Help with doubling...?

Cladiator

My buddy has an 1869 Shield Nickel and the date seems to be doubled. We can find no other signs of doubling on the coin. Is this common for this date? Is there an overdate we should be looking for? Would this command a premium of any? Any info you have based on the pics is greatly appreciated. Thanks

TommyType

In the Fletcher book, there's a dozen or so repunched dates for 1869. But my quick look through them doesn't show any with the same doubling yours shows.

Machine doubling?? Almost looks to severe for that.

(How's that for a useless answer?)

Cladiator

So what does the dayshift think of this?

BigGreek

Definitely machine doubling.

lathmach

Looks like an unlisted repunched date.

Ray

Cladiator

machine doubling...unlisted repunched date...??? is this just normal doubling or a new variety or something of that sorts? Help appreciated as I know zilch about this series and it is a buddies coin.

lathmach

The dates were punched into the dies with a gang punch. This operation took some number of blows from a mallet.
Sometimes the number punch would shift a little and you can see evidence of the doubling. Sometimes the mispunching is quite dramatic.
This effect is common on 19th century coins.

Ray

Cameonut

Here is a helpful link on machine doubling vs. die doubling.

Doubling

RalphP13

Excellent link Cameonut!!

After reading that, I'll go with mechanical doubling.

Ralph