The Parallels Between 1955 and 1918 (and 1942 also)

BuffaloIronTail

The 1955 Doubled Die Cent was discovered after being mixed in with a whole shift production of Cents. Mint officials had a decision to make.

They eventually decided to release them into circulation, because to stop them from getting out, and entire shift production of Cents would have to be scrapped.

I used to think that the Doubled Dies from 1918 (both the Nickel and Quarter) were missed by quality control and that's why they were coined.

I now believe that they were known and allowed to skip condemnation. Several reasons made me re-think this.

First off, there was an extreme need for minor coins at the time due to the U.S. entering WWI and the economy ramping up because of that.

This necessitated having the three mints running 24 hours a day to produce the needed coins.

Secondly, the dies for 1917 and 1918 minor coins were both being made at the same time at a fever pitch, as there was a changeover to the 1918 issues. This resulted in the Overdates being made in error.

Thirdly, the above mentioned rush necessitated to need to "look the other way" and allow the defective dies to enter production.

Wartime needs and rushed work allowed this to happen. Don't forget the 1942/1 Dimes produced during WWII (and the overdate Cent from 1943) also were released.

I don't think that this was just a coincidence.

Whatever the reason, we as coin collectors have benefited from their existence due to their rarity and notoriety.

Pete

Morgan White

There might be something to that. I think they also had to know the 22-D cents lost the mint mark when lapped, but released them anyway due to the die shortage.

BStrauss3

The only reason they put dates and mintmarks on coins is because the law requires it. It does nothing for the intended purpose of being used in commerce. If you figure nobody actually looks at coins (and there is a lot of evidence of that), then ... who cares if something is doubled?

The large "P" "D" "S" mintmarks above Monticello to allow silver nickels to be identified is the one real exception I'm aware of and it wasn't used.

CaptHenway

Don’t forget the 1943/42-P nickels.

Obviously there was the wartime factor with the two 1918 overdates, the two 1942 overdates and the two 1943 overdates, but the 1901/0-S $5 and the 1909/8 $20 happened in peace time so it is impossible to say what was behind any given die variety.

As to the 1955 DDO cent, things were so quiet that year that they closed a Mint less than 20 years old as redundant.

1Bufffan

Just like in today's workplace they needed workers, but like you said World War 1 was starting and they (the mints) needed people to fill positions. they must have taken unskilled workers and pushed them into jobs that they were not fully trained to do. so, the mints had to deal with what, and who, they had at their disposal.

ricko

Whatever the reasons (and those offered above seem logical), the errors certainly provide collectors with interesting material. Cheers, RickO

PerryHall

@BuffaloIronTail said:

Wartime needs and rushed work allowed this to happen. Don't forget the 1942/1 Dimes produced during WWII (and the overdate Cent from 1943) also were released.

I'm not familiar with the overdate cent from 1943. I think you meant the 1943/2 overdate nickel.
I believe the 1918/7 and 1942/1 overdates may have been due to the conservation of steel for the war effort.

CaptHenway

The 1943/42-S cent is real. I helped get it accepted.

https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/comment/13249047#Comment_13249047