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1858 Flying eagle double die or strike doubling?

So I have an 1858 flying eagle with some strong doubling in the date but also some doubling in the motto. I've tried reading over the information about the different types of doubling but the odd part about this coin is the doubling seems to be going in different directions. Is this a case of strike doubling or is it a doubled die and a repunched date? Any help would be greatly appreciated.


The date is clearly doubled and there is something going on in the AM of AMERICA and something odd in the TE of UNITED.


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Comments

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  • Walkerguy21DWalkerguy21D Posts: 12,067 ✭✭✭✭✭
    The shallower, shelf-like appearance of the doubling to me indicates strike doubling, not die doubling. The Cherrypicker's guide has a nice section explaining the difference, with lots of photos.
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  • krankykranky Posts: 8,709 ✭✭✭
    I agree with walkerguy - strike doubling.

    New collectors, please educate yourself before spending money on coins; there are people who believe that using numismatic knowledge to rip the naïve is what this hobby is all about.

  • jakebluejakeblue Posts: 301 ✭✭✭
    The AM of AMERICA is one of the major varieties for the 1858 Eagle. Your coin is the Large Letters variety. So called because the letters AM are connected. I have a 1858 Small Letters. Here is a close-up of the letters. Notice how the letters in my coin do not touch? That is the difference.


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    Edited to add a better picture to see the AM. Anything else about the AM or TE, check with The Penny Lady or Rick Snow.

    Boom...we win.

  • notwilightnotwilight Posts: 12,864 ✭✭✭
    The date looks repunched, probably an overdate, but I don't know this series. --Jerry
  • notwilightnotwilight Posts: 12,864 ✭✭✭
    This just in---looks like there is a batch of replicas (fakes) with the doubling and repunched date. I googled 1858 cent fake and lots of hits. Here is one on ebay:

    replica
  • I'll go with the RPD/strike doubling combo, (and supersize that).
  • EagleEyeEagleEye Posts: 7,677 ✭✭✭✭✭
    It is strike doubling on the date and on the legend.
    Rick Snow, Eagle Eye Rare Coins, Inc.Check out my new web site:
  • Thanks for all the comments, I appreciate the help. I still struggle to see the difference between strike doubling and double dies but the more coins I get to see in person the better I will be to figure it out.

    What confused me was that they were all moving in different directions, the AM shifted left over the old AM, the TE was struck directly above the old TE, and the date also moved to the left over the old one. I guess that would be the coin shifting slightly to the right for the next strike?

    I'll see if I can get some better pictures of them to put up. Are there any tips to taking better pictures of coins? I tried for awhile last night and these were the most usable ones I could get.
  • Gosh that date is extreme, I see why you're inquiring! Look at the "foreshortened" "primary images," that's another one of the classic "tells" here. Do you see that 1, how thin that primary image is? In a doubled die, it would be full width. Great close-up shot, BTW, and I really like this one!

    PS: I have a circulated "Small Letters" 1858 currently on the board awaiting a grade opinion. This cent is in much better grade than mine. Can I ask what grade you give it? I'm really not very good at that.

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