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Buckled

Buckled.  Wavy domed effect in the background of a numismatic piece struck from a sunken die caused by poor grade steel used for the die or by improper heat treating. As dies sink the total surface may not remain even and one area of the die may SINK more so than all other area giving a buckled appearance beneath the design and inscription. Previous to 1790 this was a common curse for inexperienced mints, particularly for dies used for a number of years.

The treating of iron to strengthen it was known almost as early as coining, about 550 B.C. But high-grade steel was not available to diesinkers until an Englishman, Benjamin Huntsman, in 1756 learned how to make crucible steel. A friend of Matthew Boulton, Huntsman supplied high-grade steel for dies for Boulton's Soho Mint.

Most buckled dies are observed on coins and medals that were made before this time. However, any die still exhibiting this condition after 1790 is more likely to be the result of faulty heat treating. While not an exact science in most mints, the knowledge of heat treating did not even exist for provincial mints.

Numismatic writer Walter Breen cites the entire run of 1849 Mormon gold coins

struck with indistinct letters, particularly the  $2½ pieces. This, he says, was due to lack of knowledge of properly heat treating the dies, despite the fact one of their minters, John Mobourn Kay, was formerly employed at one of the private mints in Birmingham.

Other reasons for buckling. Incorrectly stored patterns, galvano molds and dieshells may become buckled – they should never be stored by leaning against each other or against a wall for extended time – they will sag in time. The correct storage procedure for all such patterns is to hang them by wires. Should one of these minutely deformed patterns be used to cut a new die, it would have this buckled effect cut into the fresh die.  See domed effect, sunken die

References:                                                                                                                                    

NC12 {1988} Breen, p 656.

excerpted with permission from

An Encyclopedia of Coin and Medal Technology

For Artists, Makers, Collectors and Curators

COMPILED AND WRITTEN BY D. WAYNE JOHNSON

Roger W. Burdette, Editor


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