Part VI. Striking Errors:

“Struck-Through” Errors:

Retained Struck-Through Errors:

Struck-in die fragments

Definition: A die fragment that is struck into a planchet and retained. Retained die fragments are quite rare. Most are derived from one of the dies responsible for striking the coin that carries the fragment.

A fragment broke away from this 1974 obverse cent die and landed upside down on the planchet represented by the illustrated cent. The fragment was driven into the cent, where it remained until discovery. The impact between the intact portion of the die and the fragment generated a floating die clash, which appears on every cent struck afterward. Photo courtesy of James Krieb.

This 1974 cent was struck later by the broken, damaged obverse die and displays the floating die clash produced when the obverse die struck the fragment.

A die fragment broke off the left side of this 1971-S obverse die and landed on the reverse die, with its lettering apparently facing upward toward the obverse die. A planchet was then fed in on top of the fragment so that the fragment was driven into the reverse face of this cent.