Part IV. Die Errors:

Reeding vs. no reeding varieties (foreign only)

Concentric lathe lines (ES Nov/Dec 2003)

• • Various years and denominations
    • Common on the 1996-D Lincoln cent

Rusted dies (CW 12/1/08)

Excessively deep rim gutter

• • 1991 cents

Rockwell test mark left in die (hemispherical bump seen on coin) (ES July/Aug 2006)

Vickers test mark left in die (pyramidal bump) (CW 5/15/17)

Collar manufacturing errors

• • Wide collar (ES Nov/Dec 2002; CW 5/17/10)
    • Created by improper machining or improperly machined broach
    • Created by use of wrong broach
    • Improper use of correct broach
    • Widening due to wear
    • Widening due to 3 or more vertical collar cracks and associated expansion (CW 5/17/10)
  • Abnormal reeding
    • 1921 Morgan dollar with infrequent reeding
    • 1924-D Mercury dime with infrequent reeding
    • 2015 American Eagle 1/10oz gold bullion coin with narrow reeds (CW 7/13/15)
    • Low, narrow reeds caused by truncation of ridges on collar face (ES March/April 2010; CW 1/25/10, 4/16/12)
      • 1964-D 25c
      • 2008-P New Mexico 25c
        • COIN WORLD SPECIAL: article posted HERE

Hub retouching

• • Channeling: Retouching of design element on master and/or working hubs (1920s to 1940s) (CW 7/23/12)
    
  • Re-engraved master hub (CW 1/1/24)

Die retouching (CW 5/30/16, 9/30/19)

• • Re-engraved designer’s initials “AW” on 1944-D half dollar (CW 2/2/04, 2/16/04, 3/1/04)
    
  • Re-engraved tail feathers on business-strike 1957-D quarter
  • Re-engraved front of Lincoln’s coat (1953 proof cent)
  • Re-engraved queue on 1952 – 1954 proof nickels
  • 1938 proof nickels with re-engraved letters and design details (ES Jan/Feb 2009)
  • Retouching of the 1944 date on the Lincoln cent master die
  • Retouching of the date on 1946-S Lincoln cent working dies

Die damage (ES Nov/Dec 2004, Jan/Feb 2003; CW 5/21/12)

• • Die dents (ES Nov/Dec 2004, July/August 2005, Nov/Dec 2005; CW 9/15/03, 12/22/14, 3/28/22, 7/31/23)
  • Die scrapes (CW 4/23/07)
  • Accidental die scratches
  • Die gouges
  • Impact scars
  • Accidental die abrasion (CW 9/8/14, 12/16/19)
  • Intentional die abrasion (“die polishing”) (CW 3/29/10, 5/31/10, 9/8/14, 3/20/23)
    • Heavy die scratches
    • Thinning and loss of design elements
      • Two Feather Indian Head Nickel (various dates)
      • 3-legged Indian Head Nickel (1937-D)
      • 3 ½ legged Indian Nickel (1936-D)
    • Abrasion affecting entire die face
    • Localized abrasion
  • Defects related to die polishing
    • Over-polished proof and Special Mint Set dies (CW 2/21/11)
    • Trails and Wavy Steps (ES July/Aug 2006, Sept/Oct 2006, Nov/Dec 2006, Jan/Feb 2011; CW 3/8/10)
    • Localized removal of field from proof polishing (CW 2/14/2011)
      • COIN WORLD SPECIAL: article posted HERE
  • Die attrition errors (ES May/June 2003, March/April 2005, March/April 2009; CW 1/4/10, 12/24/12, 4/14/14, 11/4/19, 7/3/23, 10/16/23)
  • Other forms of peripheral die damage (ES March/April 2005; CW 8/9/21, 3/14/22)
  • Catastrophic die damage (ES March/April 2002; CW 9/15/03, 9/12/11, 9/19/11, 5/20/13, 10/27/14, 6/19/17)
  • Cancelled or defaced dies (foreign only) (CW 5/8/17, 12/31/18)
    • 1994 Hong Kong bimetallic 10 dollars
    • Egypt 25 piastres struck by defaced 50 piastres dies (CW 5/12/14)
    • 1966 Bolivia 10 centavos struck by pair of canceled dies (CW 5/8/17)
    • Chilean test dies with concentric cancellation pattern struck over struck foreign core (CW 5/8/17)
  • Rockwell test mark in die (CW 5/15/17)
  • Vickers test mark in die (CW 5/15/17)
  • Die rings (tiny rings, semicircles, crescents, and spirals)  (CW 2/20/17, 1/18/21, 6/13/22)
    • • Centrally-located
      • Offset
• Collar damage (ES March/April 2010; CW 1/25/10, 4/16/12, 6/17/19)
  • Horizontal abrasion (CW 1/25/10, 4/16/12)
  • Vertical abrasion (CW 6/17/19)

Hubbed-In debris (CW 5/27/13)

Deformed collar (CW 12/18/20)

