UNUSUAL 2000 LINCOLN CENT: doubled die and trails

[wavysteps]

I ran across this coin on Ebay and since the seller did say that it appeared to be a trail die, it peaked my interest. However, that was not the sellers main selling point. There were a series of 5 short raised areas along Lincoln's jaw line.





As you can see, it was a trail die and is now listed in the files as 2000P-1DEO-001T. However, the other anomaly remained a bit of a mystery. It was not a die clash nor did it have the appearances of die gouges or such. At first I thought that it may be related to the trails, but that did not fit as well. So I did an overlay using this B/W picture.



Onto this photo.



Which showed a fit here.



We have seen rotations on doubled dies from the single squeeze process before, most on the extra columns on the reverse of the Lincoln cent. This one was 30 degrees CCW. What bothers me a bit and stops me from being 100% sure that this is a doubled die is the offset between the primary to secondary image.

Any comments about this die would be appreciated.

Thanks
BJ Neff

[diamond]

Not only offset, but dramatically rotated. I suppose these could be die scrapes, possibly inflicted by the feeder finger. A tough one to diagnose.

[wavysteps]

Hi Mike - I do not think that this was caused during the strike (feeder arm damage) for the anomalies are in a recessed area. Also the die scrapes that I have seen are normal flat extended lines; these are rounded.

I know that it is very hard to distinguish all of this from a flat picture perspective instead of 3D, coin in hand, look.

As for the angle, this reverse doubled die Lincoln best illustrates the angle that could be obtained.



This photo shows two sets of extra columns. The first, indicated by the white arrows, is the "normal" extra column. However, the other set, indicated by the black arrows, is at an offset angle of approximately 45 degrees and the distance between the lower to the upper is the same distance seen between the columns. You could even call this a double, doubled die. (Had to put that in LOL).

I am still favoring a doubled die on the 2000P-1DEO-001T and have sent off these pictures to James Wiles, John Wexler and Bob Piazza to see what they say.

You are right Mike, this is a tough one to call. It seems that single squeeze hubbing may have some quirks that we are not yet familiar with.

BJ Neff

[diamond]

The low-lying parts of the design would be most vulnerable to die damage, since this part of the die face is very superficial -- nearly at the level of the field. However, I agree that these raised defects don't resemble other examples of die scrapes that I've seen.

On that reverse doubled die, how do you know that those tiny raised lines running at a 45 degree angle to the columns represent a doubled die? Could they instead be tiny die dents? Personally, I'd like to see more of a recognizable feature.

Still, nothing would surprise me anymore.

[wavysteps]

Mike, it is hard for you to see what I am seeing on the doubled die reverse. If you look closely you will see that there are actually four indentations along the 45 degree plane. The spacing between a set of two lines is the approximate distant of the fluting line of the column.

Normally, I too would be suspect that these anomalies were anything but extra columns. However, I have seen more than a few sets of extra columns with exaggerated tilts. And then there is the distance between sets, which matches the distance between the normal column spacing.

Scenario on how this could happen. A blank die is "first kissed" by the hub, but then aborted. The die is then taken out of the hubbing press, checked for usability and the hubbing re-started. However, there is still a small offset that creates another doubled column on the left side of column # 7. This offset is corrected by the increasing pressure of the hubbing process which snaps the die into the correct position.

This scenario could also apply to what has happened to 2000P-1DEO-001T, except that the second offset was not present.

I have a feeling that the single squeeze process is as different form the old multi-hubbing process as jet planes is to prop driven planes. Yes, they both get you in the air and from point "A" to point "B", however, the method is completely different.

BJ Neff

[diamond]

I defer to your greater experience in this matter. As you say, the era of single hubbing has introduced a remarkable array of strange doubled dies.

[wavysteps]

Just an update on this die. John Wexler has listed it in his files as 2000, WDDO-001, so it will have two designations for the two different anomalies present; the doubled die and the "trails"

A rather odd single squeeze die and hopefully we will see more from this single squeeze system that was supposedly going to cease making this little works of art that we cherish.

BJ Neff

[wavysteps]

Just received an e-mail from James Wiles saying that he has listed this in CONECA files as 2000P Lincoln cent, DDO-001, I-O-VIII. So, if you see this one floating around E-bay, you may want to snap it up before it becomes expensive.

Just my opinion, however, this may not be the strongest obverse doubled die to come out of the MINT's, but I do think that it is the oddest.

BJ Neff

[wavysteps]

Another update on this unusual doubled die. Billy Crawford has found a sixth part to include in the overall doubling. It is lower down on the jaw line and will not be seen on weak struck coins. It appears to fit on the chin part beard of Lincoln. Billy Crawford's number on this die is CDDO-001.

Also, Ken Potter has attributed the die and his story is on the CONECA main page.

BJ Neff

[wavysteps]

Okay people, it is not a doubled die. It had us all fooled at one time or another. So, it has been de listed from all the files that carried it (CONECA, Coppercoins, Wexler, Potter, Crawford), however, it is still in my files due to its being a trail die.

Through some meticulous work with overlays, Both CONECA members Bob Piazza and Crawford put the puzzle together and figured it out. I was a bit hesitant at first, for this is an unusual MAD die as well, which made the clash marks appear in an abnormal place. However, once past that, the clash marks fell into place. The first picture shows the relative position of the dies when they clash with each other.




The one thing to remember when working with clash marks is that the high spots on the die are normally the clash spots. More often than not, the clash will be centered in the middle of the die. This is due to the slight bulging of the dies in the center to aid with the cold metal flow during coining

Keep in mind that the high point on a die, when it does clash with another die, produces a indent or depression in the other die. This will produce a high spot on the coin.

On both dies, obverse and reverse, the highest design element is the field and all other design elements that are equal in height to the field (the bays in the Lincoln Memorial building). If you will, take a look at the next two pictures.





The first clash mark is the actual space between the right side of column # 6 and the pedestal. It is indicated by a green arrow.

The second clash mark, indicated by a red arrow, is the space between the chair and Lincoln's leg.

The third clash mark, indicated by a black arrow, is Lincoln's crotch.

The fourth clash mark, indicated by a blue arrow, is the space between Lincoln's body and his right arm.

The fifth clash mark, indicated by an orange arrow, is the space between Lincoln's right arm and the left edge of the seventh column.

The mark in the pedestal base, indicated by a yellow arrow, may or may not be a clash mark. I can not figure out what produced it if it was a clash.

For those of you who bought this die thinking that it was an actually doubled die, I am sorrow that you were mis-lead. Things like this do happen, we are not all infallibly. However, there is one saving grace concerning this die; it is a trail die and due to the very odd clash, it will rank right up there with the others that are affected with this type anomaly.

BJ Neff