Bringing the latest mint error news to the collector. Also featuring Die Trials, Patterns, Test Pieces, Numismatic Rarities, Currency Errors and Discoveries from the U.S. Mint.
1974-S Lincoln Cent Mated Error Pair Struck From Two Obverse Dies Featured in Upcoming FUN 2025 Heritage Auction
Images Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, HA.com
This mint error set is featured in the upcoming January 2025 FUN US Coins Signature® Auction #1380.
From the Heritage auction listing:
1974-S Lincoln Cent Mated Error Pair Struck From Two Obverse Dies NGC. The mated pair consists of Coin #1 -- Struck on a 1973 Panama Tenth Balboa -- MS66 NGC; and Coin #2 -- Reverse Brockage -- MS64 Brown NGC.
The U.S. Mint struck coins for Panama during 1973, including tenth balboas struck on clad Roosevelt dime planchets. The San Francisco Mint struck Lincoln cents for commerce during 1974.
Unlikely as it may seem, a Lincoln cent die pair consisted of two 1974-S obverse dies, and a struck tenth balboa was fed between those two obverse dies, along with a normal cent planchet. The tenth balboa and cent planchet were stacked on top of each other, with the reverse of the tenth balboa facing one of the obverse dies. The strike pushed the tenth balboa obverse into the reverse of the cent planchet, creating a brockage: an incused and reversed image of the tenth balboa obverse.
The brockage side of Coin #2 exhibits moderate carbon. A mated pair certain to evoke discussion within the error community.
