A Lot Of Kennedy Halfs With Errors

Mostly examples of Die Deterioration. No errors or premium for these. Just aging die examples.

There are lots of ways to distinguish the different types of doubling, but here are a few of the key ones:

1. A doubled die will almost always leave devices that are enlarged, fattened, thickened or appear somewhat distorted.

2. Machine Doubling generally leaves flat, shelf like areas next to the devices and reduces the size of the device.

3. Deterioration in the die, especially the kind in these photos, will show the appearance of movement towards the rim of the coin (hence the striations on the interior of the letters) and will reduce the size of the devices.

Think of the difference between a doubled die and Machine Doubling like this(WARNING!! OVERSIMPLIFICATION COMING UP!):

Put your hand into wet cement and pull it out. Nice image, right? Now put it into the cement again, except 1/4 inch to the right of the previous spot. See how it looks like everything is slightly bigger but if you look closer at the finger tips you can see they've been "doubled"?

That's a doubled die.

Put your hand into the wet cement in a new spot and while pressing it in move your hand to the right 1/4 inch and then pull it out. Do you see how you've created a flat area between where the impression started and where you pulled your hand out? That's Machine Doubling.

One happens in the actual die that makes the coin but leaves evidence of it's existence on the coin and the other happens when the coin moves as it is being struck.

The best place online to learn about errors is easily

http://www.error-ref.com/

They explain the entire coin making process and show virtually every type of error that can be made. (If you spend more than 20 minutes on this website your definitely an error coin geek!)

Apologies for the length of the response and hope it helps.

1. Note that nothing is doubled. Everything is reduced. Even Machine Doubling will show striation lines on the devices:


Not hub doubling. Just a striking event.
2. When die wear/deterioration happens the metal moves in the direction of the closest rim.


3. Note the fields are maxed out with die flow lines. They can be seen on the affected areas.

4. Hub doubling enlarges the devices with corresponding doubling of the devices. This is not the case on this coin.

Note the devices are affected towards the rim and the fields show a VLDS die created this affect. Not a doubled die.
A doubled die will affect the devices to show they are enlarged and look like the doubled hub affect created on the die:

Even a doubled die can show extreme die wear. On the class 2 doubled dies, that area on the outside of the devices can have the hub doubling go away, but the in side devices may show the doubled die.
5. Even the upper parts of the devices inside of devices can move in that direction.



So if what looks like doubling is caused by extreme die wear or Machine Doubling, it is not a doubled die. A doubled die had the doubling of the hub showing on the die. That is why they are called a doubled die.