Clashed dies (ES March/April 2002; CW 3/22/10, 4/30/12)

• • Clash marks
    
  • Multiple clash marks (CW 6/25/12, 11/11/19)
    • Chatter clash
• Raised clash marks (CW 8/11/14)
• Double clash with reciprocal counterclash (Type 1) (ES Nov/Dec 2004; CW 12/13/10, 7/29/19)
• Misaligned die clashes (ES May/June 2004, July/August 2004; CW 6/25/12)
  • Horizontally misaligned die clash
  • Vertically misaligned (tilted) die clash (CW 1/3/11, 5/9/11)
    • COIN WORLD SPECIAL: article posted HERE
  • Pivoted die clash
  • Radically misaligned, rotated, pivoted clashes – produced at installation? (CW 7/12/10, 12/31/12, 5/27/19)
    • Co-occurrence with conventional clash (CW 8/17/15)
  • Rotated die clash (CW 1/22/18, 6/26/23)
  • Combination clashes
• Mule clash errors, e.g. (ES July/August 2002; CW 11/17/08, 8/13/18, 8/20/18, 4/8/19)
  • 1864 2c reverse die clashed with Indian cent obverse die
  • 1857 1c obverse die clashed with Seated Liberty 50c obverse die
  • 1857 1c reverse die clashed with Seated Liberty 25c reverse die
  • 1857 1c obverse die clashed with Liberty $20 obverse die
  • (For detailed information concerning the 1857 die clashes CLICK HERE)
  • 1870 Shield nickel obverse clashed with Indian Head cent obverse
  • 1999 cent reverse die clashed with another cent reverse die

• Floating die clash (collision with die fragments) (ES May/June 2002, May/June 2005; CW 7/19/10)
• Superclash (full reciprocal design transfer) (CW 3/22/10, 10/22/18)
• Circumferential clash marks (CW 12/10/18)
• Grease-enhanced clash marks (CW 10/16/17)
• Associated with weak strikes (CW 12/2/19)
• Clashed die progressions (CW 5/15/23)

Collar clash (CW 6/11/07, 2/24/22)

• • Hammer die
  • Anvil die
    • Inverted die setup (uncommon)
    • Traditional die setup (extremely rare) (CW 10/30/23, 12/18/23)
  • Floating collar clash (CW 4/17/17)
  • Misaligned collar clash (CW 2/13/23)

Die damage with design transfer

• • Floating die clash (ES May/June 2002, May/June 2005; CW 7/19/10)
    • Exogenous floating die clash (CW 6/20/22)
  • Floating (Type 2) counterclash (ES May/June 2002, July/August 2002, Sept/Oct 2002, Jan/Feb 2009, Sept/Oct 2011; CW 9/29/08, 12/13/10, 4/9/12, 4/21/14, 6/8/15, 4/23/18, 2/21/22, 12/19/22, 2/20/23)
    • COIN WORLD SPECIAL: article posted HERE
  • Miscellaneous and unexplained forms of design transfer/duplication
    • Some presumed Canadian counterclashes may prove to be something else

Die deterioration/deformation errors

• • Exaggerated conventional die wear (CW 12/27/21)
    • Radial flow lines
    • Concentric flow lines (uncommon)
    • Parallel flow lines (promoted by pre-existing trails)
    • Orange peel texture
    • Design-devouring die wear (thinned letters and numbers) (CW 10/28/13, 2/22/16, 8/23/21)
  • Die deterioration doubling
    • Raised doubling
    • Incuse (CW 2/4/08)
  • “Blebs” or “patches” (die erosion pits) (ES July/Aug 1998; CW 7/21/03)
  • Discrete lumps (CW 4/27/20)
  • Progressive, indirect design transfer (“internal metal displacement phenomenon”, “ghosting”) (CW 6/7/10, 8/17/20)
    • Common in 1946-S and 1948-S cents
  • Surface-level die deformation errors (ES July/Aug 2001, Nov/Dec 2001; CW 9/17/12) (premature, localized, exaggerated, and peculiar patterns of deformation)
    • 1943-S “goiter neck” quarter
    • Detail-erasing die wear (2016-P Harper’s Ferry quarter) (CW 2/27/17)
  • “Ridge rings”
    • On copper-plated zinc cents (CW 2/14/05, 2/28/05)
    • On other U.S. denominations (CW 2/15/21)
    • On world coins (ES Sept/Oct 2006; CW 2/17/14, 11/10/14)
  • Design berms (raised outlines) (CW 5/14/18, 11/6/23)
  • Die subsidence (sunken die) error (ES July/August 2004, Nov/Dec 2004; CW 6/2/03, 11/29/04, 3/12/12, 2/12/18, 8/14/23)
    • e.g., 1924-S – “goiter” cent
    • Co-occurring with split dies
    • Co-occurring with radial, antipodal die cracks (CW 6/20/11)
    • 1988-P nickels with lump on head
      • COIN WORLD SPECIAL: article posted HERE
    • Massive die collapse in 2003-D dime (ES Nov/Dec 2011; CW 8/29/11)
    • Paralleling and flanking die cracks (CW 8/12/13)
    • Recurring die subsidence error (CW 4/4/11, 3/31/14)
    • Linear die subsidence errors (CW 8/12/13)
  • Thermal warping (CW 5/29/23)
  • Design creep
    • Reverse (hammer) 2014-P nickel die (CW 4/20/15)
    • In fractional Euro coins
  • Peripheral die expansion and erosion (CW 8/13/12, 4/13/15)
  • “Starburst” pattern of radial streaks (cause uncertain) (CW 8/15/05, 11/7/05)
  • Reciprocally deformed, convex-concave dies
    • Centrally-located deformation; 2001-P 50c) (ES Sept/Oct 2008; CW 1/19/15)
    • Peripherally-located deformation; India 2 rupees (CW 1/19/15)

