Hello Folks! First Post! I have had in my possession for a long time a penny that is stamped on one side only (Lincoln face side). The opposite side has no rim or marks such as grind marks. The weight of the penny is consistent with pennies from the same era. The head side has a hard impression like it was stamped too hard and has several deep gashes on the surface. It is very odd because as far as I know standard coinage is stamped front and back at the same time making this impossible unless it is a special circumstance. I believe the year it is marked would be a wheat cent. I do not remember the exact date. Approximately, the 40's? if my memory serves me correctly. I have never come across anyone who has been able to shed any light on my lonely penny, so if you have any insights it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you ahead of time! Pat P.S. Unfortunately, I don't have the penny right with me to take pictures. It's currently at my parents house. Next time I go home I will post pics. Thanks again.
You said it had impressions as if it were stamped. That is probably it then, it might have been stamped right off. However, until there are pictures, one can never be sure.
It is possible this was a result of what is called a capped die. However, with a capped die, the reverse side of the coin usually has a "ghost" impression made by the coin that got stuck on the reverse die. This usually leaves a "negative" impression of the obverse of the stuck coin. I'm not aware of any other way that a coin press could malfunction allowing only one die to impress the planchet. Wheat cents were struck from 1909 to 1958. The term "penny" is slang as the US Mint has never produced a "penny" but the British Empire has. When you get a chance, please post pictures or scans as this will help you determine what has happened your coin.
The way the coining chamber works, it would be very very unlikely that a reverse die cap would happen. As others have said, pictures are ablsolutly necessary to tell you what you have. Since you said there are deep gashes on the obverse, I would guess without pictures that it is post mint damage (PMD).
By the way, the side with the face is known as the obverse and the side with the other stuff is know as the reverse, just a terminology heads up.
If there isn't a rim on the blank side, it's more than likely ground off. You don't always see evidence of grinding marks. Still, to be sure, we need pics.
Hello all! I have the penny pics! Different year than what I thought though...either way here you go! I have always had a hunch is was post mint damage but, I was just curious. Thank you!
Work shop experiment when Dad wasn't home. PMD. Btw....those are grind marks all across the flat side.
