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Zinc Deterioration On Copper Plated Lincoln Cents

PART IX. Post-Strike Mint Damage:

Unintentional:

Zinc deterioration on copper plated Lincoln cents

Definition: When zinc is exposed to the atmosphere (carbon dioxide), it quickly tarnishes and forms a passivating layer of zinc bloom or Hydrozincite (zinc carbonate). This layer helps prevent further deterioration of the zinc.

The splitting of the copper plating on post 1981 Lincoln cents usually led to an exposed zinc core which in turn formed this protective layer. If that coin went into circulation, the normal use would cause that protective layer to be removed and a process of reformation would begin anew. The continuous handling of the coin would have a recurrence of these events, but with an increasing size of the affected area.

The image above shows a powdery, white, opaque substance on lower and right edge of the D mintmark of a 1982 Lincoln cent. This is a protective layer of zinc bloom or Hydrozincite that has formed over a split in the platting. This particular coin was housed in a plastic tube soon after it was released into circulation.

The image to the right shows the formation of a zinc bloom that has pushed up the copper plating on a 1986-D Lincoln cent.  If the Hydrozincite is displaced from that area, a cavity will form under the copper plating. This will cause the plating to collapse inward and create a hole in the coin.

Vertical Collar Crack

Part IV. Die Errors:

Collar Cuds:

Vertical Collar Crack

Definition: Vertical collar cracks often develop at opposite poles and may presage the development of a bilateral split collar.

Vertical collar cracks are most easily seen and recognized in smooth-edged issues.

Shown below is a 1981-P nickel with vertical collar cracks at 5:00 and 11:00 (obverse clock position). It also shows peripheral die damage around the date. The latter most likely represents a die attrition error metal loss caused by a temporarily misaligned hammer die banging against the beveled entrance to the collar. The repeated impacts might have caused the collar to crack first in this area.

 

Vertical collar crack at the 5:00 position.           Vertical collar crack at the 11:00 position.

 

 

 

Vertical Misaligned Die Clash Conventional

PART IV. Die Errors:

Die Clash:

Vertical Misaligned Die Clash (Conventional)

Definition: Vertically misaligned die clashes of the conventional sort are much rare than horizontal misaligned die clashes.  The simple reason is that vertical misalignments are much rarer than horizontal misalignments.

During a vertical MAD clash, one pole of a tilted die is driven into the corresponding pole of the opposite die. Whatever peripheral design elements occupy this pole is picked up by the opposite die.

These 1960-D cents shows a conventional vertical misaligned die clash.  During the clash, the northern pole of the obverse (hammer) die was tilted down on the image to the left. The image to the right shows the southern pole tilted.  It contacted the letters that occupy the northern pole of the reverse die.  The result can be seen beneath Lincoln’s bust.  The tops of the letters D from UNITED and STATES can be seen in their incuse, mirror-image version.

Vertical Misaligned Die Error (Tilted Die Error)

PART IV. Die Errors:

Vertically Misaligned Die Error (Tilted Die Error)

Definition:  A die or the entire die assembly can fall out of adjustment so that the two opposing die faces are no longer parallel.  The tilted die will strike the planchet at an angle.  One pole will be very well struck while the opposite pole will show little or no design.  The pole that is well struck will show a very strong design rim and often finning of the rim.  The opposite pole will retain the original proto-rim of the unstruck planchet.  Extreme tilted die errors usually show a horizontal misalignment as well.  That’s because when a die tilts down, it also tilts in.

This 1972-D half dollar shows a combination die alignment error.  The vertical misalignment co-occurs with a 90 degree rotated die error.

 

Washington Quarter Obverse with Sacagawea Reverse

Washington quarter obverse with a 2000P Sacagawea

dollar reverse.

 

Debuting in May of 2000, this slip up was destined to make history. At the time, it was the only known “mule” coin in United States history.

For those who are not professional numismatists, a mule is a pairing of two different coin designs on one coin — in this case, a State Quarter and the brand new Sacagawea dollar. Previous to the discovery specimen of this famous coin, mules were not known to exist in United States coinage, though commonly found in foreign series.

After authentication and subsequent confirmation of its existence by the United States Mint, a firestorm of controversy was set off. How could this happen? Was it intentional? The biggest debate — was it legal to own?

