I'm Confused...Could this be a 1969 S Proof Kennedy Lamination error?

Trooper

Here's one I just picked up. As you can see it is a Lamination error. The thing I find interesting is the mint mark.
The coin is tarnished and I do see some mirrored finish to the right top of the profile.
Also the coin shows no clading on the edge.......
Any opinions?

Thanks
Tom

FredWeinberg

Although the Mintmark may appear to be an "S", I don't see
any Proof Surface on the upper portion of the coin, above the
Laminated Planchet area.

My guess is that it's a 40% silver 1969-D Half that has had the
outer layer split off AFTER striking; the "blur" of the Mintmark
may appear to be an S, but unless you see full proof surfaces
on the top portion/and the reverse, it's just an optical illusion.

A nice illustration of how the Bonding Process for 40% Silver Halves,
and other clad coinage, doesn't always "bond" properly when the
strips are produced.......

Fred

coinnut86

I'm afraid I cannot add anything other than that is one awesome coin

D

Looks like some planchet separation action.

-Daniel

Conder101

Reeds aren't sharp, or the edges squared. It isn't a proof, so it must be a 69-D. Still a truly nifty lamination though.

nwcs

Fantastic lamination, though. Awesome pick-up.

Windycity

Sure looks like an S mintmark. Interesting coin.

errormaven

It's not a lamination error in the strict sense, since a lamination error can only occur on a solid alloy coin. It is, instead, a bonding error -- a split-after-strike clad layer. Or, from the look of it, it is more likely to be a "clamshell separation" in which the loose flap was broken off by someone bending it back and forth.

Conder101

<< <i>a lamination error can only occur on a solid alloy coin. >>


Why? The clad strip starts as three ingots of metal and those outer layer ingots can have inclusions or small bubbles in them. As the strip is rolled those inclusion can cause laminations in the outer layers just like they could in a solid alloy coin. In fact in the coin in question it looks possibly like the outer ayer has split and peeled away but still left a layer of 80% silver alloy bonded to the center section except in an arc that passes through the first 9 in the date where it appears to have gone completely down to the core material.