DC-5c-2005P-01R Die Chip

Description

First documented reverse die chip on the 2005 Philadelphia Jefferson Nickel from the Ocean in View design, DC-5c-2005P-01R records a small piece of die surface that separated and left a raised bump on struck coins. The Westward Journey series ran from 2004 to 2005, temporarily replacing Monticello with designs celebrating the Lewis and Clark expedition, and the Ocean in View reverse — depicting the Pacific Ocean coastline as the Corps of Discovery finally reached their destination — provided a dramatically different design surface from the standard architectural Monticello. Die chips occur when small fragments of die steel break away from the die face, typically at areas of high stress or around fine design details, and the resulting raised bump on struck coins distinguishes them from die cracks which appear as raised lines. The "01R" designation indicates this is the first die chip cataloged on the reverse for this date and mint combination. No additional cross-references have been established, and the documentation date of September 23, 2018 indicates this variety was cataloged well after the coins left active circulation. Cataloged by Cuds on Coins, the Westward Journey designs saw limited production runs compared to the standard Monticello reverse, making die varieties on these special issues inherently scarcer in absolute terms than their business-as-usual counterparts. Collectors interested in the complete Westward Journey variety set should note this as a documented die chip on the second-year reverse design.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Amy Antone
• Cross reference: none. 09/23/2018.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References