SHD-5c-1868-01 Shattered Die

Description

Produced during the early Reconstruction era, this 1868 Shield Nickel preserves the first cataloged shattered die for the date. By 1868, the Shield Nickel had entered its No Rays phase, a modification made after 1866 to reduce die breakage. A shattered die represents the terminal stage of die deterioration, where an interconnected network of cracks spreads across the die face until virtually the entire surface is fractured. Unlike isolated die cracks that affect limited areas, a shattered die produces a web of raised lines across the struck coin, giving the surface a fractured-glass appearance. The Shield Nickel's high-relief design and the hardness of the copper-nickel alloy placed exceptional demands on working dies, making shattered dies a recurring hazard throughout the series. Struck in 75% copper and 25% nickel, this coin documents the complete structural failure of its parent die. As the sole cataloged shattered die for the 1868 date, SHD-5c-1868-01 stands as a singular record of die collapse from the early years of American base-metal five-cent coinage.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Michael Veltum
• Cross reference number: none. 06/29/2020.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References