1984 Atypical Die Clash ADC-1C-1984-07

Description

Documented as ADC-1C-1984-07, this 1984 Philadelphia Mint Lincoln Memorial Cent underwent three separate die clash events, making it an unusually complex atypical clash example. All three events share a consistent 5-degree rotation from strike to clash — a familiar angular offset cataloged across many Lincoln Cent clashes of this era. The obverse die displays a multitude of clash marks accumulated from these three events, each superimposed on the others to create a layered pattern of transferred design elements. In a die clash, obverse and reverse dies strike each other without a planchet between them, transferring incuse impressions of one die's design onto the opposing face. When these impressions appear at unusual angles, the clash is designated "atypical." Coin courtesy of Joe Koelling. Struck in copper-plated zinc — the composition adopted beginning in 1982 — this example demonstrates how atypical clashes build in complexity when a die pair clashes repeatedly, each event adding new transferred elements to the accumulated pattern from earlier clashes.

External References