1944/43 Lincoln Penny

[Boomer1122]

1944 over 1943 date, the 3 is very visible, the 9 is visible east of the 9 and the 4 of the 43 date can be seen around the first 4 in the date, thanks in advance for your input, Sam.

[MintErrors]

In my opinion, this is not a 44/43. Nothing in the last 78 or years has been documented with this sort of overdate.
The area your seeing does not appear to be risen on the coin at all.

The coin as well is heavily circulated so we have to account that anyone could have messed with this outside the mint.

The photos are ok size wise, but awful blurry.
To me the area your seeing is ghostly in appearance.

At BEST - It could be a minor error of grease, partial strike through or some other condition.

[Kloccwork419]

Besides the pictures being very hard to see, thats just a stain and imagination

[Boomer1122]

I darkened the photo a little so you can see the three is raised, that no one will think it is a stain or my imagination.

[willbrooks]

Sorry, it's pareidolia. Nothing more.

[mustbebob]

I agree with the others. There is no '3' there, nor is there any way it could have actually even been struck there. Knowing the hubbing and striking process would help you understand why this can not be what you think it is.

[MintErrors]

it LOOKS like these photos were taken with the coin in a mylar or plastic flip or otherwise?
If so, that is not the best choice.
The camera will focus on the plastic film and not on the coin itself.

I suggest in future posts taking photos of the coin as you have, but they simply have to be clearer.
Close is not always the best idea.
Clear photos can be downloaded and manipulated and by doing so can produce a clearer answer of what is offered in front of us.

In this case, even with more photos, the answer does not change.

Remember, the dates are hammered in steel, if you see multiple numbers they HAVE to have the correct spacing, orientation and positioning. If you "see" something, it has to logically make sense. The US and many other Mints create a master die that assists making all of the other dies that are used for that year. Prior to adding mintmarks if appropriate, those normal dies are pretty dang close to exact copies of each other - with exceptions. Why would THIS coin differ and WHY hasn't anyone else found one in the last 78 years?!

In the 1940's they did NOT hand punch dates into the dies, nor have a reason to reuse a die the following year.
Mintmarks - yes, they did hand punch into a die.

With this being a circulated coin, it has traveled through many hands. Some will do things for kicks to a coin, leaving a collector scratchin' their head and the creator simply chuckles in the garage. Some one may started an attempt to make this coin a 1943 copper, but gave up. That is about as far fetched a possibility that exists in my mind. Again, damage. NOT authentic and not worth anything.

In my opinion, there is NO commonly used US coin since 1910 that has a re-punched date or overdate. I believe the Indian head cents were one of the last produced.

The date and LIBERTY on Lincoln cents are riddled with extra metal, die chips and junk all over them from the teen until the 1970's and probably beyond. This is more than likely the beginning - or end of such a thing, like my replies to this post.