Hello. I have two 1908 St. Gaudens N/M PCGS MS-63, which appear to have double die errors, but I have been unable to find out any information on them. I am unsure as to why PCGS didn't catch or add the variation. The error is most notable in the date, especially the "08," as well as in several of the sun's rays near the capital building, on the left, and Liberty's left hip, on the right. I would be grateful for any information you can provide me. Please note that the resolution is high enough on the original images to see the errors in fine detail, but for some reason the upload to the image host failed to give the same detail, therefore I enlarged both images and made a comparison image with greater detail. Thank you. Respectfully, Xavier Johnston
Two things. First, how do you know that is PCGS? I've never seen a label from any of the companies that looks like that. Second, I see the little bit of something there on the top of the 8, but it doesnt scream double die to me.
The coin case is labelled, "Professional Coin Grading Service," on the reverse. I have called PCGS and verified the serial number and they stated that it is a former coin case style of theirs. This was before I noted the possible double die from viewing the high resolution images. I have sent the photos to a coin dealer in California and hope to hear something from him next week, hopefully. Though I am not a coin collector and know very little about coins and errors and such, it seems obvious to me that there is a doubling of the "0" and the "8," though the image may not show it in great detail, and they are raised.
@LafayetteDollar (who looks suspiciously like MercuryDime), I thought that strike doubling was more recessed. Would it matter which type for value?
I am not 100% certain, but I think machine doubling can be found anywhere on the coin. From the photos, it looks like machine/strike doubling to me.
Mercury dimes and wheat pennies are my favorite coins. Anyway, I'm sure that you're right. I've read so much today on strike and die doubles, but I don't know that I'll ever fully understand. I believe I read that if the double is pronounced in the mint mark then it's a double strike error. Thanks, LafayetteDollar, and thank you too, smokeriderdon, for all your input.
A good page on the various types of doubling that are not doubled dies ( where the working die was doubled in manufacturing) http://koinpro.tripod.com/Articles/OtherFormsOfDoubling.htm Jim
Prior to 1989 in the manufacturing of a working die the mint mark was added to the die in a seperate process from the other design devices. Therefore if you have a coin exhibiting doubled characteristics in the devices and those same characteristics are also exhibited in the mint mark it is most likely a result of MD. It is highly unlikely that two seperate processes would produce identical doubling characteristics on the two different design features on the same working die.
