Spanish coins from the middle of 20th Century are known for having the actual mint year shown as a very small number inside a star.
My question is: does anyone here know of coins from series that were supposed to have the mint year in it, but haven't? I mean, the star is blank, without number.
I have the 1949 50 centimos ( https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces671.html ) and the upper star has no number in it (it is really blank, not an effect of wear). The same seems to happen with the specimen depicted in the Numisma page above:
So I suppose it is not too rare for the coin to be minted with the blank star. Yet, I didn't find reference to it in bibliography or catalog. Also, does it happen only in this coin or in others too?
Yes, I understand. But this one does not seem to be wear. The lower star has the number (19), but the upper one is blank.
Maybe thus happened only in the 50 centimos? I didn’t see it in any other coin.
Your coin has been extensively circulated and the ciphers aren't that deep to begin with. So yours just wore off, even the star's borders are beginning to fade.
During minting, the sharp edges of the numbers scrape swarf from the coin. This filings clogs the dies causing the numbers to disappear. Sorry if my English is not correct but I think it is understandable.
Indeed, these numbers are so subtle that it would not require much for them to disappear.
In both 50 cents. specimens I saw the lower star (19) could be read but the upper star was blank (or worn out).
Maybe i am just naive or inexperienced (I don’t know very well these coins, at least), but it is difficult for me to know for sure whether it is wear from normal use or other causes. Anyway, thanks for dropping your comments!
Health and health - happiness.
Because I was good all year round, "Numismatic Santa Claus" gave me a new microscope , and I can add to the claim that the really stellar 19 and then nothing (not even a hint) of the other star is really empty.
I also did a check on the second same just another year and there is a distinct, I don't think it's a coincidence or wear and tear?
Probably so, but the secret is on the cologues from Spain to clarify.
Ivan
Cita: "edutrindade"It looks to me to be a die defect in this case.
It's not a die defect. The 9 is still visible (red arrow). That "neat line" where the 1 should be is just damage, like on several other places on this coin (green arrows).
Cita: "edutrindade"but it is difficult for me to know for sure whether it is wear from normal use or other causes.
The dates in the stars on Spanish coins are incuse and very shallow. They are extremely subject to wear. And your pictures show your coin saw a lot of circulation. The 19 still visible doesn't mean the other part of the date on the star above can't be wear off. The date is incuse which means on the die the date is in relief. How can this clog? I don't think the explanation of monge is correct. When the dates on the die are incuse, that would have been another story. These could be easily clogged.
The issue dates in the stars may have been lost due to wear and dents. There are also uncirculated coins with anepigraphic dates due to a weak minting.
