1988 Double ear and pillars

[KrayKay]

Tried to get good photos my hands were shaking. I could not believe what I was seeing. Does anyone know where to find information about this one? I can find info on the double ear but not the pillars.

[KrayKay]

Looked at the photos my phone's thumbnail is harder to see here is a better one

[KrayKay]

Color inversion

[mustbebob]

OK. I think I can see what you are trying to post here. First...the earlobe is not hub doubling. It appears to have take a hit. As far as the columns, there is a lot of evidence of die abrasion. It appears it was heavily polished...probably due to a die clash at one time.

[KrayKay]

OK. I think I can see what you are trying to post here. First...the earlobe is not hub doubling. It appears to have take a hit. As far as the columns, there is a lot of evidence of die abrasion. It appears it was heavily polished...probably due to a die clash at one time.

I am not sure how that would creat raised lines just in the columns. I actually found another one that is similar will post it in comments to show the similarities, also an 88.

I can maybe see the ear being hit, though no other damage around it leads me to think it isn't damage.

I do not know which columns are which number, however the one to the far right has nearly an entire second column next to it.

[KrayKay]

This is the other one I found. Not what lines in the clowns to the right. They have crooked slanted coln

[MintErrors]

I'd like to offer an explanation of what might be going on here, but I want to explain it rather extensively.

Any device (numbers, letters, buildings, ect) on a coin that is raised on a coin, is actually concave or punched into the working die. everything else is considered the field area. The field area is the flat level "not punched in" on this reverse. Its the area around the memorial building that is flat and it includes that small area in between the columns as well. Mint workers will occasionally pull dies off a minting press and attempt to clean them up so they will last a bit longer. Some get overly aggressive and will inadvertently scratch the surface or flat areas on the die. It is a feeble attempt to clean the particles of copper, grease and debris from the die.

Bob mentioned a potential die clash. The mint workers always try to obscure a die clash by abrading or simply polishing the heck out of the die trying to remove the die clash - where the obverse and reverse dies hit each other without a planchet in between them. That can leave a serious reverse image on the obverse die and a obverse image on the reverse die.

If scratches are raised on the coin, then it probably came from actions done on the die. That area in between each column is at the field (flat on the working die) level. It's a very small area to try to clean up, especially in between the pillars, so whatever they use, and how aggressive they become at that action can show some remarkable results.

Columns are numbers from left to right. The highest numbered column is closest to the designer initials (FG).

I try to tell people to look at this in a logical sense. If this was something like double columns or some other weird happening, then as strong as it is, it could be more solid straight lines at an angle. But since the "scratches" appear what is only on the field area in between the columns, it seems logical to me anyway that Bob is right once again. I have seen some doozies when it comes to Lincoln cents and an over zealous mint worker... I am sure they drank much caffeine or were mad at some one because the entire obverse and reverse field area looked crazy.

Ok Ok, I will find one = D



Abraided Lincoln Columns 7-12.jpg


1960-D heavy polish lines Obv.jpg
1960-D heavy polish lines Rev.jpg