This 1795 Draped Bust Dollar displays at least three different types of pre-striking planchet damage. Most prominent are the adjustment marks, some of which may have been made after the coin was struck. This planchet must have been quite a bit overwieght, to suffer this degree of deep file marks.
- At marker A, we have some interesting marks that I believe are cross-grain drawing marks (see below).
- Below and to the right of marker B, we have typical long, straight, and parallel roller marks, starting near the edge of the planchet and continuing above and below the wreath ties and branches, and off the edge at the other side, still in a straight line (as determined by a ruler.)
- Just above marker C, we have fairly deep adjustment marks, which have been cut across and above the roller marks which began near B. There are also numerous adjustment marks, going in a variety of directions, throughout the reverse of this specimen.
Drawing marks are usually lumped in with roller marks, since their cause and appearance are very similar (drawing marks are caused by drawing the strips of coining metal through planing mill rollers to remove oxides and waste after quenching, or softening the metal.) Because tempered metal has a "grain" to it, one must work in accordance with this feature. My theory is that the marks in area A were caused by putting the sheet of metal through a drawing mill against the grain.
Do you have a different theory about the marks near A? Email me or post them in the Coin Collecting Forum.