1989 penny with dimple on cheek and 1966 penny with something extra between pillars, how should I label them? Thanks
Marie - I did a quick search at Maddieclashes and came up with this one http://www.maddieclashes.com/tdc-1c-1966-01/. I don't see any witness marks on the obverse of your coin, but it was a pretty strong die clash given the chin/throat mark in the bay of the Memorial. It may be that the obverse die was swapped out to be reworked and a different pairing made.
I'm having a difficult time understanding the clash on the 1966. I have read about die clashes and looked at examples. However, I still don't understand what the mark on the 1966 is from, is it an impression from the reverse side of the coin? ( and there seems to be a smaller mark in the 3rd bay as well)
During the minting process there are two dies that make the copper planchet into a coin. They are commonly referred to as the anvil and hammer dies (picture a blacksmith hammering on the anvil). One of the dies is fixed and the other travels up and down. Each cycle/strike, a new planchet is fed into the press and the hammer die comes down to trap the planchet between the two dies. If a planchet isn't in place when the hammer die comes down, the two dies meet. Die transfer happens if the collision is strong enough. Part of the image of the hammer transfers to the anvil die...and visa versa. When a new planchet is fed in and in place for the next strike, the clash marks are stamped into the coin along with the expected design image. It's not uncommon to see a coin with both the obverse and reverse with the clash witness marks. But if one die is more damaged than the other, that one may be removed to be reworked/polished thereby removing, or obscuring in many instances, the clash mark. On your coin, the obverse image looks pretty clean in your photo. My guess: that die was removed to be fixed. The reverse image shows the witness marks of the die clash. Most noticeable is the throat/chin area of Lincoln appearing in the bay of the Memorial. So I speculate: the original pairing of dies during the clash were separated and a new obverse die inserted to continue work.
Thank you mr. Mader, I have a very clear picture of the process now. ( i work in a manufacturing facility so that helps) this is my favorite find so far, I really wanted to understand it, thanks!!
It’s a fun find Maria! One of many to come. One of my clients has a stamping operation. I’ve been around it for a few decades so it is nice to match theory with practice. On the 300 ton press, when things go badly it’s known quickly during a coining op. Boom thud.
