It's actually Die Deterioration doubling. FYI - the correct numismatic terminology is Doubled Die.. Not double die. Big difference. Ed the stickler
Ed, are you saying the die itself looked like that? Why would the die itself show a date and mint mark smeared like that? That happened when the die, which was in perfectly good condition, and not in deteriorated condition, struck. That die didn’t look like that when it struck. The thin veneer of plating, barely hanging on, is the problem on these, as it jars when it’s struck, and doesn’t always hold or strike clean. It’s not the passing off of deterioration on the dies that results in this. That date and mint mark weren’t deteriorated any at all on that die. When that area struck, that plating opened up, and separated. And we see it a lot on these cheap cents.
