1987 (P) Lincoln Memorial Cent - Floating Die Clash FDC-1C-1987-01

Description

One of the most dramatic error types documented for the Lincoln Memorial cent series, FDC-1C-1987-01 on the 1987 Philadelphia cent records a floating die clash — a complex error event that began with a large cud in the southeast quadrant of the die. A die fragment broke away from the main die body, flipped over, and was struck by the obverse die, creating an incuse impression of "987" visible behind Lincoln's head where the reversed fragment transferred date elements from its original position. The front corner of Lincoln's coat is overlapped by the word "IN," further documenting the spatial relationship between the main die impression and the inverted fragment's contribution. A strong impression of the die fragment's rim gutter demarcates the affected area, providing a clear boundary between the normal strike zone and the territory influenced by the displaced fragment. This variety carries cross-references to two established catalogs: it is listed in The Cud Book as LC-ND-32 (mem) and in the Cuds on Coins catalog as CU-1c-1987-01. The earlier retained cud stage of this die, before the clash, is separately documented on Cuds on Coins as RCD-1c-1987-01, preserving the die's condition while the broken fragment was still held in place, before it came loose and led to the floating die clash.

External References