Definition: Both metal foil and a planchet entered the striking chamber and were struck together. The metal foil adhered to the struck coin.
This 2006 Silver Eagle had a piece of metal foil enter the striking chamber at the same time as the planchet. Whether the foil was adhered to the planchet before the strike is unknown. However, the piece of foil remained in place after the strike to form a retained struck-through.
With this type of collar break, part of the collar breaks off but does not fall away. Instead, it remains close to the intact part of the collar. It may be that the hardened working face of the collar breaks off and sinks into the surrounding softer metal. Or it may be that one side of the collar breaks away but is held in place by bolts or clamps or whatever anchors the collar to the press frame.
Although it’s sometimes difficult to distinguish from a bilateral split collar, there are some telltale diagnostics. A bilateral split collar shows only horizontal spread. This creates a raised nib at both poles (see bilateral split collar),
but the curved outline of the coin is largely undisturbed except for the fact that the original circle is converted to a modest oval. With a retained collar break you look for evidence of vertical movement, horizontal offset, or pivoting – something that indicates unusual mobility in part of the collar. Diagnostics to look for are as follows:
Depicted below is a 1973-D cent with a retained collar break on the right side. With diagnostics 1 and 2 present the endpoints are 180 degrees apart and can be seen at 1:00 and 7:00. There is clear evidence of collar contact on either side of the break at the upper endpoint, and clear evidence of collar contact along much of edge along the right side. There is a step-up at 1:00 and a step-down at the 7:00. It’s probably indicative of horizontal offset since expansion on the right side is symmetrical. Pivoting is associated with uneven expansion that’s greater toward one endpoint. A collar chip lies along the right side of the break at the 1:00 position. It extends from one rim to the other.
Close-up of the step-up at the Close-up of the step-down at the
1:00 position. 7:00 position
A collar chip sits right next to the top of the step.
Definition: A retained cud is a fragment that breaks off the edge of the die but is nevertheless held in place. Retained cuds are rarely found in connection with the hammer die. That’s because gravity usually insures that the fragment falls out and is lost. It’s been said that the fragment is held in place by the bolts or clamp that secure the hammer die in its recess within the die assembly. But this cannot be the case because the die neck (where retained cuds form) is free. It is the die shaft and base that are tightened down. There must therefore be another mechanism responsible for retained cuds of the hammer die.
The vast majority of claimed retained cuds of the hammer die are probably invalid. Most of these alleged retained cuds were probably still connected to the rest of the die neck. Slight to moderate displacement is likely due to subsurface deformation beneath a cracked die face.
In cases of severe horizontal displacement, it’s possible that the die fragment breaks free, shifts position, and then fuses to the roof of the void during the next strike.
This cent represents a reasonably good candidate for a retained cud of the hammer die (in this case the obverse die). The island of design at the base of Lincoln’s bust shows a great deal of lateral spread and horizontal offset. The amount of vertical displacement is slight, however. If this is a true retained cud, it’s likely that the die fragment fused to the roof of the void after breaking free and shifting position. If not, then we can assign the movement to subsurface deformation.
Definition: Most retained cuds (retained marginal die breaks) sink in below the plane of the face. On rare occasions the die fragment will protrude above the plane of the die face. Any coin the die strikes will show a corresponding area of design that is recessed relative to the rest of the design.
Definition: An island of metal surrounded by a die crack that sinks into the die face. On the coin it’s seen as an island of design that sits on a low plateau. It’s almost impossible to determine if a retained interior die break is actually detached from the remainder of the die face or simply sank in as the result of subsurface deformation beneath a cracked surface.
A retained interior die break may or may not be connected to the rim by die cracks or a split die. If such a connection is absent, it is called a freestanding interior die break. Many retained interior die breaks straddle splits in the die face.
Retained interior die breaks are also referred to as retained internal die breaks.
The reverse face of this 2007-P dime shown above has an asymmetrical split die straddled by a retained interior die break. Additional die chips are arranged along the split.
Definition: A retained interior die break occurs when a flake detaches from the die face but, instead of falling off, it
sinks into the surrounding metal.
Depicted below is a large, retained interior die break straddling a split die in an uncirculated 1973-D nickel. Part of Monticello (the building, not the motto) is raised up on a pedestal, and there is an abrupt step-down to the rest of the design. Essentially, the split diverged around the flake at one end, and reunited at the other end. Of course, deep to the flake, the split would have to have been continuous. The flake would probably have been somewhat wedge-shaped if sectioned vertically from north to south. After breaking free, the flake sank into softer surrounding metal, leaving a corresponding raised area on the coin.
Definition: Defined as an area of the die that has become detached but is still retained in the die.
Lincoln cent dies of the middle through late 1950’s were prone to cracking around the top of Lincoln’s head.
In the specimen below, there are a number of die cracks that extend from the raised island of metal and end blindly. Since none of the cracks reach the rim, the island of metal they radiate from is considered a freestanding retained interior die break. Another retained interior die break is forming to the southeast, creating an elevation that resembles a loose skin flap.
Definition: A lamination error occurs when metal flakes off the surface of a coin or planchet. It is generally believed that the flaking, peeling, and cracking is due to impurities in the alloy which causes metal to separate along horizontal planes of weakness.
A retained lamination error is a flake that remains attached to the main body of the coin.
A piece of this of this 1960D small date Lincoln cent has peeled up and folded over. Another area of delaminating metal can be seen to the left of the retained lamination (indicated by white arrows).
Images are courtesy of Paul Ihrig.
Definition: Occasionally hard, compacted die fill (“grease”) separates from the die and adheres to a newly-struck coin. While similar to a dropped filling, the resulting mass is shapeless and carries no raised design on its outer surface. The substance is typically black and granular, with occasional silvery and coppery flecks scattered within. The latter are presumed to represent metal dust.
Two patches of embedded black die fill occupy the obverse face of this 1970-D cent. The larger deposit obscures part of Lincoln’s head and the words WE TRUST. The smaller deposit covers the back corner of Lincoln’s shoulder and continues on into the adjacent field. A few silvery flecks appear within the larger granular mass. Other portions of the obverse face show the typical appearance of a “struck through grease” error.
Definition: This error type occurs when a planchet is feed into the striking chamber that has foreign material in that chamber or has been feed into the chamber along with the planchet. The resulting strike embeds the foreign material into the planchet being struck.
This unusual looking 1982-P large date, copper, Lincoln cent was struck with foreign material (presumably remnants of a feeder finger) in the striking chamber. The result was the embedding of multiple fragments of silvery metal being forced into the planchet by the incurring strike. The below images show the fragments embedded into the coin’s surface on both the obverse and reverse.
The foreign material is indicated by blue arrows.
For more information concerning the die clash on this unusual coin clicking HERE
Also, refer to PART X. Wastebasket / Composite Categories by clicking HERE
