PART VI. Striking Errors:

Saddle Strike:

No Hump:

Definition: A saddle strike occurs when a planchet or coin receives two simultaneous off-center strikes from two adjacent die pairs.  In most saddle strikes, the unstruck interval between the two off-center strikes bows upward to form a hump or a “saddle”.  When a hump doesn’t form,it’s still possible to diagnose the error.  Useful diagnostics include the following:

1. The lack of a “slide zone” in one or both off-center strikes.
2. A consistent orientation of the two strikes.  In most years, saddle strikes show a head-to-head orientation of the two obverse designs.
3. A consistent minimum distance between the two off-center strikes (e.g., about 11.5 mm in recent cents).
4. A slight tendency for one or both off-center strikes to squeeze beneath the unstruck part of the planchet.
5. The frequent presence of a low pressure ridge just medial to the internal margin of the off-center strike.

This is a flat saddle strike.  A slide zone is present on the larger strike because it is uniface.  The dies exert pressure on this part of the coin first because of the double thickness.  That allows a slide zone to sometimes form.  The smaller off-center strike shows no slide zone.