FDC-1c-1987-01 Die Chip

Description

One of the most dramatic die break varieties possible on any coin, FDC-1c-1987-01 on the 1987 Lincoln Memorial cent is classified as a floating die clash — a rare phenomenon where a fragment of the die breaks away, flips over within the press chamber, and is then impressed into the coin by the opposing die. Cross-referenced as LC-ND-32 and FDC-1c-1987-01 in the Cuds on Coins catalog, this variety carries physical evidence of the event: incuse digits "987" are visible behind Lincoln's head, created when the broken die fragment — bearing the date from the obverse die — was flipped and struck into the coin surface by the reverse die, transferring the date digits in incuse (recessed) form at an unexpected location. The mechanics of a floating die clash require a precise sequence of events: first, a piece of one die fractures and separates; then, instead of falling clear of the press, the fragment remains in the striking chamber; finally, the fragment is caught between the planchet and the opposing die during a subsequent strike, impressing whatever design elements it carried into the coin in reversed orientation. The rarity of this sequence — each step must occur in order, and the fragment must remain positioned to create a readable impression — makes floating die clashes among the scarcest and most sought-after die break varieties in numismatics. Struck at Philadelphia on copper-plated zinc planchets (97.5% zinc, 2.5% copper) at 2.5 grams and 19mm, from the 1987 mintage of 4,682,466,931 cents.

Attribution History

• Cross reference number: LC-ND-32 & FDC-1c-1987-01
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References