As quite often the different date sizes are not documented. I have just gotten this in a swap.
Since I didn't have this type in my collection, it didn't disturb me that my partner did not know, which date it is. Now when I have the coin and I want to register it, I can't figure out either if it's a smaller or a larger date. Can anybody help me? If you images it would be perfect, since we then could set up a proper documentation.
I found an image of another coin, so just for the fun, I downloaded it to see if I could see any differences.....In the beginning they looked very much alike and they still do, but please have a look here:
There is a difference between the length of the dates, but since the size of the heads also differ, it's extremely difficult to see any differences, if you don't have the two coin images next to each, like here.
In my opinion we should join the two year lines and if can get hold of an image of the coin on the, I can set up a proper documentation in the comments section, so the year line would be "Two different varities exist, please see Comments".
Without entering into measurements, I see a difference in the jaw line: on the yellow coin line is slightly rounded while on the white (left) one it is straight and longer.
Quote: "Dejan"Without entering into measurements, I see a difference in the jaw line: on the yellow coin line is slightly rounded while on the white (left) one it is straight and longer.
That's not really the question. Is it worth to have two year lines for a difference which is extremely difficult to detect? I think not.
I used the coin from numista which showed up to be one with the larger date, so now I've no copyright problems, and I'll make a CR recommending to join the two year lines, since there is not a single sign which can determine one from the other.
below the gifs, which show, that the differences are mostly in the rims....
I believe the differences in the rims are because of an off centered crop of your coin picture (or maybe an off center strike). Notice the width of the rim at the top vs. the bottom. I also think that's causing the apparent differences in the size of the sphinx. Notice how in your first gif the sphinx seems to be moving up/down and horizontally at ~45°? I think if you had the Numista coin in hand you'd find the sizes of the sphinxes are the same. I could be wrong but, in my opinion, I think you need better evidence before proclaiming in the catalog that the size of the sphinx can differ.
Quote: "rsirian1"I believe the differences in the rims are because of an off centered crop of your coin picture. Notice the width of the rim at the top vs. the bottom. I also think that's causing the apparent differences in the size of the sphinx. Notice how in your first gif the sphinx seems to be moving up/down and horizontally at ~45°? I think if you had the Numista coin in hand you'd find the sizes of the sphinxes are the same. I could be wrong but, in my opinion, I think you need better evidence before proclaiming in the catalog that the size can differ.
I actually try to say the opposite, the differences are not noticeable enough to justify the two year lines of larger and smaller date.
I know. What I'm saying is that I believe you've come to the wrong conclusion regarding the size of the sphinx and used that conclusion to say large/small dates are so close that they're indistinguishable. If you publish a graphic in the catalog saying some coins have a large sphinx and some have a small sphinx then it becomes "fact" just like the large/small date in SCWC has become "fact" even though we can't find an example of it. I'm not saying the year lines shouldn't be merged, just saying I'm not seeing evidence of different size sphinxes.
I might very well be wrong too but it's hard to just use pictures to compare due to cropping, size, rotational differences, wear differences, etc., especially when the differences are minor. I used the same two pictures you used but cropped to the inside of the denticles to try to eliminate any off center cropping or strike and tried to make sure they were rotated the exact same by aligning the lines to the right with horizontal. Here's the result:
You thought you had two different size dates but in the end it turns out the two coins are the same. So you haven't found two different size dates yet but that doesn't mean they don't exist. For now I haven't found them either but you never know what the future will bring.
