Hidden Images on Cents/Coins

I know enough of the die-making and coin-making processes but you must recognize that these images are on numerous examples, not just one. Don't just glance at the hidden images, but study them like you would hidden image art.

 

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Pareidolia.

 

Actually the smaller pics might be easier to see the hidden images - nice.

 

See also: https://www.error-ref.com/hidden-initials-and-symbols/

 

I’m one that typically speaks positively towards people’s personal coin reviews. Forgive me if this sounds a bit harsh.

Im not a dedicated error collector though I do own high quality examples of the 55 doubled die cent, 42/41 Merc among others….. I’m old and can no longer make out a mintmark without a loupe however I do not require magnification to enjoy my error coins which leads me at simply ask….. If that much magnification is required, what difference does it really make?

These planchets are subjected incredible pressures when they are struck. Metal moves and flows. It is precisely the reason that the luster is different from one coin to the next.

And think about this logically. What on earth could the US mint hope to accomplish by hiding an image within a 1/8” space?

I see nothing other than the same flow lines that can be found every coins surface.

 

You still haven’t explained how they aren’t on all coins using those master hubs and dies. Even if they were some how added to the working dies there would be many thousands or millions of examples.

As you pointed out earlier there are still a surprisingly large number of people who deny that the earth is round or deny the germ theory of medicine. The existence of a group of people doesn’t make their beliefs fact. It just makes a group of people who believe something incorrect.

 

So if Mexico then US too? I’m not sure it works that way.

 

I list my mood as sarcastic so I think I will skip this thread.

 

with age comes wisdom @Inspector43 …

I’m patient with people, but rush is starting to wear on that.

 

Dies wear, flow lines change, images spread, it happens. I am done with this thread. Bye.

 

I have a few thoughts on this. Lets think about the area in question. These bays are only about .5 mm wide and 3 mm tall. They are struck by a raised area of the die. With the amount of metal they move, they don't stay flat for long. They wear and become wavy (for lack of the proper term).

Look at the bays of any Memorial cent. You will find all kinds of odd shapes. I don't believe any of them come from hidden images. I also don't believe there will ever be proof of such hidden images.

 

As with the examples from your link about the Mexican coins, if it occurs on all the coins, it isn't an error, but part (intended or not intended) of the coin's design, and therefore carries no premium. I must admit though it is interesting. I am reminded of the Omega on a counterfeit gold coin...

 

I liked Hidden Figures...

 

Yes, as I have pointed out several times in these posts, the Hidden Images that result from the master hubs such as our second pic, are on all coins produced from those hubs, and there are millions of them or even billions over the several years set. Unfortunately, a large portion of the remaining Memorial cents are now in bags designated for their copper, awaiting for a law that will allow them to be melted, such as happened to silver in the past.

The Hidden or Blatant Images that result from single dies such as our first pic, are only on those produced from that die. There is no way to know how many were produced from this single die because we do not know when, during the minting process, that particular image was added, but they are much scarcer than those resulting from the master hubs and dies.

Since the master hubs remained unchanged for several years, the challenge now would be to try to put together a subset of those years and in uncirculated condition, because some of the images begin to deteriorate after circulation. The ones produced on only a single die such as the Kodiak Bear in our first pic, will be very scarce and depending upon what it is, maybe more valuable later on.

Also some Hidden Images are placed on the die/coin in such location that even the coining process damages many of them upon production. One image in particular of a sea monster like Loch Nessie shows an animal whose mouth is near the rim and only a couple of coins actually showed the mouth/head in full detail. Other images such as the wolverine, the voluptuous gal who some now refer to as Dolly Parton, and the two/or three-toed sloth are plain to see and can be seen with normal 10X loupe if one knows what and where to look for.

Memorial cents in general are still somewhat plentiful so now would be the time to try to assemble an uncirculated subset of even the years containing the images from the master hubs. This may be important and collectible from both a knowledgeable and historical basis. I think the bigger question is not only how all these Hidden Images ended up on these coins in the first place, but then how they have not been noticed by anyone for many years, because they are "Hidden" in plain sight.

So this concept of Hidden Images on coins is a departure from traditional errors and varieties, and as such will have both a different and a parallel relationship to conventional collecting of these. In some cases you may desire a stronger magnifier to fully appreciate the details of images. Our pics were larger so that hopefully most people would be able to see the Images, but alas, after reading many comments, there still are a lot of people who cannot see these, even in the blown-up pics.

