Just Back From PCGS Grading

There were multiple obverse dies used in 1881 that had most of the obverse legends doubled. The coin shown above was struck with a die that had the doubling most noticeable in CANADA, VICTORIA, and DEI and present, but less obvious, in GRATIA and REGINA. A couple more dies had the doubling more noticeable on the right side of the obverse. One other obverse die had five or six letters re-punched with manual punches of the wrong size. PCGS calls all of these DDO, though the one with the incorrectly re-punched letters is not really a DDO, as the doubling was not caused during the sinking of the die, but rather in subsequent repairs before the die was put into service.

That 1881-H is really a beautiful coin!

That's the same coin you have pictured in Dies and Diadems isn't it?




I wonder if PCGS will oneday attribute the different dies for these Canadian cents like they do with the early U.S. cents and Half Cents?

Bosox - Do you have a registry page? I'd love to see your collection of vicky cents!

Thanks for the kind words, everyone. The 1881-H is the one from Dies & Diadems, page 70.

We need to get PCGS to attribute obverse varieties before we get them to die pair attribution.

We will see soon. I have nine circulated ones in for grading at PCGS. I also have one in a PCGS MS-63RB holder I haven't sent in yet.