1837 Sixpence with 7 over ?

[argentumandcoins 70]

Poor quality coin with a clear date. Is it a die break or a re-cut digit after an error? The 7 is higher than the first 3 digits and there appears to be an underlying number showing at the top and bottom also on the right side of the 7. 

Thoughts chaps.

 

 

[Rob 2,996]

At the risk of stating the obvious, 7/6 seems the most likely candidate given what appears to be a trace of suitable curve to the right of the downstroke. Not the commonest date, but there should be enough around to find a better example. Nothing in Coincraft.

[Coinery 926]

That's got to be out there somewhere on a better coin for investigation. It's a definite something! 

[argentumandcoins 70]

5 minutes ago, Rob said:

At the risk of stating the obvious, 7/6 seems the most likely candidate given what appears to be a trace of suitable curve to the right of the downstroke. Not the commonest date, but there should be enough around to find a better example. Nothing in Coincraft.

I did wonder if it was a broken 8 as that seemed to fit better than a 6?

[VickySilver 775]

IMO, I don't like either of those and the "3" in date with even more corruption. I just can't get my eye to follow the truncated curve of whatever is descending from the crossbar of the 7, and come to either a 6 or broken 8. I could almost make the unlikely case of a broken 0 as well. I don't know, I think the null hypothesis is that it isn't anything [but a diebreak(s)] with bits of loss and loss of defined edges to the datals.

[argentumandcoins 70]

5 hours ago, VickySilver said:

IMO, I don't like either of those and the "3" in date with even more corruption. I just can't get my eye to follow the truncated curve of whatever is descending from the crossbar of the 7, and come to either a 6 or broken 8. I could almost make the unlikely case of a broken 0 as well. I don't know, I think the null hypothesis is that it isn't anything [but a diebreak(s)] with bits of loss and loss of defined edges to the datals.

Totally plausible. A low grade example like this one leaves all bets on the table sadly. As Stuart says, surely there must be a better specimen out there for study whether it's a damaged die or man made error.