1960-D Atypical Die Clash ADC-1c-1960D(SD)-21

Description

Found on a 1960-D Small Date Lincoln Memorial Cent, ADC-1c-1960D(SD)-21 is an atypical tilted die clash — a specialized category of die clash where the obverse and reverse dies contacted each other without a planchet between them, but at a non-parallel angle rather than in normal alignment. The documented 4-degree clash rotation between the dies means the obverse and reverse die faces met at a slight tilt, transferring portions of each die's incuse design onto the opposing die's surface in a pattern that differs from a standard parallel clash. This angular contact produces clash marks that appear displaced or distorted compared to normal clashes, with the transferred design elements appearing in unexpected positions relative to the host die's own design. The coin resides in the private collection of Bob Piazza, and published photographs show a close-up of the clash evidence alongside an overlay illustrating the relative position of the dies at the moment of contact. Within the Lincoln Memorial Cent series (1959-2008), the 1960-D Small Date is already a variety of significant interest due to the Small Date/Large Date date-size variations that occurred across both Philadelphia and Denver production that year. Atypical die clashes are considerably rarer than standard clashes because they require not merely the absence of a planchet (a relatively common press malfunction) but also a specific angular misorientation between the die faces at the moment of contact. The resulting clash marks can be especially challenging to interpret because the transferred design does not overlay in its expected mirror position, demanding careful reconstruction of the clash geometry.

External References