The 1955 Double Die Lincoln penny is well probably the most well-known double die coin in U.S. numismatic historical past. How did this dramatic error come about? Blame it on the evening shift.
Within the fall of 1955, there was a extreme scarcity of pennies in America. So, the Philadelphia Mint took excessive measures and struck cash for twenty-four hours a day, in two 12-hour shifts to assist alleviate the penny scarcity.
What Precisely Is A Double Die?
A double die error coin is produced in the course of the die making course of. Again within the 1950’s, with a view to create a die, it required a number of impressions from a working hub to create the element. If the hub or die shifted throughout this course of, the ultimate die would present two distinct impressions with separation between them.
That’s what occurred for the extremely prized 1955 Double Die Lincoln Cent. The doubling is seen on each coin that was produced from that particular die.
What makes the 1955 Double Die Lincoln Cent so intriguing to collectors is that the doubling on the obverse is clearly seen by the bare eye. If you happen to ever get your fingers on one among these treasures, simply have a look and you will notice that the date 1955 and the motto LIBERTY and IN GOD WE TRUST seem doubled. The coin’s reverse was made appropriately and doesn’t present any doubling.
Earlier than a die was supposed for use in manufacturing, a minimum of seven staff of the U.S. Mint have been anticipated to assessment and approve the die. That clearly didn’t occur. And, the imperfect die was positioned within the rotation for the midnight to eight am shift.
Let Them Flow into!
By morning, it was estimated that wherever from 20,000 to 24,000 of those Double Die Lincoln pennies have been struck. The issue? These double die Lincoln pennies have been blended in with hundreds of thousands of different correctly produced Lincoln cents produced on the in a single day shift.
The Chief Coiner of the Philadelphia Mint, Sydney C. Engel, needed to determine between letting the double die pennies go into circulation, or soften down about 10 million pennies. He determined to let the error cash flow into!
Within the months that adopted, 1955 Double Die Lincoln pennies started to pop up, particularly in Boston, western Massachusetts and upstate New York. The vast majority of the Lincoln Double Die pennies have been found in cigarette packs as change. Again then, merchandising machines weren’t in a position to dispense change like they will in the present day. The merchandising machines solely accepted quarters.
Because the pack of cigarettes value 23 cents, two pennies have been slipped contained in the cellophane packaging of the cigarette pack to function the change to the shopper.
An Thrilling Piece of Numismatic Historical past
As we speak, the 1955 Double Die Lincoln Cent is without doubt one of the most wanted cash in all of numismatics. Although as many as 24,000 of those dramatic error cash have been struck, survival estimates for grade 60 or higher complete a mere 1,200. You’ll be able to see it right here.
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