1993 Type I Counter Clash CCLTI-1C-1993-01

Description

Part of Joe Koelling's collection, CCL(TI)-1c-1993-01 on the 1993 Philadelphia Lincoln Memorial cent documents a counter clash — a second-order die error requiring two separate clash events. In a standard clash, design elements from one die transfer in incuse form onto the opposing die. In a counter clash, those transferred marks are carried back to the original die during a second clash event, creating a doubled impression that records both the initial transfer and its return journey. This cent underwent two clash events slightly offset from one another, producing the Type I counter clash designation. The critical evidence is the doubling of the line formed by Lincoln's forehead: this clash-transferred impression from a reverse die element appears doubled because it was transferred back onto the obverse die during the second event, landing slightly offset from the first impression. Close examination reveals that one of the two clash events may have involved chatter — mechanical vibration during die contact that produces a smeared or duplicated impression within a single strike. The distinction matters: chatter produces fine, closely spaced duplication, while separate clash events create broader, more distinctly separated impressions. This variety preserves both phenomena in the same die pair, making it a particularly instructive example of counter clash mechanics.

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