Doubled Die






A doubled die happens during the pressing process when the die itself is created and not during the strike of the coin. The doubled secondary will be the same height and width of the design and will not look flat like.

Values for doubled dies are all over the place and 1955 has at least 15 different doubled die varieties with only two worth a large premium and only one is the most famous doubled die in coin collecting. So it’s not enough to say it’s a 1955 DDO; it must also be the exact variety base on the die markers to assign a value.

With that being said most doubled dies don’t add much of a premium to a coin and master die doubling is even less than that. So it is best to seek professional advice when assigning doubled die varieties and their subsequent value.

There’s 8 classes of doubled dies listed below:

Double Die Classification:

  1. Class I: Die being re-hubbed is rotated near the center of the die from the position it was in during the original Hubbing.
  2. Class II: Design features on the Die/Hub become distorted or miss-shaped during the annealing/tempering process causing the images to no longer align properly when being re-hubbed.
  3. Class III: When working hubs with different designs features are used to Hub a Die.
  4. Class IV: When a Die is moved off center in the Hubbing Press from the position it was in during the initial Hubbing.
  5. Class V: When a Die is pivoted around a point near the rim during the rehubbing process.
  6. Class VI: When a Hub is overused and the design features become thickened or flattened creating thick design features on the Working Dies.
  7. Class VII: When a Die being Hubbed is impressed with a normal hub and a then re-hubbed using a hub that has had its features changed or removed
  8. Class VIII: When the top of a Die being Hubbed is not parallel to that of the Hub.




Strike Doubling

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Strike doubling is an error and is caused by a loose die but it is NOT a Doubled Die. All strike doubling is considered machine damage and will show on the sides of the letters, numbers and bust as a flat shelf-like doubling, and is actually a flat on the side of a design element were the die actually pushed or slightly gouged the metal as it retracted from the coin’s surface just after it struck the coin.

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Rotated Die

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A rotated die error is a result of one die not being properly oriented in relation to the opposing die, so when the coin is struck it results in one side being rotated at an incorrect degree. Rotated die errors are measured in degrees and values vary based on the degree, denomination, coin type and coin grade.


Values range from $100 to $300 for common date circulated coins the amount of rotation and if the coin is graded in a holder will effect the value. If the coin is graded MS then the higher the grade and the more rare the date and mint the more valuable the coin. For and example a 1923 Peace Dollar with Rotated Dies, graded MS61 by NGC can sell for $646 but an MS63 example sold for $1,527.50.

So value is going to be effected by a broad range of factors.
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Off Center Strike

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An off center strike occurs when the coin is not properly seated in the coining chamber and is struck off center by the hammer die and results in both sides being off center. Often you can see the collar die scars on the coin where it was pressed against the collar die during the off center strike.


Off center mint errors are popular and valuable but not worth much more than a few dollars if the coin is a common date, modern coin, and worth even less if there’s no date. However, off center mint errors can be worth hundreds and even thousands if it is a type coin since they’re rarely found struck off center.
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Misaligned Die

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A misaligned die is when the hammer die is off alignment in orientation to the coining chamber and when it strikes the coin the obverse side of the coin is struck off center. The misaligned strike is only off center on one side of the coin, if both are then it is called an off center strike. Also misaligned strikes can result in partial collar strikes as well.


The 1981-P Jefferson Nickel Misaligned Die in the above image sold for $258.50 but value was dependent on the grade of MS66 and the fact that it was well struck with full steps on the reverse Monticello. Otherwise it would have sold for $30 to $60. Value is also dependent on how far off a coin is struck misaligned as well. Value will also depend on the rarity of the date and mint and if the coin is modern or type coin.
Another factor is how often is the coin type found with misaligned die strike; the American Silver Eagle is or a US Gold coin is rare to find with this mint error type and will trade for more.
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Missing Edge Lettering




Missing Edge Lettering:

The golden dollars are struck in a separate process that imparts the edge lettering and if a coin misses this process then it results in missing edge lettering. Values depend on which presidential coin is missing the edge lettering with the 2007 George Washington being the least rare and can sell for $50 and Thomas Jefferson being the most rare and can trade for upwards of $1,800.

Double – Overlapped Edge Lettering

Weak Edge Lettering

Partial Edge Lettering 

Die Clash

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When a planchet fails to enter the coining chamber and both the hammer die strikes the anvil die, imparting design features of the opposing die into each die face. When a planchet does enter the coining chamber it is struck with the clashed dies and will show details of the obverse on the reverse and visa versa.
Die clash values are minimal at best and are common enough that they add very little value to a coin. The coin in the above image was found in a roll and graded MS66 by PCGS as a Die Clash and it sold for $75. The grading fees alone were almost $50 so not much room for premium. Older type silver coins like three cents, dimes and half dimes are known for die clashes.
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Die Adjustment Strike

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Dies must be adjusted to properly strike the complete design on a planchet of a certain thickness and this thickness needs adjusted; too much and this will cause more stress on the die, not enough and the design is weak. A die adjustment strike is caused when the die is not properly adjusted and can show a weakness of the coin’s design and result in missing elements.


Values can rage from $100 for a no date Washington Clad Quarter to $4,300 for a no date Peace Dollar, and these where the most dramatic cases since most values will fall into the $100 to $800 range.
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Collar Die Clash

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A Collar Die clash, aka rail road rim on reeded coins, is when the die partly strikes the top edge of the collar die. This indents that area of the die so when it strikes a coin it imparts what appears to be a “doubled” rim.

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Uniface Strike

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A uniface strike mint error occurs when a blank planchet enters the coining chamber and rest on top of another blank planchet then they’re struck with the hammer and anvil dies. The bottom planchet will receive the reverse design but not design on the other side because of the planchet on top, and the planchet on top will receive the obverse design but not the reverse because of the planchet underneath.
A uniface modern cent can be worth $40 but value on these is based on many factors like date, denomination, grade and if there’s combinations of other errors to the coin. A 1972-S Proof Jefferson Nickel uniface strike has sold for and average of $1,000, but most uniface strikes are worth a few hundred dollars if they’re nickels or larger denomination.

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Image courtesy of Heritage Auctions