As with most Hidden Image Art, it takes some studying of the pics in order to not only appreciate what is there, but to also appreciate the immense talent of the person or people who are responsible for placing these Hidden Images on these coins. In my book I intend to use a shading process to better show what it is that people can see in the images. It will show the raw pic as per the two examples shown herein, and then a pic next to it of the same item with a lightly shaded area pertaining directly to the image portrayed.

 

Some who have the foresight may learn the premium in years to come but that to me is not the main point. The fact that these exist underscores a whole new perspective to a whole nearly new area of numismatics. These do not cleanly fall into the category of Errors. In some ways there may be Varieties, but mostly there will be Hidden and/or Blatant Images, that stem sometimes from master hubs and sometimes from individual dies. Some will be Master Varieties and others simply Varieties, but those that come from single dies will certainly carry premiums.

There are for instance a number of examples of DDO's, etc., (that come from Master Hubs/Dies such as some 1958 and 1972 cents) and as such they are certainly more plentiful but still they have proven to be collectible Varieties. The key here is for people to try to compile a subset of these Master-Hub produced coins in uncirculated condition, as well as to perhaps obtain any of the ones that come from individual dies such as the bear. (See also more detailed response to cw art).

I could envision people trying to put together multiple sets of these so they can hand them down to their children and grand-children, and also to perhaps then sell any extras off to the public. BTW, I liked your comment about the draped Venus as shown on our second pic -- was that image on an ancient coin, and if so, which one, if you recall? Thx.

 

Great response! That is true and that is what happened on some of these images. The Naked Venus is likely not only on all the coins for that year but for several successive years, along with some other interesting Hidden Images, like a wolverine, voluptuous lady that some are calling Dolly Parton, a sloth, etc. The Kodiak Bear (and a few others) on the other hand appear to be the result of a single working die and possibly for only a short period of time for that die. Once one knows what and where to look, many of these can be recognized with a normal loupe, but to see better detail they may want to use stronger power.

You can see and recognize most of these with a 10X loupe if you know what and where to look for them. It then helps to use stronger power to appreciate the full detail of most Hidden Images.

 

Now I see it!

 

Well that was a mouthful. Your comments are not harsh and very welcome -- some say I'm old too, but I'm only almost 72. The topic of Hidden and/or Blatant Images is a diversion from traditional error/variety collecting so there are some differences as well as some parallels within this category.

Once you know what and where to look for a given image, you will be able to mostly identify them with a 10X loupe, but to fully appreciate detail it helps to use more power if one desires. I used blown-up magnified pics in hopes most people would be able to recognize the images portrayed, but some still do not while others do -- that's because they are "Hidden" just like in Hidden-Art.

The category of Hidden and/or Blatant Images is nearly new to numismatics but these do not clearly fall into the category of errors but do touch on varieties. Some are Master Hub similar to DDO's, etc., and some pertain only to a single die or even only a portion of that die's useful production life. Many RPM's, OMM's, etc., come from single use dies if they are noticed by mint personnel and many are then removed from the die, slightly defaced, or the die is discarded or sent for other re-use.

I do not believe the US Mint was aware of these images when they were created and used, and that they were probably clandestinely placed there by one or more very talented individuals. The original designs for coins are chosen and then eventually a hub is crafted and sculpted from the design. This then is all approved by higher-ups and they begin making the master dies, which make the working hubs and then working dies which then make the coins.

Since the images are "Hidden" they are not readily seen by anyone other than their creator(s), who then probably follow their work to the eventual finished coin to see how their images survived the processes. It appears that on Lincoln Cents they may have discovered this just prior to the anniversary changes that brought on the Union Cent designs. Those new designs are so plain that it would be very hard for anyone to incorporate Hidden Images onto them with the possible exception of the neck-tie which somewhat resembles a Teddy Bear at certain angles.

If you study our two pics, the first pic is that made from a single die and in reality shows the entire Kodiak Bear within the Memorial Building, but our pic only shows the head. The angular photography required for these pics is very difficult because often portions of the pic vary within the strength of magnification so that zeroing in on a portion of a given image might then weaken other parts of the image.

This has very little to do with flow lines since the images that occur from the Master Hubs/Dies such as the Naked Venus in the second pic, all have the identical Hidden Images within them which vary very little if at all, from coin to coin and in some cases year to year. The Bear pic also varies very little from coin to coin but is much scarcer as it is made from only a single use die and perhaps only a small time during the use of that die. Thanks

 

I guess they were first, but we went to the Moon first huh? At any rate the Hidden Images that I see on these Memorial Cents far exceed the quality and quantity. I'm not so sure they are also not on other of our coins perhaps going back decades. This topic could be a never-ending University course and even a life-time pursuit.