Addressing the "thin" example first, it is important to note that it has an engrailed edge, although it is only partially so, the ornamentation being difficult to apply to such a thin planchet. This coin was struck from late, buckled dies, and such pieces always appear bent, weakly defined, and will display a wear pattern consistent with such deformity. However, being as-struck, the aberration is not a grade deterrent, and the dark chocolate-brown surfaces are very attractive. The die break that's virtually always there... is indeed there, and both sides are struck a few ticks off-center, almost in medallic die alignment. Bidders unfamiliar with these tokens will be surprised to know that a grade of XF or better is appropriate, given the die state.

Turning now to the thick example, visual impact is most immediately affected by a nice curved clip at the top of the planchet. This token also shows an engrailed edge, and that factor alone instantly turns it into a conversation piece. Breen lists it as "extremely rare", citing a single known example, and while his rarity claims have often proven to be wildly inaccurate, in this case, it seems to be meaningful. But wait, there's more.

Ornamentation of the edge of this thick planchet token is incomplete, and in one of those extraordinary circumstance of serendipity, sufficient evidence is present to allow us to determine exactly why that is the case. What appears to be edge damage on opposite sides of the obverse (clock side) was actually caused at the time the engrailed edge was applied, when the mechanism slipped as it encountered the clip. As soon as that happened, the coin "gummed up the works", and ornamentation was left incomplete. One can picture the clockmaker cursing under his breath as the coin slipped sideways, throwing his machine off-kilter and forcing him to extract the coin with a pair of tongs. When coin collectors speak of time capsules, this is what they mean! It is almost as if we were standing right there while the coin was being made (or botched, as it were). Truly, grade is a ridiculous distraction for such an extraordinary coin, but VF or so is an appropriate call. There is just so much amazing action going on with this two coin lot that it cannot help but qualify for the Scotsman Cataloger's Choice award.

This lot may contain an item not certified by ANACS, PCGS, or NGC. While Scotsman Auction Co. is typically conservative in our descriptions of items not certified by one of these companies, we cannot guarantee our grading estimation will match their grade. We highly recommend that collectors seeking items certified by a third-party grading service only bid on items that have already been certified. No lot can be returned because of a variance in judgment with regards to grade.