LOL you have never seen one? http://en.numista.com/catalogue/photos/etats-unis/g816.jpg notice any difference?
Is it too much to ask to post one? Yes I have seen a shield cent. Besides color, I really don't see a difference between the two coins. I think you are looking too closely. You may be seeing the effects of circulation, but, I repeat, there are no wide/close AM varieties for shield cents.
Have a look at the thickness on the right part of the A and the left part of the M on both examples, then, very carefully, compare those to the space between the AM's. Then get back to us
Ok, after a close examination.... They are the same. Your coin is just circulated. Since you seem to know for a fact that it is something special, send it off to an attributor. Then get back to us.
As a side note, once you understand the die-making process, you will realize why this cannot be a "wide am" or "close am" variety. Those varieties occur when either a design from the previous (or next) year gets used, or a proof die gets used for business strikes. Since the proof shielf cents have the same design as business strikes, it can't be that. And there is no noticeable difference in the design between the years. I would recommend reading on the website doubleddie.com to understand the die-making process.
There has to be a distinct difference in the die where the LMC Wide AM was intended for Proof Coins ONLY during some years with the close AM for business strikes. Unless there is an identifiable Proof Reverse Die micro-millimeter differences in the distance between the A and M of AMERICA just do not matter.
something as simple as die wear can cause letters to look closer together or further apart. unless there are multiple hub dies that can create different varieties of dies that would then be mixed up at the mint the variety you are presenting can't happen.
