There is an outside chance that this is a damaged planchet. But as mentioned, the Blakesley effect should be visible. Also, where the design is should flow off the coin at the area where the "clip" is. It is too sharp , (particularly the wheat ears), where the design is at the edge of the clip. The metal flow is inconsistent with the coin being struck with that segment missing.

There is a financial incentive for some to do this. Take a 1917 cent in AU/Unc purchased for about ten bucks or so, fiddle around with it in an attempt to resell it on Ebay for more. Not too surprising when you really think about it.

This one may have been purchased for less. So while it may be a real error although for the reasons stated, I doubt it., It is at least a nice example of what can be done to fake an error.

Have Fun,
Bill