I just picked this one up today, but wasn't overly certain about what actually happened to this coin until I got it under my scope. Looking through the old Capital Plastic holder in the shop with a loupe only lead to confusion with minimal ideas as to what this is. Once at home, I took it out of the holder and put it under the scope. I was absolutely floored by seeing this, and I'm still thoroughly confused as to what the heck happened to this coin. Design transfer on both obverse and reverse, but right-side-up and left to right lettering (as in all of it). What I thought in the shop to be a major die crack (or maybe planchet flaw?) on the reverse ends up being Lincoln's silhouette, but not inverted like a clash. So, what are your thoughts on this coin? The only feasible thing I can come up with is that it's double-struck, but with the coin being flipped over between strikes for getting both designs on each side of the coin. Crazy as it sounds, that's the only thing that's coming to my mind. Maybe another bored mint employee special? Thanks for any help! I'll post some additional scope pictures soon. Here's what Ive got so far.
It looks like it's definitely a flip over strike. It was struck normally once then it flipped over and was struck again. Spectacular! https://www.error-ref.com/mulitple-strikes-flip-over/
So I guess I owe the shopkeeper a sandwich then? He told me if it ends up being something great to buy him a sandwich or something. Got it for $10
Do you think something like this was deliberately done? I've seen a handful of double struck coins but not one of them like this where it's 100% on each side.
Not an error expert. Is it possible to determine the difference between a coin that flipped as 1st strike ended and stayed between the dies and a struck coin that got into the planchet bin and got struck again later? Either way, it's a cool coin. Mike
It appears to be a genuine in-collar flip-over double-strike. A thorough search of the internet shows these to be... rare. As for "mint-assisted errors"... the general consensus is that if it was done at the mint, it's cool. I see nothing on your coin to raise red flags, but I would absolutely, 100% recommend getting it certified for authenticity. If it is in fact real, that error is worth many hundreds of dollars. Wait for it to come back as genuine, first. But yes, if real he deserves a very nice steak indeed.
No, there is not. The end result would be exactly the same, especially for the same date/denomination. A coin getting stuck in the canvas bin and then getting struck again later is the leading cause of off-planchet strickes (a quarter struck over a nickel, for example). Or a 1986 being struck over a 1985. But a cent struck over a cent could have just not been ejected from the coining chamber properly, for some reason. No way to tell.
I could bring him a Pudge's cheesesteak (not nearby him at all) after getting it slabbed, but I'm gathering this might warrant something better than just a sandwich lol