Have you seen that washer that I dropped?

[wavysteps]

An errorist I am not, however, I am learning.

While looking around the CFCC coin show before it opened, I found this 1971-D Lincoln cent on Gerald L. Warren's stand, who by the way, has submitted his application to join CONECA.





I had guessed that a washer had entered the striking chamber, followed by a planchet, which was then struck by the hammer (obverse) die which left this cent in this condition.

Fortunately, Mark Lighterman happened by a bit later and confirmed my suspicions. He is also going to look into whether he has the struck washer involved with this error. Who knows, stranger things have happened.

BJ Neff

[diamond]

Sorry to be the bearer of disappointing news, but this coin was vandalized outside the Mint. A roughly-textured, ring-shaped object was forcibly pressed into the reverse, while the obverse rested on a slightly roughened, perhaps slightly more giving surface. If it was struck through a washer, then the obverse would have been largely unaffected, and the area beneath the washer would be especially well-struck. The coin is grossly out-of-round, even though it was struck in the collar, as evidenced by a normal design rim around part of the coin. This is impossible in a genuine error.

[wavysteps]

Mike - You are absolutely right and I did miss the obvious. The obverse should have had a heavier impression than the none that it has. Live and learn. Well at least it is off the market and will be put into my collection of "out of mint experiences".

Thanks Mike.

BJ Neff

[diamond]

It's pretty clear that the damage was done to a struck coin. You can see that the design rim is present but flattened on the right side of the obverse. A faint trace of the Memorial is seen in the floor of the circular indentation on the reverse. If this had been a strike-through on the second strike, then, once again, you'd expect Lincoln's bust to be especially sharp. You'd expect to see signs of a double-strike elsewhere on the coin. You'd expect to see the design rim preserved at the outer ends of the bulges. None of these signs of authenticity is present. The precise details of how this vandalism was accomplished will never be known. But it is sufficient to point out the many ways in which this coin violates the finite constraints of the minting process.

Apologies if this seems like beating a dead horse.