After near forensic inspection and an unconfirmed report by an anonymous US Mint employee, it was determined that the anomaly was produced due to the similar sizes of the “coin dies” of a State Quarter and the new Sacagawea dollar. A coin die is the part of a coin press that places the design on the coin. Ironically, this was the very reason that the previous dollar coin, the Susan B Anthony, was despised by the public.

The quarter die was placed into a press currently in production of Sacagawea dollars. The rest is history — several coins were struck before the error was discovered. Many of the coins were discovered before reaching the public and were subsequently destroyed.

Interestingly, upon closer inspection of the 10 known specimens, it’s apparent that the errors were produced at three separate times. It’s theorized that these are “copycat” errors produced by rogue US Mint employees after word spread of the first discovery. Many of the coins were discovered in Philadelphia, the home of the primary United States Mint.

While it’s been nearly a decade since the last sale of the Sacagawea Mule, it’s speculated that they could bring a whopping $250,000 at auction.

8 of the 10 known specimens have been handled by the author, Fred Weinberg of Beverly Hills.

There are now ten (10) confirmed specimens of the Sacagawea Dollar/Quarter Mule. The ten confirmed specimens are:

Mule #1. The “Discovery” specimen, found in Mountain Home, Arkansas by Frank Wallis. Originally sold by Bowers
& Merena Auction Galleries at the 2000 ANA Philadelphia Millennium Sale for $29,900. Purchased from Dwight Manley by Fred Weinberg in late June 2001 and then sold to Tommy Bolack for $67,000.

PCGS MS-66 (Die Pair #1)

Mule #2. The “eBay” specimen, sold by Delaware Valley Rare Coin Co., in Bromall Pennsylvania for $41,395 in July 2000. Purchased at the Heritage Numismatic Auctions Signature Sale held June 1, 2001 at the Long Beach Coin Expo for a then record price of $56,350, by Tommy Bolack. NGC MS-67 (Die Pair #2)

Mule #3. The “Heritage Auction” specimen, sold in the Heritage Numismatic Auction Pre-ANA Sale August 6, 2000 for $31,050. Then into a private collection, after being purchased off an eBay Auction in October 2000. Currently owned by Tommy Bolack. NGC MS-66 (Die Pair #2)

Mule #4. The “Margolis” specimen, originally from Fred Weinberg of Encino, CA. Sold by Arnold Margolis to a private collector in September 2000 for $47,500. PCGS MS-65 (Die Pair #1)

Mule #5. The “Greg Senske” specimen, found in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. This coin was discovered Sept. 2000 in change from a cashier at a cafeteria, and was in a 25-coin roll of Sacagawea $1, wrapped in a U.S. Mint designated paper wrapper. This piece is not on the market at this time. NGC MS-67 (Die Pair #3)

Mule #6. The “Fred Weinberg” specimen, discovered on the East Coast in June 2000 and sold by Fred Weinberg at the Long Beach Coin Expo October 5, 2000 for $50,000 to an anonymous collector. Purchased in May 2003 for $75,000 by Tommy Bolack. PCGS MS-66 (Die Pair #1)

Mule #7. The “Philadelphia” specimen, purchased by Tommy Bolack from Maryland Coin Exchange in early February 2001 for $48,000. MCE purchased this piece from the man who discovered it in a roll of dollars in July 2000 in Pennsylvania. NGC MS-64 (Die Pair #2)

Mule #8. The “Tommy, Bolack-1” specimen, purchased in June 2001. The purchase price was not disclosed. PCGS MS-66 (Die Pair #1)

Mule #9. The “Tommy Bolack-2” specimen purchased in July 2001. The purchase price was not disclosed. PCGS MS-65 (Die Pair #1)

Mule #10. The “Treasury” specimen, first reported in August 2001 by a convenience store owner who received it in payment in his downtown Philadelphia store in summer 2000. It was taken by Treasury Dept. officials in August 2001 to verify authenticity and to examine the piece at the Philadelphia Mint. It was returned by the Treasury Department in October 2001 and subsequently purchased by Fred Weinberg, who sold it in November 2001 to Tommy Bolack for $70,000.

