2007-D Typical Die Clash TDC-25C-2007D-01MT

Description

Identified by MadDieClashes under the designation TDC-25C-2007D-01MT, this typical die clash variety was found on the 2007 (D) Montana State Quarter, the fourth design released in the program's 2007 five-state lineup. Die clashing — the direct contact between obverse and reverse dies without an intervening planchet — transfers each die's design elements into the opposing die surface as incuse impressions, which then appear as raised foreign marks on subsequently struck coins. The Montana State Quarter reverse, designed by Don Everhart, depicts a bison skull above the state's dramatic mountain and river landscape with the motto "Big Sky Country," providing a complex multi-element composition where clash impressions from Washington's obverse portrait could manifest in the open sky field areas or amid the landscape features. Conversely, elements of the Montana scenery — particularly the strong horizontal lines of the landscape — could ghost onto the obverse near Washington's bust. Denver struck Montana quarters as part of the 2007 rotation alongside Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, and Washington state. The "D" in the catalog designation specifies this as a Denver Mint variety, distinguishing it from potential Philadelphia clashes on the same design. The "typical" classification confirms standard aligned die contact rather than the rotated or tilted contact that defines atypical clashes. Collectors examining this variety should employ fiber-optic illumination at moderate magnification, rotating the coin under the light source to identify the specific angles at which the shallow clash impressions become visible. Clash marks on State Quarters often appear most clearly in the open field areas between major design elements, where the transferred impressions stand in contrast against the otherwise smooth surface rather than being lost within the busy detail of the primary design.

Attribution History

• Discovered by MadDieClashes
• Expert attribution by MadDieClashes

External References