Good day to you all, these are the best pics I'm able to provide at this ti me. I've been setting aside various coins since the 80's and have been having a good time finally going through the coins I thought may have errors this last year. I've found some helpful information on this site but i never have much to talk about and now I could use some help explaining this penny. I've taken some advice I read and started learning about the minting process and from what my old eyes see it looks like a mint error where just about everything that could go wrong did, the reverse has better detail and what I see there is a shield cent with a backwards memorial and lettering stamped on top and maybe the same on the obverse to the right of Lincoln lightly struck, the shield can be made out easily and at the right angle and lighting I think I see the memorial, I haven't located a complete date but there are letters and numbers all over the place. It weighs 2.6 grams it would probably be right on 2.5 without the dirt and crud. Some things I am curious about is that 2008 was the last memorial then the 2009 pennies and then the shield in 2010 was someone goofing around to make a penny like this? And is this something I could have cleaned or restored to maybe bring out more details. Thanks for your time and any helpful info happy hunting
DEFDAM - Definitely Damaged. Altered Cent caused by someone goofing around. Incused and backwards images are from another Cent pressed into it in a Vise. Not a Mint Error of any kind. All PMD - Post Mint Damage. Welcome to CoinTalk. Mr. Ed - Specializing in collecting and studying Mint Errors and PMD since 1986.
Thanks that would explain the memorial being there, what about the shield on the obverse to the right of Lincoln I know it may not be visible in the pictures it's about half the shield and the lettering I see is in the right direction could that have been caused by a flip over stamp, and the word liberty looks to be struck several times in a clock work order could that be a rotated die issue? The more I learn now the fewer dumb questions I will have later thanks for the help
Since it would be impossible to have a shield on a memorial, just as it's impossible to have a wheat on a memorial, that's proof that the coin was intentionally created that way after the minting process. Post mint damage. Your photo makes it difficult to see, but people put coins into vises and impress the details into the other coin. The way you can tell if this has been faked, is if those designs are reversed.
Welcome to CT. Your asking about a Cent with a shield and a memorial on the same coin. That alone is conclusive proof your coin has been tortured and is now considered highly damaged. Then add to that the fact that there are images which are not raised that should be and they are backwards. More proof it’s damaged.
Ask all you want. There are no dumb questions. We all started somewhere also at one time. What dumb is assuming it is a Mint Error because it looks different, weird or strange. There are so many ways a coin can become damaged or intentionally altered after it leaves the US Mint.
