Longacre doubling is a particular type of doubling that first appears on coins designed during the tenure of Chief Engraver
James Longacre. It is characterized as a flat shelf like doubling around the lettering and sometimes also on the devices. The defining characteristic is that the doubling is often seen of BOTH sides of the same letter or even all the way around the letter. It is caused by the punch used to punch the letter or device into the master die having a raised "shoulder" around the letter and the punch being driven into the die far enough that the "shoulder" appears in the die.
While there is nothing definitive as to why this occurs I believe it was because Longacre was not a trained die sinker or engraver. His specialty was flat plate engraving and he got his appointment as Chief Engraver through political connections and not qualifications. From his appointment in 1844 through 1848 this was not a problem because the master dies already existed and the only punching done was for the date. but in 1849 Longacre had to create two new designs for the gold dollar and double eagle and Longacre doubling appears for the first time.
I believe that Longacre used these "shouldered" punches so that he would know when the punching was deep enough (When the shoulder starts to appear you are deep enough.) And when the working die was polished or basined the shoulders could also be used as a guide the proper basining. When the shoulders disappear that section is properly basined.
As mentioned Longacre doubling is not seen before Longacre's term or office, but it does continue to appear after he died but only until the master die was modified. For example Longacre doubling can be found on both sides of the
Indian Head cent before 1886. After the new Hub of 86 obverse was introduced it is no longer seen on the obv die, but the reverse was never altered and Logacre doubling can be found on the reverse through the end of the series.
Longacre doubling is not seen on every coin during the Longacre era because if the working die was properly basined and polished all of the shouldering is gone. But if the die shop was rushed because of high demand for dies things would get sloppy and not all of the shouldering is removed. In some cases it looks like they have hardly tried. Also as the die is used and wears the doubling can also fade and wear away. (At one time some people thought the doubling came from die wear and deterioration, but Longacre doubling is found on proof dies and and coins with very small mintages where the dies would never have had a chance to wear very much. Also there are cases where early die states of a variety show much stronger Longacre doubling that later die states of the same variety.)
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Posted 05/28/2014 3:10 pm
