Category Archives: Errors and Varieties

These posts feature articles on some of the most popular error coins and varieties.

Markers for 1955 Doubled Die Obverse

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This spectacular coin is the most famous mint variety, and as a consequence, also is one of the most counterfeited of U.S. coins. This article covers how it happened and then illustrates how you can tell if your coin is genuine.

To begin with, the 1955 DDO is dramatic! So much is doubled on the obverse. See:

The 1955 doubled die is a die variety. Even though employees at the mint made an error and did not stop production, this is a variety. The planchet was only struck once by the coining press, but the die used to strike it already had a doubled image.

In this case, during production, the hub and the die were misaligned and rotated slightly counter-clockwise, accounting for the large spread of lettering and numbers.

Coinage operators, under pressure to produce 1955 cents, failed to notice the mistake, allowing this defective die to be used in striking. Estimates are 24,000 to 40,000 coins were released being discovered.

That was the first error. The second had to do with mint officials releasing the doubled die into circulation to avoid a regional coin shortage.

Because this coin is considered an ultra rarity, it is one of the most counterfeited and replicated U.S. coins.

In genuine coins, the doubling has a large spread and is sharp, as if carved by a knife. Be wary of soft doubling and pay attention to the exact separation.

Here’s the difference between a genuine and replica, as offered by Etsy and Temu.

Note the mushy quality of the replica as well as difference in font sizes and orientation of “Liberty” and “In God We Trust.”

One more marker: In genuine coins, the portrait of Lincoln is sharp with no doubling or distortion. The above replica fails in this regard.

Any deviation or doubling on the portrait is a fake.

Only one pair of dies was used to strike the original batch, so every genuine 1955 DDO has the exact same reverse markings.

One other marker. You would need a microscope to see this, but tiny vertical and polishing lines are present on the reverse in this area, along with die scratches.

Also take care to understand the difference between machine doubling and hub doubling.

FeatureGenuine 1955 DDOMachine Doubling (“Poor Man’s”)
CauseError is engraved directly onto the die.The die slipped or vibrated while striking the coin.
AppearanceBoth sets of details are raised, rounded, and fully formed.The second image looks like a flat, shaved-down “shelf”.
ScaleExtends across the date and all letters.Usually only visible on the last digit of the date.
ValueWorth thousands of dollars.Worthless face value (under $2).

Also on the reverse, a genuine 1955 Doubled Die should have a 5% slight misalignment on the die. You would need to identify that yourself.

Please do not be fooled by 1955 DDO errors as in this dramatically misaligned copy from Etsy.

All the markers in the above replica are wrong.

If you have or inherited or plan to bid on a raw 1955 DDO, make sure to check all the markers. These are expensive coins!

Holdering 1955 DDO cents is imperative to showcase authenticity. China exports tens of thousands of fake and replica examples. So if you have a raw example, or bought one, send to PCGS, NGC, ANACS or CAC for authentication.

If you like posts like this, subscribe so you can be informed whenever there is a new article or column.

Proxiblog also has thousands of followers on Facebook Coin Groups, YouTube and social media. To get the latest discussion and commentary, be sure to friend us by clicking here.

You can find more information about types, varieties, errors, grading, bidding and buying in Coin News Updated: The Essential Guide to Online Bidding. Please consider buying or gifting the work for a friend, as it underwrites this hobbyist blog. Thank you.

2026 Privy Marked 25c Rarity

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To celebrate the nation’s Semiquincentennial–250 years–the US Mint produced 250,000 Declaration of Independence Quarters featuring a special “July 4th” privy mark. These quarters were sent with regular business strikes to banks and now has become a desirable variety, typically selling raw for $100 and several hundreds more if slabbed in high mint state.

In introducing the coin, Mint Director Paul Hollis said, “We hope Americans enjoy the search for these iconic quarters as they’re meant to be shared, saved, and remembered as part of this historic anniversary.”

No Washington Quarter has such a low mintage. The key dates 1932-D had a mintage of 436,800 and 1932-S, 408,000.

Let’s show where you can find the privy mark and display it next to a regular issue.

As you can see, the obverse side displays a profile of Thomas Jefferson and the reverse features the Liberty Bell. The privy mark reads “July 4th. Unlike other business strikes, these rare quarters bear no mint mark, making the privy mark the primary indicator of its rarity.

You can find raw and holdered examples on eBay and other online venues.

If you know how to grade and have an exceptional high mint state example, like this one below, then consider holdering it.

