Front and back pictures. Sorry if the pictures hard to see. I dont have the right glasses to take up close pictures
I thought maybe the die was worn down along that side of the "a" causing it be wider and touch the "m"?
I was completely unaware that's how these things came to be. Go figure. Talk about "close". I had no clue!
Warning: don't let this idea get you crazy. Things that don't exist don't suddenly appear because we'd like them to. You can't "transplant" an idea from one era to another. Those are "close". The question then occurs whether there are any wides. I'm also curious why the two file names in the 2 pics in the OP are so dissimilar. Are you sure this is the same coin? I'm not so sure.
The San Francisco made both a business strike and and proofs. the proof is a wide AM and the business is a close AM.
And as always, if you get the "wrong" combination, that's where the interest lies. Mismatched dies and coin types is "the thing".
Yes they are the same coin. I took them both right before i posted this. I can take others if youd like. And ive got dozes of 74s that are all wide. This was the only one i found that wasnt.
Its hard for me to get good lighting to where its easily visible. But its the same coin. The last file name is different due to my camera mode automatically switching to hdr because of the magnifying glass.
Now, but not in 74. In 1974, both were struck with Wide AMs. The close AM wasn't used, or at least wasn't supposed to be used, until 1993.
Hmm, I have several BU rolls of 1974-S cents, and some proof sets, right here. Let me get back to you in a bit. There is something unusual about how (imprecise term, but...) "crisp" the reverse lettering is on your photos.
Lots of things COULD BE, but statements like that are premature at least. If you'd like to, though, you might carefully examine the edge for a seam under high magnification.