1990 Typical Die Clash TDC-1C-1990-01

Description

Cataloged as TDC-1C-1990-01 in the MadDieClashes registry, this 1990 Philadelphia Lincoln Memorial cent preserves evidence of a single die clash event — one instance where the obverse and reverse dies struck each other without an intervening planchet. Despite involving only one clash event, the resulting transfer was notable: while the clash impression itself was weak in terms of depth, the transfer of design elements from the reverse to the obverse was larger than expected, covering a broader area of the obverse field than typical single-event clashes produce. Additionally, the rotation of the clash event relative to the actual strike orientation measured approximately 8 degrees — a departure from the more common 5-degree rotation observed in typical die clashes, suggesting the dies were slightly more misaligned at the moment of contact. This coin is part of Joe Koelling's collection, whose systematic documentation of die clash varieties has contributed significantly to the cataloging of Lincoln cent clash events. The 8-degree rotation is diagnostically important because it positions the transferred reverse design elements — particularly the Memorial building's roofline and column impressions — at a measurably different angle than the standard 5-degree specimens, creating a distinguishable variety. Struck at the Philadelphia Mint on a copper-plated zinc planchet (97.5% zinc, 2.5% copper) at 2.5 grams and 19mm diameter. The images to the left of the obverse die show the weak, wide spread transfer of clash marks from the reverse. The only clash marks from the obverse die found on the reverse die are under the Memorial building base line.

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