Filled Die Causing All Sorts of Mayhem

[Roman Collector]

This is a new acquisition. It's quite pretty in hand, with lovely old cabinet toning. The only sad thing is that the reverse was struck with a filled die. This caused the peacock to be headless and for several strokes of the letters on the reverse inscription to appear weak or gone.

Let's see your coins affected by die-filling!

Faustina II, AD 147-175.
Roman AR denarius, 3.32 g, 17.2 mm, 12 h.
Rome, c. AD 164-165.
Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, bare-headed and draped bust right (Beckmann type 9 hairstyle).
Rev: IVNONI REGINAE, Juno seated left, holding patera and scepter, peacock at feet.
Refs: RIC 697; BMCRE 124; RSC 144; RCV --; MIR 20-4/10b; CRE 185.
Notes: Also known with bare-headed bust and Beckmann hairstyle 7 (BMCRE 123; RSC 144a) and type 7 bust wearing a stephane (RIC 698).

[Marsyas Mike]

No lost heads here, but missing letters - I assume from filled dies - make the reverse of this Diocletian follis from Carthage look like a Wheel of Fortune round.  Where's Vanna White when you need her?

Diocletian   Æ Follis (298-303 A.D.) Carthage Mint IMP DIOCLETIANVS PF AVG, laureate head right / SALVIS AVGG ET CAESS FEL KART, Carthage standing front, looking left, holding fruits in both hands, A in exergue. RIC VI Carthage 29a/31a. (9.08 grams / 27 x 24 mm) eBay June 2022        

Attribution Notes:

RIC VI 29a - small head type (298-299 A.D.)

 RIC VI 31a - large head type (299-303 A.D.)

"RIC states "Elmer, N.Z.1932, divided this issue into two sections, with portraits small or less small and with Carthago thin or larger -- distinctions which are very difficult to maintain.  It is likely that, if the issue was of any duration, these differences came about to some extent by natural variation and development."" Constantine the Great Coins

 

I'd like to buy a vowel...

 

 

[ambr0zie]

Here is a coin from moneyer P. Clodius M.f. Turrinus . His friends called him Pcls.

[Restitutor]

Interesting topic RC! I did not know about die fillings until this post.

How do you tell the difference between a die fill, weak strike, and then just millennia old wear and tear? For example the V on the reverse of mine below:

[John Conduitt]

13 minutes ago, Restitutor said:

How do you tell the difference between a die fill, weak strike, and then just millennia old wear and tear?

From what I've seen of modern coins, letters on dies get filled with grease or similar during use, which causes specific letters to disappear when struck. A weak strike would cause the whole area to fade, usually more gradually. Wear and tear would be across the whole coin, starting from the high points.

So on the above, @Marsyas Mike's coin is entirely missing LV and A from SALVIS AVGG but SA, IS and VGG are clear. A weak strike or wear would cause them all to be faded.

The V on yours isn't so clear cut. It could be die deterioration or post mint damage.

Edited July 7, 2022 by John Conduitt