I have read several threads lately, where several members have commented that since the mint mark isn't punched into the working dies anymore, there cannot be a doubled mint mark. Instead of calling them out on someone else's thread, I wanted to start this one. In all actuality, there were no doubled die mint marks during the time that the mint mark was punched into the die after the hubbing process. There were what are referred to as RPMs though. After the mint abandoned the practice of punching the individual marks into the working die and instead were a part of the devices on the master die, then there can be doubled dies or doubled mint marks, the same as all the other details or devices on the coin. If you consider that doubled dies are mostly created when a working die is struck by a working hub, or, a working hub struck by a master die, and the master die has the mint mark on it, then yes you can have a legitimate doubled die mint mark. I don't wish to start an argument, but a friendly discussion on the subject would be nice.
If they say there can't be doubled mintmarks they are wrong. If they say there can't be repunched mintmarks then they are right.
Good Explanation Hommer. I believe a series of articles are in order to explain to the new members what is and isn't collectable.. such as strike doubling vs die doubling, die states, etc. I've seen quite a few people who do not know. Some just need a good article or two to set them in the right direction, others as we well know are unteachable!
I would appreciate clarity on this---and please translate all the letters used to refer to the different effects to which they refer.
This is a very good explanation of how coin dies are.made: http://doubleddie.com/58201.html And this will explain the abbreviations used: http://doubleddie.com/58243.html If you have any questions about either, feel free to ask. I'm still learning myself. I've got one question about the die making process that I have been researching and have yet to find the answer.
I got an answer but it was still a little vague. The question: When or at what stage of the die making process was the V.B.D. added to the die? Was it engraved on the galvano or added later after the master was engraved? The designer's initials are the only incuse detail on many coins and the angle at which most are placed made me curious. A few pictures of the reason I asked
I would like to know why people ( even the experts who name them and sell them) feel that single squeeze doubling of design on a coin ( such as 2009 Lincolns) is the same as outcome as the double hubbing transfer such as the 1972 Lincoln. and is called a doubled die, when actually it is caused by movement due to pressure as the die is being squeezed and released, which to me is Mechanical doubling. Same as smearing design by movement of the die on the coin planchett. I realize it is a contrarian view.
I believe the attraction to errors in or on coins is the human element. We can build the most accurate of machines but at some point someone has to ensure that accuracy is spot on. An error within tolerances of quality control is far less attractive than one that should have been caught. The more obvious the mistake, the more the reason it should have been caught, and the more desirable it.becomes. Kinda like the grammar police on here. What would be more exciting, catching a mispelled word or catching a mispelled word typed by the grammar police?
I'm in the position of asking these questions and presumed someone else with more information will answer your question about when the initials are added. However I took a whack at going to the internet and found a delightful video on coin minting. It showed that the initials are added when the final design is made before it is used to make a die. The video was made by the US Mint. Perhaps they did it differently when V.D.B. created an infamous 1909 Lincoln. .
