PART IV. Die Errors:
Die Clash:
Vertical Misaligned Die Clash (Conventional)
Definition: Vertically misaligned die clashes of the conventional sort are much rare than horizontal misaligned die clashes. The simple reason is that vertical misalignments are much rarer than horizontal misalignments.
During a vertical MAD clash, one pole of a tilted die is driven into the corresponding pole of the opposite die. Whatever peripheral design elements occupy this pole is picked up by the opposite die.
These 1960-D cents shows a conventional vertical misaligned die clash. During the clash, the northern pole of the obverse (hammer) die was tilted down on the image to the left. The image to the right shows the southern pole tilted. It contacted the letters that occupy the northern pole of the reverse die. The result can be seen beneath Lincoln’s bust. The tops of the letters D from UNITED and STATES can be seen in their incuse, mirror-image version.
