1990 Typical Die Clash TDC-1C-1990-02

Description

A simple, unabraded die clash affecting both the obverse and reverse dies, TDC-1C-1990-02 on the 1990 Philadelphia Lincoln Memorial cent preserves the raw, unmodified evidence of a clash event — the Mint did not attempt to abrade or polish the dies after the clash occurred, leaving the transferred design impressions fully intact on subsequently struck coins. The unabraded state is significant because many die clashes are partially or fully obscured by the Mint's standard corrective procedure of lightly abrading the die face to remove the incuse clash marks, which diminishes or eliminates the transferred images. This specimen exhibits a slight 3-degree rotation to the clash mark, a modest misalignment that positions the transferred elements fractionally off-axis from the normal die alignment. Joe Koelling's collection includes this specimen, and his attribution notes identify a key diagnostic: the roofline of the Memorial building, as transferred to the obverse, can be located by tracing where it intersects the numeral 1 in the date — a precise reference point that allows collectors to confirm the clash rotation and match specimens to this specific catalog entry. The contrast between TDC-01's 8-degree rotation and TDC-02's 3-degree rotation illustrates the range of misalignment angles that produce distinct die clash varieties. Struck at the Philadelphia Mint on a copper-plated zinc planchet (97.5% zinc, 2.5% copper) at 2.5 grams and 19mm diameter.

External References