1904 Liberty Nickel With Extra Stars?

I don't know if Fair Use will cover me reproducing the whole article here, so I won't even though it's publicly archived by Coin World. Here's the link to the issue; you (the reader) want Page 67:

http://editions.amospublishing.com/...x?d=20130311

As for me, I'm just going to link the information and go sit in front of Sports Center to think for a bit.

I'm at the sidelines following this incredible thread. I'm barely able to understand the posts and certainly not qualified to voice an opinion.

Thank you vermontensium for raising the question as I'm learning every day at CCF.

cipster, I am lost as well!

My interest in this topic is to study, not the coin, but the numismatists who are
literally putting the coin under a microscope to determine the reasons for its existence.

There are two reasons to create a 'counterfeit' coin:
To fool a merchant, or
To fool a coin collector.
To go to the trouble to create an 'error' eliminates the first reason.

Now, we are used to seeing 'rare' coins which are faked because the go for a lot of money.
But a common date nickel?
My question is therefore: What was the motivation?

Also, I too wonder: if this was a deliberate and mass-produced 'error,' where are all of the other examples?
If a one-of-a-kind effort, then the pay-back was negligible.

I did a little searching and I know what vermontensium paid.
The 'counterfeiter' did not get rich making this coin, assuming that it was 'made.'

In the end, it is the debate, discussion and interest in such a coin that proves to be of immense
instructional benefit.

Perhaps a poll: 'deal-or-no-deal?'
Genuine mint error or PMD.
Just for fun.

The whole point of a counterfeit like this is to create an added-value error.

So, its fake? Is that what you guys are saying?

What puzzles me most is how a hard, nickel coin can be struck by another die with sufficient force so as to leave imprints in the field without damaging the higher relief letters/stars of the original coin ... I'm referring to both nickels in this thread.

I believe typically when they talk about a counterfeit struck with "soft" dies what it is is an impression of a coin forced into a brass plate or block. Forcing the coin in creates a "die" and work hardens the brass. That die is then forced against another coin. This soft die is able to raise a "soft" impression on the coin, but due to the softness of the die it doesn't flatten out the design on the coin. Typically such a die is also damaged by the coin during this second impression and only lasts for the one strike. If you look at the die after the second impression it will now have two images on it and the first one will be somewhat flattened and distorted. A second strike with this die would give a tripled appearance with distorted impressions.