Chop Marks ?????????

[bullitt4248]

I keep hearing about chop marks on coins. I have a Morgan dollar with marks on it. Is there some place on the net with photos and such to help identify them? At first I thought they were just damage - a punch mark or something. With a 10x glass I see they are designs of some kind. Any help would be appreciated. I am new to coin collecting - I have amassed a good amount - I just buy what looks cool or different and also some mint looking stuff - some coins are works of art - others seem to help explain history.

Thank You. You will notice the mint mark is over stamped - it almost looks like a daisy or sun burst.

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Cry Of The Eagle: History And Legends Of The Cherokee Indians And Their Buried Treasure - Grab it through Amazon!

[Breezie]

Hello Bullitt, Welcome to the Forum. First of all, I am not a coin expert, but from what I understand, 'chop marks' were made by Chinese merchants to test the U.S. Trade Dollar to make sure it was genuine.

The dots on your coin above the D & O certainly looks like some type of deliberate marks, or some type of mint error since the marks are located where the mint mark should be. You may want to get the opinion of a Coin Dealer.

Breezie

 

[savant365]

Take a look at this site, it explains a lot.

HH Charlie

http://www.1messydesk.com/chopmarks/chopmarks.html

 

[bullitt4248]

Heres the front - notice the marks on the face - looks like small images inside each circle.

 

[bradyboy]

not sure I understand this post
the second image posted looks like a simple repeated tap of a common hole punch
I'm not seeing anything on the first image.
Brady

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

not sure I understand this post
the second image posted looks like a simple repeated tap of a common hole punch
I'm not seeing anything on the first image.
Brady

I agree the obverse looks like post mint damage reducing the coins value. It almost looks as if the date was tampered with.

Not sure about the reverse. We need a clearer pic. I hope its not post mint damage as well. As Breezie said, its at the mint mark location. Neither one looks like chopmarks.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

I have a Spanish 2 reale that I was hoping had chopmarks but it appears that mine is just random damage. Yours looks more deliberate.

 

[High Plains Digger]

From what I understand, the Morgan did not circulate well in China--it was not a full oz like the British, and French and others. Hence the need for the trade dollar. Very few trade dollars are NOT chop marked. Almost like branding it.

PS- I own a trade dollar, and I don't remember it having chop marks, but I also own a French trade dollar also.

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

I've got a couple trade dollars with no chop marks. The were circulated by back-flow in the U.S.