RWB provides another gem

[robEzerman]

Bill continues to remind us that minting coins is a multi-variant process in which the variables interact, sometimes unpredictably. Makes problem solving a challenging process of trying to isolate all the possible variables.

Here's a current post on PCGS Forum by Roger (RWB) that highlights the massive effect of one tiny variable on die life and which documents a bit of Mint experimentation in the early 1930's (oh, the horror!!).


RWB
Expert Collector

Posts: 4787
Joined: Apr 2006
Thursday September 17, 2009 5:14 PM



Here is part of a letter written in 1934 by US Mint engraver John Sinnock that might help explain why the mint experimented so much:

“You will be pleased to learn that some of the dies for the Cuban Dollar are now making over 300,000 pieces instead of 50,000. This was accomplished by cutting the blanks 0.008-inch smaller, thereby changing entirely the character of the milling [i.e.: edge upsetting of the blank]….”

Some of the same experiments involved the Washington quarter, also.

[NARA RG 194, entry 328H, box 3, file #1. Letter dated 4/2/1934 to Ross from Sinnock.]