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Definition: A shattered die shows extensive evidence of
brittle fracture. Many types of brittle fracture may be represented, e.g., die
breaks, retained die breaks, die cracks, a split die, etc. The die may or
may not be approaching catastrophic failure (see Catastrophic Die
Failure). Not surprisingly, a series of coins struck by a shattered die
can often be arranged in a progression of increasing severity.

Note: Two separate specimens are shown below.

Depicted below is a 1985 India 25 paise coin featuring a large
retained cud, a small retained interior die break, and numerous die cracks,
most of them bi-level. The right side of the obverse face (and the
corresponding left side of the reverse face) are weakly struck. Part of this is
due to a sinking in of the die face on the right side of the obverse that is part and parcel of the development of a large bi-level
die crack that extends through the three headed lion. The weakness is also due
to a tilted die error (vertical misalignment) of the entire obverse face. The
left side of the obverse is quite strongly struck, despite the large retained cud.
This should have led to a reduction in effective striking pressure. The fact
that it didn’t indicates that this part of the obverse die face was tilted
down, while the opposite pole was tilted up. This tilt was most likely due to a
break at the base of the die or through the shaft of the die – a break that
allowed the die to tilt down strongly toward one pole.

2002 Brazilian 10 centavos with various types and manifestations of brittle fracture. There are three cuds, one
retained interior die break, and a tracery of intersecting die
cracks of both the conventional and the bi-level type.