Good morning and thanks for allowing me to join. I was gifted several rolls of coins and came across this 1953D Wheat Penny. I have been doing a lot of research and it appears there is some kind of die crack across the forehead, I see DDO on the MM and Liberty ("berty") in particular. Am I scrutinizing this too much? Are these errors or within mint tolerances? It is a pretty coin so I uploaded the reverse also. This has become quite a journey and very interesting! Thanks in advance for any feedback!
Awesome coin. It's cracked a little up there on the head. On the mint mark, that's strike doubling, note it's all over the date, as well. The 1953-D is prolific for RPMs (repunched mint marks), but this one isn't one.
FYI - Cents struck at that time cannot have a Doubled Die issue on the Mint Marks. The mint marks were hand punched into the die. So it is impossible for it to be DDO Also, Doubled Die and repunched mint marks fall under the Variety category which is a bit different from the Mint Error category. Here is some information - Varieties vs Mint Errors: What’s the Difference? Welcome to CoinTalk
Here's one of the RPMs on that date. This is the kind of thing you're looking for in those, just for reference...
That’s not a die crack as it’s not raised. I can see the crack and on that year it’s the start of a lamination issue that has been protected over the years. A keeper snd it needs to be protected. Welcome to CT.
Goodmorning @Sailaway480 When looking for varieties there are two main things that you should be looking for. The first is MM placement up until 1989 the MM were hand punched into the working dies, so each placement will be slightly different. Next after identifying the MM placement you will look for die markers that match the known variety. Die markers are die cracks, interior die breaks (small blobs of metal), die gouges, Die polishing etc. Your example is very close to RPM-021. The MM placement is nearly identical. The die crack in the forehead is a match, the die chip on the T of cents reverse is their and yours also show a small IDB on the left wheat stalk. I really can't tell if there are other markers on your coin that would match RPM-021 or not. This leads me to think that your coin is an earlier die stage than the one on VV. Although it is a minor, meaning that it is not well known or wanted. Most Variety collectors are after the Major varieties, this one I believe is still a RPM. Good luck in your searches and welcome to CT. Below is RPM-021 if you would like to try and match it. http://varietyvista.com/02a LC RPMs Vol 1/1953DRPM021.htm Also bookmark the home page, this is a great reference for variety collectors.
Thank you for all the info! Yes, I have already bookmarked this page. I have been learning a lot just going thru posts. I am still learning all the abbreviations! Thanks for the link. BTW -- what is IDB?
Interior die breaks. Here is a small IDB on the B of liberty. The post on the die face broke off. leaving the upper loop filled in with and irregular blob of metal. The reverse has die cracks running from 4 points of the memorial There is also a small lamination or retained IDB at the bottom left pf the Memorial.
Ok - I didn't know what those were called. I found a lot of those on some wheat pennies where the O in one cent was filled in on the reverse. Thanks! I also see what you mean about the MM on the RPM-021. Definitely looks like what is on the one I uploaded.
Check to see if there are any of the fine die cracks. These would be on the shoulder above VDB, and the one coming from the R in Liberty. They don't have to be there as an earlier die stage. The die hadd't cracked there yet. There isn't a reference for that stage, so you can mark it on the flip, it's just not verified. Have you checked Wexler, and Coppercoins?
