186.1 penny?

[po_bob]

Seems to be a dot or a stop between the 6 and the 1.  Any thoughts or information welcome.

[Rob]

Rust spot? Or a piece fallen off the die? I doubt it was intentional.

[po_bob]

Thank you for your replies.  On this coin - and I apologize for the lack of sharpness in the images, which are the best I can manage - the exact roundness of the dot, its placement equidistant between the 6 and the 1, and on the baseline of the bottom of the numerals, seem to me to militate against a random anomaly.  Though I suppose anything is possible.

[1949threepence]

Probably a die flaw.

 

[jelida]

These sort of marks are frequently found on Victorian bronze (particularly well known are several on 1875 pennies and of course the 1897 O'NE ) and are thought to be impressions on the die from trapped grit etc, or early die flaws. Die studies have shown that they frequently extend to become more obvious die cracks. The positioning is effectively due to chance. Some were once considered possible  deliberate 'privy' marks, but that theory has been discounted in the light of further research. Some do collect these, and better known marks can attract a premium. The subject has been well covered elsewhere in these pages.

Jerry