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DOUBLED DIES – PIVOTED HUB DOUBLING


To start, we should consider the term Doubled Die. The term is correct as stated, it is doubleD die, not double die. In creating a die, the blank die is heated, for softening, and then impressed with the master hub. After cooling, it is re-impressed to improve the details of the die. So, the die had the design elements pressed into the die twice. It is during this process that a doubled die is created. The term doubled die was created by Ken Bressett not long after the discovery of the 1955 doubled die (which will not be address here, since it is another type of doubled die). Think of the word double as a verb, the die is the noun. Therefore, the die has been doubled. If you think: the die has been doubled, then the correct term, doubled die is easy to remember.
There are many types of doubled dies, called classes. They start with Class 1: ‘Rotated Hub Doubling’; Class II: Distorted Hub Doubling; Class III: Design Hub Doubling; Class IV: Offset Hub Doubling; Class V: Pivoted Hub Doubling; and others. Each Class of doubled die is specific and easy to determine once you know the difference in the way that they are created.
At this time we will only look at pivoted hub doubling, we will address other types of true doubled dies at another time. Why start with a Class V? Easy, this is the type of doubling that created the 1995 Lincoln cent doubled die. As a doubled die with a high mintage, it is the one that may be most often found in circulation, for you roll searchers out there. And, as such, is a very popular piece. In fact, it is estimated that there may have been as many as 600,000 to one million pieces minted. With such a high mintage, you may be able to actually find one of these in your change or roll searches. I do know of one individual who has located five of them in the last two years. Sad to say, that individual was not me.
Back to the discussion, with pivoted hub doubling, after the first impression, as we said, the die is reheated, for softening. This softening enables the master hub to be impressed into the die and make a better impression.
[Note: The die is a negative of a coin, that is, the raised elements on a coin are inset into the die. The metal flow of the planchet flows into the incused areas of the die, and create the raised areas. So, also, the master hub, which creates the coin die, is a positive. As a positive, the raised areas are set incused into the die, and so it goes. Nothing great here, just a side note.]

Okay, so we have a doubled die, but what, exactly is it? The die was placed into position, and the master hub, is impressed during hubbing. Again, after heating, the die is readied and the master die is readied for the second impression. At this point the master is placed into position, but... Instead (as is usual) of the second impression being ‘set’ exactly where the first impression was made the master is rotated slightly from a point along the rim.
Look at it this way, the master hub is set correctly at three o’clock (on a clock face). Then, there is a very slight, almost imperceptible, move to the right or left. The three o’clock position is the pivot point. The final result will show that one side of the coin, at three o’clock is fine, that is, looks correct. But the side opposite, at nine o’clock will show two images. The side opposite the pivot point will show the most extreme doubling, in this instance, the word Liberty is opposite and will shown the greatest doubling. If the pivot point had been Liberty then the date would have shown the most doubling.

The classic example of this form of doubling is the famous 1995 doubled die. The pivot point was at ABOUT (emphasis added, since it was actually slightly higher) 3 o’clock. As a result, the word Liberty has the most severe doubling (at 9 o’clock), and there is slightly less through the motto, In God We Trust. By the time that you look at the word We, there is little doubling, and after that there is almost none. Remember, as you approach the pivot point the doubling ‘slows down’ or is less perceptible.
With this information, you should be able to recognize a pivoted hub doubled coin when you locate one. And, this is a good time to remind searchers, that the above information should make you realize that the searcher should examine all areas of the coin, not just the date, or you would have missed that nice 1995 doubleD die. Good luck searching.


pictures to follow:
In order the pictures are:
1995- the Date, at or very close to the pivot point. Note: No apparent doubling.
‘GOD’ of the Motto: In God We Trust, The doubling is apparent.
‘IN’ of Motto, the separation of the letters is more apparent, and stronger.

‘IBERT” of ‘Liberty” The doubling is strongest here. This is the point most opposite the pivot point, so the doubling should be the strongest.