RRDC-10c-1837-01 Bisecting Rim to Rim Die Crack

Description

A die crack traversing the entire face from one rim to the other represents an extreme stage of die failure, and this 1837 Capped Bust Dime preserves exactly that condition. Cataloged as RRDC-10c-1837-01, the bisecting rim-to-rim crack splits the die surface along its full diameter, a fracture so extensive the die was likely retired shortly after producing the documented specimens. The 1837 date holds special significance as the final year of the Capped Bust Dime series — a design created by John Reich and later modified by William Kneass that had served since 1809. The following year brought Christian Gobrecht's Seated Liberty design, making 1837 the last of its type. Early nineteenth-century die steel was less refined than modern alloys, and the combination of soft dies, hand-operated screw presses, and dime production demands created conditions conducive to catastrophic fractures propagating across the die face. A bisecting crack divides the die into two halves that can shift independently under strike pressure, potentially misaligning design elements on opposite sides. No additional cross-references are listed. This is the first documented bisecting crack for this date.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Juan Aguerre
• Cross reference: none. 02/01/2014.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References