Among the highest graded examples have been MS67, as above. Gem Grades (MS65 to MS66+) have been found in rolls and also go for hundreds of dollars.

As you can imagine, counterfeits, replicas and altered coins are making the rounds. The Better Business Bureau has put out an alert about this.

Scammers have done the following:

  1. Altered Mint Marks: Criminals use standard 2026 Philadelphia or Denver quarters, grind off the “P” or “D” mint mark, and engrave or stamp a fake “July 4” text onto the field.
  2. Misplaced Privy Designs: Some fakes feature poorly defined text or put the mark in the wrong spot.
  3. Forgotten Mintmark: Scammers put a fake July 4th privy mark but forget to shave off the mintmark.

The best place to find these rare privy marked quarters, apart from pocket change, is securing or buying bank rolls … and hoping you’ll get lucky.

If you like posts like this, subscribe so you can be informed whenever there is a new article or column.

Proxiblog also has thousands of followers on Facebook Coin Groups, YouTube and social media. To get the latest discussion and commentary, be sure to friend us by clicking here.

You can find more information about types, varieties, errors, grading, bidding and buying in Coin News Updated: The Essential Guide to Online Bidding. Please consider buying or gifting the work for a friend, as it underwrites this hobbyist blog. Thank you.

Proxiblog Featured in USA Today

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Bugeja discusses 1982-D Small Date Bronze Cent

USA Today published a comprehensive article on the hype about the 1982-D Small Date bronze cent variety, noting its rarity–only two found–and odds of finding the third, along with eBay sellers out to scam others by selling ordinary cents from that year. (In 1982, the US Mint made 16,729,361,847 cents in Denver and Philadelphia.)

Proxiblog and its founder, Michael Bugeja, figure prominently in the 8/17/26 USA Today piece.

“I’m happy to see the widespread distribution of this article by Mike Snider,” Bugeja said. USA Today has an estimated weekday print circulation of roughly 89,200 to 103,600 copies, alongside over 2 million digital subscribers, making it one of the most widely read daily newspapers in the United States. “Perhaps this will enlighten all those new collectors believing they will find the rarity in pocket change.

“There are better ways to spend hobby time.”

Excerpts:

The USA Today article quotes Bugeja and Proxiblog extensively along with these other experts: John Brush, president of rare coin trading and auctioning company DLRC;  Donn Pearlman, a spokesman for the Professional Numismatists Guild; and Mary Sauvain, executive director of the Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation.

You can access the USA Today article by clicking here.

For those interested in Proxiblog’s extensive coverage of the 1982-D Small Date Bronze Cent, read:

Proxiblog.org is one of the premier coin collecting sites on the web. Founded in 2011, by Michael Bugeja, former columnist for Coin World and past member of the US Treasury Department’s Citizen Coinage Advisory Committee, Proxiblog remains one of the earliest consistently accessible coin blogs. It has the largest illustrated coin glossary as well as a directory of errors and varieties with associated articles, a “new and youth hobbyist” tab, 20 most accessed articles, and some 40 coin videos about rarities, doubled dies, and other hobby insights.

If you like posts like this, subscribe so you can be informed whenever there is a new article or column.

Proxiblog also has thousands of followers on Facebook Coin Groups, YouTube and other social media. To get the latest discussion and commentary, be sure to friend us by clicking here.

You can find more information about types, varieties, errors, grading, bidding and buying in Coin News Updated: The Essential Guide to Online Bidding. Please consider buying or gifting the work for a friend, as it underwrites this hobbyist blog. Thank you.

2024 and 2024-D Cent Doubled Dies

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These newly attributed doubled dies are not universally recognized yet by major holdering companies, meaning you typically will have to ask for attribution and pay extra for that, if you believe you have found and want to slab them. Also, you probably will need a loupe or microscope to see them. But they have been listed on Wexler’s and Variety Vista sites. You can explore the markers for both coins there.

Normally, Proxiblog does not acknowledge these minor errors. Since the Mint uses a single-squeeze hubbing process, meant to eliminate doubled dies, they still can occur when working dies are not properly aligned or when a defect in the die is not immediately recognized.

But these two doubled dies are being found and sold regularly on eBay and other venues. So we will explore them here.

2024 DDO CENT

Both the 2024 and 2024-D have ghost images of a double ear. The 2024 is the most prominent:

You will want to view the date with a loupe or microscope and pay close attention to the second “2” and “4” with less visible doubling on the first “2” and “4”:

You also will find doubling the first four letters of “Trust”:

Again, you can see other minor markers of this variety on Wexler’s and Variety Vista.

