How Skidding Dies Can Lead To All Sorts Of Different Error Coins

CoinWorld - The reverse face of this quadruple-struck 2000-D Lincoln Cent shows a design ablation error on the second strike. The descent of the hammer (reverse) die stopped suddenly mid-impact and then lurched northward, scraping off the first-strike details. Strikes three and four were delivered in tandem (a saddle strike).

The hammer die is designed to move vertically during its downstroke (which culminates in the strike) and during its retraction phase. Horizontal movements are undesirable and can leave behind a host of errors.

Horizontal movements can occur before impact, during impact, and during retraction. If a lateral shift occurs during impact or early in retraction (before it's cleared the coin's surface), the die will drag itself across the coin. This will cause the newly struck design to be repositioned, smeared, scraped or erased. Effects will also vary depending on whether the movement occurs in the course of a single strike or during a second strike.

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