http://www.ebay.com/itm/2006-INDIA-...World_Coins&hash=item564c2fdf48#ht_2248wt_905 The perfect symmetrical placement, combined with the "assistance" history of modern errors minted in India. Obviously no way to prove it for sure, but taking this into account the probability is hugely in favor of assisted versus accidental error. Plus I'm not sure how the same part of the design would be accidentaly struck on both fingers, which are a good inch apart. This practice is why the prices for modern Indian numismatic errors are generally below comparable examples from other countries (with the exception of places like Malaysia and Singapore, also known for their assisted errors). Thoughts?
Kind of surprised that the mint doesn't crack down on that - could be someone or multiples of people working there and making this stuff on mint time and selling it outside the mint for egregious profits. This is the sort of piece that doesn't leave in bags of coins, rather in the pocket of an employee.
Could it happen? Yes, if the part broke loose in a dual die coining press. Still highly unlikely and the press would probably be churning out a lot of defective coins and probably be in obvious distress. And when it was shut down to clean up the mess and repair all the damage the part would be found. No way it would just slip out. Of course I would imagine that security on broken machine parts is a lot less than on the coins. I would agree though that it is much more likely it was just an assisted "error".
Thanks for the replies guys. I just think it's just sad that this can have reprocussions for errors from other countries, because it brings in that air of suspicion about the really spectacular looking errors. And now the Chinese are getting into making counterfeit errors outside the mints too... oy vey!