2024-D DDO CENT

If you use a coin microscope, you should be able to see doubling on the date, although the led lights can magnify the spread, as in the example below:

There is also a faint ghost image of a doubled ear.

The other markers also are faint. Check Wexler’s or Variety Vista for those.

“Sold” values for the 2024 and 2024-D DDO on eBay generally sell for $10 to $30 in circulated or uncertified uncirculated condition. If the double ear is prominent on a high-grade 2024-D DDR, sellers are getting between $35 and $50.

Do not buy or bid on any of these new doubled dies unless you clearly see the main markers. Many being offered lack them, using high grade 2024 and 2024-D Cents and erroneously stating they are doubled dies.

If you like posts like this, subscribe so you can be informed whenever there is a new article or column.

Proxiblog also has thousands of followers on Facebook Coin Groups, YouTube and social media. To get the latest discussion and commentary, be sure to friend us by clicking here.

You can find more information about types, varieties, errors, grading, bidding and buying in Coin News Updated: The Essential Guide to Online Bidding. Please consider buying or gifting the work for a friend, as it underwrites this hobbyist blog. Thank you.

9 Official Illustrated Examples of Hub Doubling

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For the veterans looking for specific classes of doubled dies, here are nine with illustrations. While it is important to know these, beginners are discouraged from trying to learn these via memorization. They should access the three main types of doubling. That said, they might still want to see the visuals to grasp all the types of hub doubling creating varieties in coin collecting.

Class I: Rotated Hub Doubling

  • Cause: A rotated die.
  • Appearance: Dramatic uniform doubling.
  • Example: 1955 DDO Cent

Class II: Distorted Hub Doubling

  • Cause: A hub or die is distorted by heat during annealing.
  • Appearance: Irregular doubling spreading toward rim.
  • Example: 1971 DDO Cent

Class III: Design Hub Doubling

  • Cause: A die struck with two different master designs.
  • Appearance: This type creates dramatic “overdates” or design overlaps.
  • Example: 1918/7 Standing Liberty Quarter

Class IV: Offset Hub Doubling

  • Cause: The die shifts in a straight line.
  • Appearance: The doubling shifts evenly across the entire surface in one direction.
  • Examples: 1983 DDR Cent

Class V: Pivoted Hub Doubling

  • Cause: The die rotates between strikes, affecting the rim.
  • Appearance: Clear doubling on the opposite side of the rim.
  • Example: 1995 DDO Cent

Class VI: Distended Hub Doubling

  • Cause: A hub defect causes devices to flatten out and widen.
  • Appearance: Extreme extra thickness on letters and numbers.
  • Example: 1934 DDO Quarter

Class VII: Modified Hub Doubling

  • Cause: A portion of the design is modified on the hub before striking.
  • Appearance: Portions of the original, unmodified design peek out from underneath the newly altered layout.
  • Example: 1941 DDO Cent

Class VIII: Tilted Hub Doubling

  • Cause: Either the hub or the die is slightly tilted at an angle during striking.
  • Appearance: Doubling is usually tightly contained in a centralized area of the strike.
  • Example: 2009 DDR Extra Finger

Class IX: Single Squeeze

Values of the above depend on rarity and condition. Check PCGS CoinFacts for particulars.

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Proxiblog also has thousands of followers on Facebook Coin Groups, YouTube and social media. To get the latest discussion and commentary, be sure to friend us by clicking here.

You can find more information about types, varieties, errors, grading, bidding and buying in Coin News Updated: The Essential Guide to Online Bidding. Please consider buying or gifting the work for a friend, as it underwrites this hobbyist blog. Thank you.

2004 Doubled Die Reverse Cent

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True doubled dies are becoming difficult to find ever since the US Mint installed new machinery (sing-squeeze hubbing) in 1997, virtually eliminating true doubled dies. But they still occur because the machinery requires several presses per working die, and if that is improperly align, viola!: Doubled Dies.

Also, because of the power now of the coining machines, pressure can cause a slight slip and even result in a ghost image.

One of the first examples in the Lincoln Memorial Cent category is the 2004 DDR (also known as 2004 DDR FS-801).

Like the 2006 DDO cent, the misalignment of the 2004 DDR cannot always be easily spotted with a naked eye. You’ll need a loupe or, if you prefer, microscope.

You will be looking for distorted, thick, somewhat bulb-like lettering in “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” and “E PLURIBUS UNUM.”

Let’s review the markers.

Here are the main pickup points on “E PLURIBUS UNUM.”

