Blank Obverse / Uniface ? / Rare Mint Error ? Wheatback Penny

I had a customer bring this in, but we needed to find out what it might be worth before making an offer.

Firstly, I'd like to know what is the official name of this error?
Secondly, what is it worth?

I believe this happened when two planchets stuck together at the mint. There is no cause for me to believe this was PMD. The blank side is very smooth, no signs of grinding - and it weighs exactly 2 dwt (pennyweights), the same as a regular copper penny.

It is slightly oblong, like it got mushed out - slid sideways against the second planchet.

The side we get is the reverse, with the mirror ghost image of the obverse, and even the flip image of the date and mint: 1955 D.

I'm almost positive this is an authentic mint error, but I would like some information about the technical details of how this happens / what is the official name for this error.

And exactly how rare is this? What could this potentially fetch in auction?

I suppose I need to have this graded and authenticated first.

Thoughts?

 

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The lack of full rims on the obverse indicates damage done outside the mint.

 

Well, that's something I considered. There is a slight rim however, seen at the left of the blank side. And the fact that it is oblong makes me think that the "mushing" effect could account for the loss of those rims. IF it is post-mint, I can't imagine how in the heck it was done. If someone can explain how it would even be possible outside of the mint, I might reconsider, but this definitely was not a normal penny to start with. It's not as if there WAS an image on the obverse, which was then made to disappear. It was never there. The blank side is smooth, and has not been grinded. Also, it weighs what it should weigh. Any other thoughts?

 

Such a planchet should not be smooth flat as shown, as it would have been through the upsetting mill which raises the edge of the rim before the striking stage. PMD IMO
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OK, I appreciate the responses so far. Does anyone have an example of this type of error that is authentic to compare to? One that would show a blank obverse WITH raised rims? Again, there is a bit of a rim on the left side of the blank obverse. Yes, a blank planchet would have raised rims, BUT, when two planchets get stuck together and smashed in a space that was meant for one planchet, do you get a coin that is blank on one side AND has rims, or is it possible the extra material being forced into the same space results in an error coin such as this, slightly oblong with flattened rims. OR, to answer my question, HOW could you get this result outside of the mint without ANY remnants of design on the obverse, ghosting on the reverse, and no signs of vices or grinding? Inquiring minds would like to know. I'm not entirely convinced one way or the other. If this is PMD, I'd like to know beyond a shadow of a doubt and not have lingering questions as these. And if it is authentic, I want to completely rule out it being PMD, which so far is not the case. Thanks so much for any and all input!!

 

Someone took 2 coins, stacked them, put them on a hard surface, and hit them with a hammer, thus getting the incuse/mirrored design on the reverse while obliterating the obverse. It is a damaged coin. It may not be what you want to hear, but that's the truth.

 

I appreciate the input non_cents, but I don't believe it to be that simple. You stack two coins and hit them with a hammer and this is not what you get. You don't completely obliterate one side to the point of no visible trace of any design ever being present, and only get a faint trace of a perfectly mirrored obverse on the other. I'm not saying it's not possible to do this outside of the mint, but if it is post-mint, I don't think that's how it happened. I actually had the same thought in trying to rule out PMD, but I think that if you have enough pressure/force to make the obverse side of the coin smooth, you would end up destroying the reverse as well. You can see, the design on the reverse is not destroyed or even marred, except for the mirrored ghosting. If it's as simple as hitting two coins with a hammer, I challenge anyone to replicate this result and document the evidence. Appreciate it though. Any other thoughts?

 

Sorry but it's just not possible for this to have came from the mint. Two coins stuck together in the press, could not cause it. It would take several. The weight should be about 3.11 grams.

 

possible capped die?

The more I look, the more I agree with myself

 

I am staying out of this one !! Fight nice !! :smile

 

The D, reversed dated and inclusion shaped like the Lincoln bust all say it was a vice job as for the missing face, I myself have several like that and while they do not appear to be ground/wizzed they surely are. a simple run with a buffer will remove the grind marks from copper. All in all an interesting find but it is beyond a doubt Post mint damage. Sorry GG have posted my share of "errors" here as well with great hopes and almost all shot down in similar fashion. The people that have posted prior to me know their stuff (non-cents and DG to name just 2) Don't let it discourage you, there are plenty of finds out there to be made, heck, just this week I got a nice 1998 WAM and another Washington dollar without edge lettering. They out there all you need to do is look and learn WHAT to look for

 

It weighs 3.11 grams.

 

OK, just so you know, I have no pride of ownership in this coin. Also, I'm not a typical penny-poker. I see a lot of rare coins, and plenty more not-so-rare coins. When I first talked to the guy who owns it, I was in the same place as all of you: It's got to be PMD. I would just assume it be PMD, so I can buy it cheap. However, through objective analysis, I am not yet convinced it is post-mint. And, as much as I'd like to take your word, what I'd really like is for someone to convince me beyond a doubt that this is not a mint error. So far, you're failing me. I'd like an expert explanation of how the dies and minting works, and why then, this could NOT be from the mint. Or, in the least, follow my lines of reason, and disprove me with a solid understanding of the common laws of physics.

If it is post-mint, I agree, it would have to be vice related. But this is why I'm still not convinced:

Look at the wheat ears. They are near-perfect.
If this was done in a vice, and you pressed one coin into another, I would expect the reverse of this coin to be marred by the obverse of the other coin. This is not the case. The wheat ears and reverse design is not flattened or marred. I don't believe the mirror image of the obverse to be caused by another coin pressing into the reverse, otherwise you would be damaging / flattening the wheat-back design in some way.

The blank side has no remnants of a design. There is evidence that this did start out as a rimmed planchet (see left of blank side). There is not evidence of there ever being a design on the blank side. If you put this in a vice, and had enough pressure/force to completely flatten a once normal coin to the point of no trace of a design ever being present, why then, is the other side of the coin otherwise flawless, except for the mirrored ghosting? It goes against the laws of physics, unless you are pressing down on the coin with the inverse of the design, ie, a die.

OK, so if not a vice, then a grinder? I really don't think so. It weighs exactly what a standard copper penny weighs, and if you're grinding a penny, why does it look mushed?

If I'm wrong, please be more convincing in disproving me. Give it some thought. Thanks. I really do appreciate a thoughtful discussion here.

 

MR. Weasel, do you have photos of your grinded coins to compare to? Thanks for the input.

 

the oblong shape comes from being struck outside the collar, thus, post-mint strike = damage.

 

struck through capped die coins still retain roundness and full rims:

 

If you are convinced it is an error, send it in and let us know the results. I still think the coin is damaged.

 

Thanks for the photos.

Could you please be more detailed in your explanation. I'd really like to understand why it could NOT be from the mint. One-sentence replies aren't incredibly helpful.

Thanks.

 

I wish I could just find a WAM penny I never find those and I've been through a lot of pennies but never no luck

 

Hey Grizzly... Like you, I have a penny (Indian reverse) and a blank obverse. I've talked with a few people that say it IS a mint error. There is no damage to it (hammer or other vise type marks), very smooth like a blank should be. The reverse has NO marking other than a normal strike. While I've only been collection for a little over 50 years, I'm sure there are people out there that know far more then me. I'm sending it in to be graded. Something interesting is I found 2 incuse brockage large cents (1830 and 1852) in a collection I purchased and everyone one tried to tell me it wasn't real. Guess what? Both are and worth a pretty penny. Jake