1966 Typical Die Clash TDC-1C-1966-01

Description

Cataloged as TDC-1C-1966-01, this is a typical die clash variety on a 1966 Lincoln cent, documenting an instance where the obverse and reverse dies struck each other without a planchet between them. A die clash occurs when the press cycles without a coin blank in position, causing the two dies to make direct contact under full striking pressure. The impact transfers a mirror-image impression of each die's design onto the opposing die surface, and these transferred impressions then appear as incuse clash marks on every coin subsequently struck from the affected die pair. On this variety, the clash marks are documented in detail: bay marks appear under Lincoln's chin on the obverse, transferred from the Lincoln Memorial reverse, while on the reverse, Lincoln's chin mark appears in bay 7 of the Memorial, Lincoln's jacket line is visible above the Memorial roof, and a digit 1 clash can be detected — the transferred impression of the numeral from the date area. The variety is noted as being in the collection of Jean Lee. Die clashes were relatively common occurrences in high-speed production environments, and the 1966 cent production of 2,188,147,783 business strikes at the Philadelphia Mint created ample opportunity for planchet feeding malfunctions that would leave the dies unprotected from each other. Cross-referenced as TDC-1C-1966-01 and attributed by MadDieClashes, the cataloging authority for die clash varieties on U.S. coins. The 1966 cent carries no mint mark under the Coinage Act of 1965. Struck on a 3.11-gram, 19mm planchet of 95% copper and 5% zinc.

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