Never put a penny in a vice or similar device so don't know for sure whether this damage is strike or post-strike. Could a damaged collar die have been responsible for this? Just don't have the experience to say either way. Thanks.
Squeezed Cent Hi, Just wanted you to know that the cent I am posting was in an bu roll of cents. So somewhere in between the minting and the rolling I believe someone's machine probably gave the cent a good hardy squeeze. jeankay
Wow, that's very interesting, jeankay, thanks for taking the time to post that. Our coins could be bookends. Could very well have happened at the Mint, could have been a jammed coin holding up the presses, so to speak, and, that's the tool they use to extricate it...who knows? Sounds like a plausible theory to me. But I guess we both suspect these aren't casualties of the striking of the coins, themselves, although, again, it may be these happened at the Mint, subsequent to the striking process. In any event, I like mine, and am going to hang onto it. Same with you, I see. :thumb:
You are welcome. No problem putting up the picture. It is neatly tucked away in my Lincoln cent anomaly file as is the coin. I always want to know what causes things to happen and often come up with theories, but not always the right answer. One of my theories about this one was somehow it got struck on the edge position and something came down hard to make the indentations on both sides at the same time. This is the first one I had come across, so seeing yours makes me think it isn't so uncommon after all. I think it might be rarely that an employee of the mint or the 'rolling' contractor would even notice such a coin. From the obverse and reverse it looks like the coin has only minor damage. Certainly is a keeper, along with other post mint damage coins that are nearly impossible to explain. And, by the way, thanks for posting your picture first. jeankay
What a gas jeankay seeing yours! I'd love to know the "real story" behind these, too. I mean, it's always tempting to ask oneself, on any given post-strike damage, "Now why in the world would somebody ever do something like that?" But then that question probably has as many answers as motives for crimes...