1989 Typical Die Clash TDC-1C-1989-01

Description

Classified as a typical die clash, TDC-1C-1989-01 documents a standard clash event on a 1989 Lincoln Memorial cent die where the obverse and reverse dies struck each other without a planchet between them, transferring ghost-like impressions of each die's design onto the opposing die face. Two offset clash events are recorded, indicating the dies came together at slightly different positions on two separate occasions, creating overlapping but distinguishable sets of transferred impressions. The published notes specify that an off-center strike visible on some specimens is not related to the clash events — an important clarification because off-center strikes and die clashes are fundamentally different error types that can superficially resemble each other when both appear on the same coin. An off-center strike occurs when the planchet is not properly centered between the dies during striking, while a die clash occurs when no planchet is present at all. The explicit separation of these two phenomena in the attribution record helps collectors avoid misattributing the off-center characteristics to the clash mechanism or vice versa. Struck at the Philadelphia Mint on copper-plated zinc planchets (97.5% zinc, 2.5% copper) at 2.5 grams and 19mm.

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