I know that lol. The end of United, and bottom of states looks smashed. I was just hoping it was an error.
The “STATES oF” are weakly struck. If you flip the coin over, you’ll notice that Lincoln’s shoulder is immediately opposite this area. It takes a lot of metal to fill in the shoulder, so if striking pressures are a little low, it will be a lot harder to completely fill the fine detail in the letters. Metal will flow into the localized, low pressure areas first (shoulder). Higher localized pressures are needed to completely fill the letters. You see this a lot on cents struck in the 80’s and 90’s. Another CT member, @Hommer suggested that the mint was trying to adjust pressures to compensate for the split copper coatings that were a problem. That explanation makes sense to me The do not have any additional value.
Post Mental Distress or in this case .. Post Mint Damage ("Post" = occurring after it's left the US Mint) coins are put into circulation to be used for currency. Most people can find them in their pockets; change purses; cash registers banging/scratching each other up; banging around their washer and dryers for days, months or even years; floorboards of cars; used under a leg to level a piece of furniture; etc. They'll also find them on the ground, sidewalks; in parking lots all dinged and scratched up, and also many have ground/worn down areas, pressed to make oval/elongated cents in museum machines. I use them as a buffer when I hammer stuff from time to time too .. and yes, I put them back into circulation.
A little grease on the die can leave weak areas like that. I found this one in change. Not worth anything, but I find it interesting.
IMO because they are weak strikes, elements incomplete, malformed...an "incomplete" coin if you will, they have reduced value. The Mint trying to compensate for poor design. Spark
I don't think mine is just a weak strike because the reverse and much of the obverse is well struck, including high points such as the ears. I also disagree that it has reduced value. It is still definitely worth 1 cent, which is what I paid.
I like the fact that you and I both agree that weak strikes from poor designs are not collectable...spendable, yes...collectable, not so much. Spark