Die breaks

• • Cuds (corner die breaks) (CW 10/17/11, 10/4/21)
    • Irregular cuds
    • Ovoid cuds
    • Crescentic cuds (ES March/April 2005; CW 2/15/16)
    • Circumferential cuds (ES March/April 2005; CW 2/15/16)
    • Rim-to-rim cud (ES May/June 2003, CW 12/24/18)
    • Elongate Cuds (CW 12/8/14, 12/21/20, 7/31/23)
    • On off-center or broadstruck coins (CW 9/12/11)
    • Deep vs. shallow die breaks (CW 6/2/20)
  • Retained Cuds (ES Jan/Feb 2006; CW 4/17/06, 7/24/06, 1/24/11)
    • COIN WORLD SPECIAL: article posted HERE
    • Anvil die (diagnosis often in doubt)
    • Hammer die (doubtful) (CW 8/8/13)
    • With vertical displacement
    • With horizontal offset
    • With lateral spread
    • Outthrust (protrudes beyond die face) (CW 3/11/19)
      • Hammer die
      • Anvil die
• Interior (internal) die breaks (ES May/June 2003; CW 10/25/10, 11/5/18, 8/14/23)
  • Connected to die cracks or splits
  • Freestanding (ES May/June 2005)
• Retained interior die breaks (ES July/August 2004)
  • Connected to die crack or split
  • Freestanding
• Rim cuds (CW 5/3/21)
• Die chips (CW 6/14/19, 7/8/19)
  • On raised die features (CW 2/28/22)
• Catastrophic die failure (ES May/June 2007; CW 5/20/13, 2/27/23, 6/19/23)
• Spontaneous breaks
• Breaks produced by impacts
• Textured and dimpled cuds (CW 10/17/11, 10/12/20)
• Cryptic cuds (CW 4/17/23)

Die exfoliation errors (CW 10/19/20)

Collar breaks (collar cuds) (ES May/June 2008; CW 11/22/10, 5/17/10, 11/22/10, 12/19/16)

• • Complete collar break (abrupt loss of entire arc segment)
  • Irregular collar break
  • Chipped collar
  • Vertical collar crack
  • Retained collar break
  • Rotating collar break (ES July/August 2003; CW 1/6/03, 12/12/16, 4/20/20, 12/28/20)
  • Bilateral split collar
  • On off-center strikes (CW 9/9/19)
  • Catastrophic collar failure (CW 7/17/23)

Die cracks (CW 4/25/16)

• • Rim-to-rim
  • Arcing rim-to-rim (“pre-cud”) die crack (ES Jan/Feb 2006; CW 2/8/21)
    • With lateral spread
  • Blind-ended
  • Bi-level die cracks (ES July/August 2004)
    • Protruding marginal die segments (CW 5/19/14)
  • Radial, antipodal die cracks (with centralized subsidence) (ES Sept/Oct 2011; CW 6/20/2011)
  • Die Crazing (Crazed Die)
  • Shattered dies (ES Jan/Feb 2006, May/June 2007; CW 4/7/08, 9/17/18, 4/6/20)
    • Broas Pie Baker Store Card Token of 1863
    • Two or more splits in die
    • Numerous wide, intersecting, raised die cracks
    • Numerous intersecting bi-level die cracks
    • Various combinations of brittle fracture
    • In response to impacts (CW 6/19/17)
  • Impact-Induced Die Cracks (CW 6/19/17)

Split dies (ES Jan/Feb 2006; CW 6/2/03, 4/10/06, 4/17/06, 6/20/2011, 5/11/15, 9/17/18, 4/26/21, 4/18/22, 7/18/22)

• • Median (bisecting) split die
  • Asymmetrical split die (CW 7/31/23)
  • False split (bilateral, radial, antipodal die cracks) (ES Sept/Oct 2011; CW 6/20/2011)

Green lettering – major heading

Blue lettering – linked to subject matter

Brown lettering – subject matter covered under that heading

Black lettering – no entry yet