CCL(T2)-1c-1983-01

Of the two type 2 counter clashes found for the Lincoln cent of this date, this is the harder to find. This die is listed as CCLO-001 and is found in the Cherrypickers’ guide under the F/S 01-1983-401.

It appears that a piece of foreign matter was struck with the IBER of LIBERTY, which was then transferred back into the working die in two places; the IBER of LIBERTY and then over the date.

This particular error is also found with a large reverse die break (CUD) which affects the words ONE CENT.

Whether the die break took part in the formation of the counter clash is unknown. To date there is no example of this counter clash without that die break.

Photographs are courtesy of Billy Crawford and the coin came from Joe Koelling’s collection.

Mike Diamond’s comments on this counterclash.

Concerning the “1983 1c CCLO-001, it’s likely that the piece of the reverse die broke off.  The die fragment was then struck by the obverse die, with the reverse die probably protected by a planchet.  Either the side of the die fragment or the fractured face would have been struck, since there was no design transfer at this point.  The impact with the die fragment caused distortion and doubling of LIBERTY.  When the fragment was struck, the letters of LIBERTY were transferred from the obverse die to the fragment.  The fragment then moved to the right side of the striking chamber where it was struck a second time.  This transferred the letters of LIBERTY from the die fragment to the field above the date.

 To me it actually looks like the coin has two counterclashes.  I suspect the die fragment was struck a total of three times by the obverse die.  The second strike transferred LIBERTY back to the obverse die, creating a Type II counterclash of LIBER that is just slightly offset from the normal LIBERTY.  The third strike transferred LIBERTY to the field above the date.”