Part X. Wastebasket / Composite Categories:


Ghost images (CW 8/1/11)

    • Progressive, indirect design transfer (a.k.a. internal metal displacement phenomenon, ghosting, heavy design transfer) (CW 6/7/10)
    • Worn clash marks
    • Thin planchet (CW 8/2/10)
    • Split planchet (CW 8/31/15)
    • Coin thinned by strike(s)
    • Weak strike (CW 4/11/11)
    • High pressure strike
    • “Greasy ghost” (CW 7/5/10)
    • Surface film afterimage (CW 5/2/11)
    • Surface film transfer (CW 5/2/11)
    • Split plating afterimage (CW 5/2/11)
    • Coarsened crystallite afterimage (CW 5/2/11)
    • Slide zone ghost letters (? 11/16/15)
    • Incuse ghost images associated with capped die strikes (CW 10/25/21)

Doubling

Embedded matter (CW 12/14/09)

Edge overhangs (CW 11/30/15)

    • Partial collar errors
    • Horizontal lipping
    • Stiff collar errors
    • Forced broadstrikes


Green lettering – major heading

Blue lettering – linked to subject matter

Brown lettering – subject matter covered under that heading

Black lettering – no entry yet

Wavy Steps

PART IV. Die Errors:

Wavy Steps

Definition: Wavy Steps is an affect seen on the reverse die of the  Lincoln Memorial cent (under columns 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9) and the Monticello building on the Jefferson nickel.  This is caused by a trail line passing through the stairs and bending them in the direction that this line has taken (in degrees from 150º to 210º). While this anomaly has been known since 1995, the term wavy steps only came into being in the year 2001. The example in the left image has a direction of 180º, while the wavy steps in the right image has a direction of 190°.

For a more detailed description of this anomaly type click HERE

    1993D-1DER-007WS

1999P-1DER-015WST

2013P-5DER-002WST

IMG_4026-300x241

Weak Hubbing

PART II. Die Varieties:

Class VIII (Tilted Hub Doubling):

Weaker Impression Hubbed Last

 

The 1963-D Lincoln cent pictured below was struck with a tilted obverse doubled die (Class VIII). Only the last digit shows doubling. The faint 3 digit may be the result of a light, accidental contact between hub and die after the final hubbing was completed.  Other explanations have been floated for this unusual doubled die.

Image courtesy of Coppercoins.

Another example of a tilted (Class VIII) obverse doubled die is seen on this 1915-D Lincoln cent. Notice the extra bar under the L of LIBERTY. Again, this could be the result of an accidental meeting of the hub and die after completion of the hubbing process.

1969, 1970, and 1970-D Dime With 1968-S Proof Reverse

Part III. Die Installation Errors:

Mismatched business / proof dies:

1969, 1970, and 1970-D dime with 1968-S proof

reverse

Definition: Subtle differences in design details can differentiate dies used in different years.  Whether accidental or purposeful, obverse dies are sometimes mated with a reverse die meant for a previous or subsequent year.  These are often called “transitional reverses”.  Well-known examples include 1992(P) and 1992-D Lincoln cent obverses mated to a 1993 reverse.


The image to the left shows the well defined flame from the torch on a 1968-S Proof reverse Roosevelt dime. The image to the right shows a less defined flame from the same torch on a 1970-D Roosevelt dime. The flame to the right was the most common reverse found on 1969, 1970 and 1970-D Roosevelt dimes. The image to the right is also a doubled die ((FS-10-1970D-802)

1969                                              1970                                                        1970-D

The three images above show the well defined flame atop the torch for the years indicated below each image. It appears that a 1968-S proof reverse was used as a business working die for some coins struck in 1969 and 1970.

Coins courtesy of John Miller.

Transitional Reverse 1988 1c With Reverse Of 1989

Part III: Die Installation Errors:

Transitional Reverse (Minor temporal mismatches):

1988-P and D Lincoln cents with reverse of 1989

Definition:  Subtle differences in design details can differentiate dies used in different years.  Whether accidental or purposeful, obverse dies are sometimes mated with a reverse die meant for a previous or subsequent year.  These are often called “transitional reverses”.  Well-known examples include 1992(P) and 1992-D Lincoln cent obverses mated to a 1993 reverse.

Shown below is the normal reverse for 1988 and the reverse used in 1989.  Some 1988 obverse dies from both the Philadelphia and Denver Mints were paired with the reverse of 1989.  The Philadelphia issues are considered scarce while the Denver issues are considered rare.  Research has shown multiple die pairings for both with unknown die runs.

A noticeable change was made to the font style of the designer’s initials, FG (for Frank Gasparro).  The FG on the normal reverse of 1988 is thinner and shows lower relief.  The FG on the reverse of 1989 is thicker, more sharply defined, and shows higher relief.  The G has a shorter upper curve, a horizontal hook at the tip of the lower curve, and a vertical bar that extends slightly below the body of the G.