Identifying Error

Recently found a penny with what looks to be a minting error. Can anyone identify and give me an idea as to whether it collectable or not and how common it is. The front of the penny seems to have a partial mirror image of another penny stamped on the front of it. At first I thought that someone may have 'hammered' another penny on top of it, but the indentation writing seems to be very crisp and the "LIBERTY" has not been smashed down. Any help appreciated. Trying to attach photos.

Thank in advance,
Alan

 

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That certainly looks unusual, as LIBERTY is intact but the anomaly is a mirror image. It looks like a partial brockage, though if that were the case I would expect "LIBERTY" to be obliterated. I'll wait for the error experts on this one.

 

Looks like a hammer job to me . the rim of the coin looks to be out past where it is supposed to be for a struck in the collar coin. this is a good sign of PMD plus the rim of another coin is visibale on this one. can we see a photo of the reverse side.

 

But if it were a hammer job, how would LIBERTY still be as intact as it is? I don't get it. It's almost as if the coin were struck after the anomaly occurred.

 

because the design of Lincoln's hair helped to protect the word liberty if this is a hammer job

 

I don't get what you mean. If I put a coin overlapping LIBERTY so that a mirrored IN GOD WE TRUST occurs in the same area, wouldn't that destroy the remaining design in the area? You can also see remnants of the hair from the anomaly UNDERNEATH Liberty, which in my novice experience would mean that it was present before this coin was struck.

 

non cents each hammer job is different from the others. it would be about impossible to recreate a hammer job and get it perfect because the exact amount of force would have to be used , also the same type object would need to be used to strike the coins. I'm not saying for sure the op's coin is a hammer job , we will have to see a photo of the reverse side to know for sure. I believe the anomaly could not have been done before the coin was struck as you are saying because the planchet would have been too large to fit in the retaning collar.

 

Thanks for the replies, My initial reaction was that someone had pounded another penny into this one (hammer job?) - 1) the coin has been in circulation for a long time for someone to not have noticed it, and 2) the writing is reversed and indented. But then I noticed 1) that the writing is very "crisp" (I would think that copper on copper would 'smash' both coins equally resulting in a 'sloppy' transfer, and 2) the letters of the word "LIBERTY" are standing out and do not appear to be smashed in the indentation made by Lincoln's head.

Anyway, here are two pictures of the reverse side. You can make-out the slight 'half-moon' shape that corresponds to the indentation on the front (left side). Again, thanks for your time.

Alan

 

the damage on the reverse proves that this was done outside the mint. if the coin had been struck with a second coin over it while still in the collar the reverse would be unblemished.

 

agreed

 

I agree but still don't understand why the word LIBERTY is not smashed. The hair shows below it.

 

hammer job, that why the rim is inverted on the field, along with the motto too (inverted)

 

Agreed that now seeing the reverse, it looks like slmething that was done post-mint...though it still appears quite unusual.

 

after seeing the photo of the reverse side this is definately a hammer job

 

looks like someone took a coin, before strike, smashed it in the field, (press) then stamped it, proven who did it will be hard

 

Yep... pretty hard to prove the impossible.

 

fake

 

naw just kidding but very odd error

 

this is not a very odd error , it is a post mint damaged coin . a error coin is one that was created at the mint. a damaged coin is one that received damage after being struck at the mint and is not collectable unless someone wants beat up coins. I have seen lots of sellers on ebay that knows nothing about error coins and thinks old damaged and beat up coins is error coins.

 

That doesn't appear to be Abe's hair.