Mad Die Clashes

1960(SD) Lincoln Cent Tilted Die Group

By BJ Neff:

This section is dedicated to the 1960D(SD) Lincoln cent that has a tilted die clash. While they are classified as an ADC (Atypical Die Clash), their numbers warrant their own page.

There is a new sub-group formed for the 1960D(SD) tilted die clash. This sub-group deals with the clash marks from the Memorial building roof line through the date (#4 *) and the corresponding clash marks found on the reverse die. This is a diagonal line (a clash mark from the forward line of Lincoln’s jacket) (#2 *) that can be seen on the right side (facing) of the Memorial roof. While these two clash marks are still produced by a tilted die, they are not extreme enough to be categorized with the other tilted die clash marks found in this series.

* see pictures below

As the study of the small date 1960D Lincoln cent progresses, we are finding that the most of the coins being studied have more than one set of clash marks. To complicate matters even further, it seems that the U. S. Mint changed the dies frequently due to the higher than normal amount of die clash events that occurred during the striking of these coins.

To facilitate the identification of these dies, match the clash marks found on both obverse and reverse of the coin in question to the pictures below. Correlate the die clash number and color to the list of ADC, 1960D small date dies found below.

Example: ADC-1c-1960D-02(SD) would have 1 / 1 5 indicating that a partial ONE CENT was clashed over Lincoln’s head on the obverse die and the top line of Lincoln’s head was clashed through ONE CENT on the reverse die. This die also shows a clash mark through the word STATES.

Obverse Die Clashes

	Each area die clash will have a designated number. #1 – Clashed letters above Lincoln’s head from the words ONE CENT. . . . . #2 – Clashed “D” or “E” from the word UNITED seen in the field just opposite Lincoln’s left shoulder. #3 – Clashed letters below Lincoln’s bust from the word STATES. . . . #4 – The right edge of the Memorial building roof protruding from the front line of Lincoln’s jacket. This line will at times be below the date and can be seen struck partially through the date. This is all dependent on the strength of the clash and the position of the dies when they did clash. . . . #5 – The curved line left through the mint mark is from the bottom of the AME of AMERICA.

#6 – This clash mark is made by the vertical portion from the roof to the cornice on the left side of the Memorial building.

#7 – This clash mark is made by the vertical portion from the roof to the cornice on the left side of the Memorial building.

Reverse Die Clashes

#1 – The clash mark left by the lower edge of Lincoln’s bust through the word STATES.

#2 – The clash mark left by the lower right edge of Lincoln’s jacket seen protruding from the top of the roof of the Memorial building.

#3 – The clash mark left by the edge of Lincoln’s back. This clash mark is normally seen through either the E or D of UNITED, but also can be seen in bay three of the Memorial building. The picture to the left is of a coin that has two different sets of clashes.