After that, check the word “States” for thickness and doubling, as shown here:

Also look for any deformed dots, as here:

To help you visualize differences, compare thickness and doubling next to a regular 2004 reverse.

Based on condition, PCGS Values range from $30 to $500+ in red uncirculated condition. Red-brown examples are exceedingly lower in worth.

Because the markers may need magnification, we do not recommend buying raw examples from eBay and online auctions. Photos just cannot identify the above markers unless crisp and large. Never pay hundreds of dollars for any coin, especially a purported doubled die, unless holdered.

Here’s an example. No way to verify if this is a DDR.

Mintage of the 2004 cent in Philly was 3,379,600,000; so thousands of these doubled dies should be in bags, rolls and circulation. Coin shops and eBay often sell unopened mint bags like this one, identified by date. My local coin dealer years ago had a $50 bag of 1995 DDO cents! Several years ago I bought an unopened 1982-D cent bag. Great grades but, you guessed it, no 1982-D Small Date 3.1 grams.

If you like posts like this, subscribe so you can be informed whenever there is a new article or column.

Proxiblog also has thousands of followers on Facebook Coin Groups, YouTube and social media. To get the latest discussion and commentary, be sure to friend us by clicking here.

You can find more information about types, varieties, errors, grading, bidding and buying in Coin News Updated: The Essential Guide to Online Bidding. Please consider buying or gifting the work for a friend, as it underwrites this hobbyist blog. Thank you.

2009-D 25C DDR, FS-801

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If you are wondering why there are not many true doubled dies in modern coinage, there is a very good reason. In 1996, the US Mint replaced multi-press hubbing methods with the single-squeeze process. A highly polished, master steel hub with a raised version of the coin design presses its devices into a cone-shaped planchet in one humongous strike.

Here’s a video of the coin production process.

In effect, this new hubbing process was meant to eliminate embarrassing doubled die errors like the famous 1955 DDO Cent.

Despite the ultra-modern coining machinery, an extreme doubled die occurred with the 2009-D District of Columbia Doubled Die Reverse (DDR) quarter. Reason? Human error.

During production the master hub was misaligned and minted blanks at an uneven angle. Every coin struck by that die had the error. It is listed as the Fivaz-Stanton FS-801 variety.

The dramatic doubling occurred on the reverse with a clear “ELL” split under the name “ELLINGTON.”

The first few black and white keys of the piano also are doubled.

Using a loupe or microscope, you also can see raised outlines Duke Ellington’s hand.

Because the 2009-D Quarter is easily overlooked in pocket change, you might miss this fabled modern doubled die. PCGS CoinFacts missed it in using an MS67 example for the regular coin that also happened to be the doubled die.

Out of the total mintage of 88,800,000 coins, the DDR variety represents a small fraction. Still between 100,000-250,000 are believed to have left the Mint.

Values depend on condition. A circulated example in pocket change usually brings about $10-25 on eBay. Uncirculated and graded gems can being $50; super gems, in the hundreds.

If you like posts like this, subscribe so you can be informed whenever there is a new article or column.

Proxiblog also has thousands of followers on Facebook Coin Groups, YouTube and social media. To get the latest discussion and commentary, be sure to friend us by clicking here.

You can find more information about types, varieties, errors, grading, bidding and buying in Coin News Updated: The Essential Guide to Online Bidding. Please consider buying or gifting the work for a friend, as it underwrites this hobbyist blog. Thank you.

2006 DDO Lincoln Cent

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The 2006 Lincoln Cent DDO FS-101 is one of the few true doubled dies since 1996 when the US Mint upgraded their machinery with what is called a “Single-Squeeze” hubbing process. The intent was to eliminate doubled dies altogether, but still we can see the method is not entirely fool proof.

The variety has its own PCGS number, meaning if you use it in the submission process you do not have request a special error variety label costing more money.

The key markers are a ghost image of an earlobe:

There is doubling on the date, thicker than regular strike, with noticeable spreading on the “6.”

It’s difficult to see, but there is also some doubling on the lower portion of Lincoln’s beard.

“Liberty” is a main marker, too, exhibiting extra thickness. Note the notch on the “T”:

The error happened when the working die was placed slightly out of alignment. Thousands are out there in rolls and pocket change.

There also is an FS-102 variety, lacking a clear ghost image of the earlobe. Markers are similar.

As you can see, PCGS shows significant values, based on condition, from about $30 in low mint state red to hundreds in super gem.

If you like posts like this, subscribe so you can be informed whenever there is a new article or column.

