Misaligned Anvil Die

Major misalignments of the anvil die are rare, principally because the neck of the anvil die is confined by the collar.  The only way a major misalignment can occur is if 1) the collar becomes unmoored, drifts laterally, and carries the anvil die with it; 2) the entire die assembly (including the collar) shifts position; or 3) the collar breaks apart, allowing the anvil die to shift position.  This 2000-P Virginia quarter shows a 10% horizontal misalignment of the anvil die toward 6:00.  The obverse die functioned as the anvil die in this press run.

Of necessity, a coin showing a major horizontal misalignment of the anvil die will be broadstruck (struck out-of-collar) or will show evidence of a broken collar.