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Lincoln Cent Struck Through Die Cap Error?

Found this coin looking through a roll of uncirculated 1959 Lincoln Cents recently. The roll had been opened previously and was not bank-sealed. It weighs 1.5g, would this be a struck through capped die error or does it seem like post-mint damage?


Comments

  • thebeavthebeav Posts: 3,998 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I don't know why it would be so light in weight. It doesn't look like PMD to me though.

  • JBKJBK Posts: 16,704 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November 21, 2025 1:11PM

    With no date, it's a dateless error (but still a nice one).

    Any chance of turning up a unique die marker common to it and one of it's dated roll-mates? I.might see a few small animolies probably due to die polishing or wear: the designer's initials, something at the far right corner of the upper memorial, polish lines, etc.

    Would a TPG recognize these as a way to date such an error (such as stabbing two coins together?

    In any case, nice find, especially from an opened/searched roll.

  • ChrisH821ChrisH821 Posts: 6,876 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November 21, 2025 9:33AM

    @FredWeinberg said:
    At 1.5 grains, its struck on a split planchet.

    Looks like the obverse side had another planchet on top of it when
    This piece was struck, and the striking pressure smoothed
    out the rough inside of the split planchet piece.

    Cool coin and a nice error to find in a roll!

    This would explain the absolutely hammered reverse strike.
    Something about that reverse says 1972 to me, but I have no logical reason for that.
    Edit* I just read and noticed you said you pulled it from a 1959 roll. Makes sense :D

    Collector, occasional seller

  • LukeMarshallLukeMarshall Posts: 2,116 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Could it be a split planchet after strike?

    It's all about what the people want...

  • MsMorrisineMsMorrisine Posts: 37,010 ✭✭✭✭✭

    somewhere out there may be a 1959 obverse only

    Current maintainer of Stone's Master List of Favorite Websites // My BST transactions
  • Morgan13Morgan13 Posts: 1,877 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Doesn't tool like PMD. The rim isn't all dinged up. Must be a strike through or whatever error.

    Student of numismatics and collector of Morgan dollars
    Successful BST transactions with: Namvet Justindan Mattniss RWW olah_in_MA
    Dantheman984 Toyz4geo SurfinxHI greencopper RWW bigjpst bretsan MWallace logger7

  • CaptHenwayCaptHenway Posts: 33,077 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @LukeMarshall said:
    Could it be a split planchet after strike?

    That is my diagnosis.

    Numismatist. 54 year member ANA. Former ANA Senior Authenticator. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Author "The Enigmatic Lincoln Cents of 1922," due out late 2025.
  • Thanks, everyone, especially Fred. I was hoping you would chime in on this!
    I believe whoever had this before opened the ends, saw shiny 1959's and just never looked at the whole roll.
    Very lucky and happy to have found it.

  • MedalCollectorMedalCollector Posts: 2,036 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @CaptHenway said:

    @LukeMarshall said:
    Could it be a split planchet after strike?

    That is my diagnosis.

    Even with planchet striations that appear very smooth and upset rims on the blank side?

  • MsMorrisineMsMorrisine Posts: 37,010 ✭✭✭✭✭

    hmmmmm

    if a blank was over the split planchet would the rim on the split part shown still be upset?

    Current maintainer of Stone's Master List of Favorite Websites // My BST transactions
  • messydeskmessydesk Posts: 20,475 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Cool piece. I agree with Fred, not that he needs my validation. It looks like the obverse is rotated in the picture about 160° CCW. The blurry outline of Lincoln says it was struck through something else. The upset rim says it was split before being upset.

  • FredWeinbergFredWeinberg Posts: 5,972 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I thought that it might be a split after strike, too,
    But the rims usually don’t show that distinctive
    Thin rim look that this piece has.

    Retired Collector & Dealer in Major Mint Error Coins & Currency since the 1960's.Co-Author of Whitman's "100 Greatest U.S. Mint Error Coins", and the Error Coin Encyclopedia, Vols., III & IV. Retired Authenticator for Major Mint Errors for PCGS. A 50+ Year PNG Member.A full-time numismatist since 1972, retired in 2022.
  • silverpopsilverpop Posts: 6,794 ✭✭✭✭✭

    B) error

    1997-present

  • CaptHenwayCaptHenway Posts: 33,077 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @MedalCollector said:

    @CaptHenway said:

    @LukeMarshall said:
    Could it be a split planchet after strike?

    That is my diagnosis.

    Even with planchet striations that appear very smooth and upset rims on the blank side?

    I could be wrong, but using the principle of Occam's Razor the simplest explanation is usually the correct one.

    The other explanation required a parlay of errors and coincidences, the first one being a capped obverse die, the second one having the reverse design on the cap being mooshed down to precisely the amount of the image of the reverse typically seen in the center of a post-strike split coin, and the third being a pre-strike split planchet landing on the reverse die split side up.

    I would like the OP to elaborate on the alignment of the normal reverse design with the faint image of the memorial in the split side.

    As to the weak raised rim on the split side, think about the movement of metal on the edge of a blank as it is punched out of the strip. Think about how most clad coins show the copper core pushed towards one side or the other on the finished coins. Such edge migration might have happened on the blank that eventually became this coin before it split.

    TD

    Numismatist. 54 year member ANA. Former ANA Senior Authenticator. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Author "The Enigmatic Lincoln Cents of 1922," due out late 2025.
  • CaptHenwayCaptHenway Posts: 33,077 ✭✭✭✭✭

    P.S.: I don't think there are any guideline on how smooth or how rough the striations on a defective planchet should be.

    Numismatist. 54 year member ANA. Former ANA Senior Authenticator. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Author "The Enigmatic Lincoln Cents of 1922," due out late 2025.
  • FredWeinbergFredWeinberg Posts: 5,972 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Tom, I came back, looked at the photos again, enlarging the obverse side again<
    And I believe you are right about it just being a simple split after striking error.
    My error in my diagnosis of it….

    Retired Collector & Dealer in Major Mint Error Coins & Currency since the 1960's.Co-Author of Whitman's "100 Greatest U.S. Mint Error Coins", and the Error Coin Encyclopedia, Vols., III & IV. Retired Authenticator for Major Mint Errors for PCGS. A 50+ Year PNG Member.A full-time numismatist since 1972, retired in 2022.

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