Proxiblog also has thousands of followers on Facebook Coin Groups, YouTube and social media. To get the latest discussion and commentary, be sure to friend us by clicking here.

You can find more information about types, varieties, errors, grading, bidding and buying in Coin News Updated: The Essential Guide to Online Bidding. Please consider buying or gifting the work for a friend, as it underwrites this hobbyist blog. Thank you.

Clashed, Vised or Glued?

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Clash marks are valuable, but people often try to mimic them with a vise, pressing two coins together. Other times, for one reason or another, glue creates an impression of one coin on another. Do not bid on any of these until you can tell them apart. As you might imagine, eBay and online auctions often label vise and glue coins as clash marks.

Here are all three:

You can easily distinguish them by looking for specific tells under a loupe or magnifying glass. You want to check if the extra impression is raised or sunken, and whether the lettering is oriented normally or backwards. If backward, you’re looking at a vise or glue coin.

TYPECLASH MARKSVISE COINGLUE COIN
RELIEFRaised DevicesSunken DevicesFlat Layered
ORIENTATIONNormalBackward/ReversedBackward/Reversed
THICKNESSNormalFlat/DistortedThick/Sticky

A die clash happens at the Mint when erroneously the obverse and reverse dies strike each other without a blank planchet between them. The so-called “ghost” image will be raised, not sunken or flatly layered.

Vise coins are created by pressing two coins together with a vise or hammering them to mimic the clashed die. Because of the method, the lettering will be backward, flattened, distorted or damaged, especially by the rims.

A glue coin happens any number of ways when two coins are bonded by an adhesive. When separated, the ghost image appears flat and layered on the other coin.

Often the tone of the coin will be altered with a dried or amber look, as you might anticipate with glue. True, flat and layered can be confused with raised of a die clash. To be sure, dip the coin in acetone and the ghost will dissolve.

Sometimes people use a vise to create weird patterns, thinking those unfamiliar with how coins are minted will consider this an error or variety.

You’ll find many more examples of vise and glue coins on Facebook because few people know how to tell these apart from clashed dies. They find them in rolls, typically, because someone realized this wasn’t a mint error.

Sometimes glue takes strange shapes. Again, you need to know how coins are made to understand how this could never happen at the Mint.

Depending on the condition of the coin and the denomination, because clashed dies, vise jobs and glue coins happen across denominations, values vary from minor examples $30 to major ones in the hundreds or even thousands of dollars.

If you like posts like this, subscribe so you can be informed whenever there is a new article or column.

Proxiblog also has thousands of followers on Facebook Coin Groups, YouTube and other social media. To get the latest discussion and commentary, be sure to friend us by clicking here.

You can find more information about types, varieties, errors, grading, bidding and buying in Coin News Updated: The Essential Guide to Online Bidding. Please consider buying or gifting the work for a friend, as it underwrites this hobbyist blog. Thank you.

1988/88-D Cents: Flared “FG” Variety

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The “Flared FG” is a transitional variety found on some 1988 and 1988-D Lincoln cents. It occurred when U.S. Mint employees mistakenly used a redesigned die for 1989 cents.

The initials, “FG,” to the right of the Lincoln Memorial building, refer to designer Frank Gasparro.

This variety requires magnification to identify.

As you can see in this expanded photo above, the “flared” initial is the “G.” It has a noticeable serif. The regular lacks that. Now notice the thickness, or higher relief, of the flared “FG.” The revision was meant to make the initials clearer and distinct.

That’s how you tell.

Again, though, because the variety requires close inspection, have handy a regular 1988/88-D cent so you can compare.

These are easy to find because of the huge mintage: 6,092,810,000 for 1988; 5,253,740,443, 1988-D.

Then compare initials, as below.

The variety designation is FS-901 “Reverse of 1989.” Worn examples sell for a few dollars to $25; mint state, about $150. Several at MS68 have sold for hundreds of dollars.

If you intend to purchase or bid on an example from eBay or Facebook, make sure that the photos are clear enough and magnified so that you can identify the variety. Here’s a typical photo; you can try expanding it with your own photo app. But in general, avoid these.

If you like posts like this, subscribe so you can be informed whenever there is a new article or column.

Proxiblog also has thousands of followers on Facebook Coin Groups, YouTube and social media. To get the latest discussion and commentary, be sure to friend us by clicking here.

You can find more information about types, varieties, errors, grading, bidding and buying in Coin News Updated: The Essential Guide to Online Bidding. Please consider buying or gifting the work for a friend, as it underwrites this hobbyist blog. Thank you.