Unusual IH double strike

shylock

This EBay 1896 double strike is a head scratcher. NGC calls it 85% off-center but it looks more like 95%. The second strike must be paper thin to have spread wide enough to hold the entire date, amazing it didn't break off in the 108 years it survived. And it must have created some serious clash marks on the dies.

airplanenut

That's pretty neat... as for the percentage, I've never understood them. Unless it's obvious (like 50% or 25%), I just figure "whatever they say" and realize I can see that something was screwed up

fcloud

Cool coin. I love the way the date just cought the edge.

tmot99

That has a very high cool factor. Unfortunately a high $$ factor too.

shylock

as for the percentage, I've never understood them. Unless it's obvious (like 50% or 25%), I just figure "whatever they say"

Ditto Jeremy, I've never understood them either and have wondered how grading services come up with these percentages. I always assumed they had templates to judge them against, rounded down to the nearest 5%.

mgoodm3

Cool.

XpipedreamR

How do you think a coin like that gets down to AU53? Pocket piece?

I can't believe it ever circulated. Or maybe it did

Lakesammman

Would be fun to own although I've never figured out how to price these sorts of coins. Perhaps the wear is cabinet friction....

Conder101

I've seen coins struck off-center like that and the second strike is not that thin and it isn't likely to break off.

Gemini

I think if they ground that bump off it would fit better in the holder.

sumnom

I don't usually get into error coins but this is one is fantastic.