Looks like the die was breaking down from the last pic. IN GOD looks a little mushy like a die failing. The last pic makes me say it is a "T" and not a "Y". I couldn't tell from any of the other pics. And that first pic does look photo shopped. LIBERYY is that place no one can find that has lots o' books.
For starters, multiple photos showing the same identical anomaly with no variation. I highly doubt this individual is sitting there churning these out every few minutes, and if they are, well, their talents would be put to better use elsewhere. As you said yourself; there's damage, which can easily account for the discrepancies.
If you think it is worth "big bucks", have your coin dealer you took it to send it to a recognized coin grading source and have it authenticated. Should only cost you $20-$50 dollars.
Looks like my 19Y6 cent I found. Yours most likely took the same kind of hit and pushed the metal over some. Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk
The enlargement of your last photo shows apparent damage to the "RY". No offense intended, but if you knew more about the minting process, you would know that this sort of spelling error just doesn't happen. The working die is produced by a working hub; the working hub is produced by a master die, and the master die is produced by a master hub. If such a spelling error occurred, it would have involved millions of coins at the least. If this were the case, then why has no one ever found another specimen in the 50 years since it was produced? Think about it! Chris
Did a Google search and came up with 2 or 3 similar photo/ error threads. If this was a true error variety, it would be known. If you look at the very top of the letters LIBERYY in your photo from post #15, the line that appears is an indication that the photo is not legitimate.
They have, I've seen several of them, but from different dates and every one of them has been the result of a hit to the T.
Pushed copper can take lots of different forms. I have found lots of them I thought were errors but they were all from taking hits.
http://www.coincommunity.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=241211 https://offerupnow.com/item/detail/110432008/rare-major-mint-error-liberyy http://coinauctionshelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2198 Impossible for this to have happened at the mint. The word LIBERTY has been doctored, the T has been changed to a Y, and then that rectangular section LIBERYY has been photoshopped in place of LIBERTY.
This is interesting: https://www.cointalk.com/threads/curious-about-1955-d-penny-with-misprint-in-liberty.258340/
From what I see. The t took a hit. Pushed the metal to form the look of a Y.it looks to have somewhat of a raised area,where the T should be. I wonder if some one is making these. Or, could it be the result of a dropped element.
I suggest you take it to another "local coin collector".. the last guy knows nothing Your Cent is damaged.. not an error!
The 1966 LIBERYY die has been secreted out of the mint clandestinely in a foreign car with foreign spies wearing trench coats and sunglasses. To be taken to an unknown location and destroyed. All the 1966 LIBERYY pennies are now worth millions of dollars and will be financing a new Cold War.
If this is real, it's worth much, much more than $3.00. I'm not convinced, though. It would be a one of a kind error. That would be big news.