featherz 4/11

[featherz]

One of the few LRBC's I have that didn't come out of an uncleaned lot way back in the beginning.



Constantine I --Æ Brockage Follis (2.97 gm). Ticinum or Siscia mint. CONSTAN-TINVS AVG, laureate head right / Incuse of obverse.


(I use CNG's pic with permission as mine was awful for some reason! )

[Jericho]

I know it's been explained before, but could you tell me exactly how a brokage is made?  I think I know, but I'm not 100% certain.

Thanks!
Roger

[featherz]

It happens when a coin gets stuck in the die and impresses a mirror image on the next coin so the coin ends up with two matching but mirror image 'sides'.. I'm sure there's a much better explanation hiding out there somewhere, but that's the gist of it. I also have an Elagabalus brockage:



Here is the explanation from 'coin world':
If a newly struck coin sticks to the surface of one of the dies, it acts as a die itself - called a die cap - and produces images on succeeding coins. The image produced by any die is the direct opposite on a coin, and brockages are no different. Since the image is raised on the coin adhering to the die, the image on the brockage is incused and reversed - a true mirror image.

[Robert_Brenchley]

If they heated the flans to soften them before striking (which would make sense), and the stuck flan had time to cool, it would have hardened - the act of striking would itself harden them metal, then it would get harder again as it cooled - this would explain the depth of the reverse image. I've never handled one but those two of yours look quite well struck on the reverse.