1974-D Atypical Die Clash ADC-1C-1974D-02LD

Description

Documented by the MadDieClashes catalog as ADC-1c-1974D-02(LD) and discovered by Aisha Shahid, this 1974-D Large Date Lincoln Memorial Cent exhibits strong atypical clash marks on both the obverse and reverse, distinguishing it from standard die clashes through the unusual character and placement of the transferred design elements. Analysis of the clash mark patterns reveals a tilt of the hammer (obverse) die toward the southern portion of the anvil (reverse) die during the empty-chamber impact, concentrating the strongest transferred impressions in the lower region of the coin where the dies made firmest contact. This angular die-to-die contact produced atypical transfer patterns: parts of the word ONE from the reverse appear above Lincoln's head on the obverse, and a near-complete hairline impression runs through ONE CENT on the reverse — transferred elements whose positions and orientations deviate from what a perfectly aligned standard clash would produce, hence the "atypical" classification. The presence of atypical transferred features from both sides confirms the bidirectional nature of the impact: when the dies struck each other, the obverse design impressed into the reverse die face while simultaneously the reverse design impressed into the obverse die. The 1974-D Lincoln Memorial Cent was struck at the Denver Mint in bronze composition (95% copper, 5% zinc) weighing 3.11 grams with a 19.05 mm diameter — the "Large Date" designation differentiating this from the Small Date variety also produced in 1974. Victor David Brenner designed the obverse and Frank Gasparro the Memorial reverse. The MadDieClashes reference systematically catalogs atypical die clashes across U.S. denominations, documenting these non-standard clash events that produce transferred images in unexpected locations or orientations on the coin's surface.

External References