Die Crack And Odd Lettering On IH Cent

[Big Fang Coin Biter]

Anybody seen lettering like this before? There is a tiny die crack going into the S and T then out the A in states. What has me wondering is the sort of blob-ish outline on the letters (mostly offset to the left as shown). The TAT letters look joined at the baseline. The last S in states almost looks like a double die. This effect is also on the "Of America" but not as pronounced. The date looks normal. Do you suppose this is what they call a loose die, or do I have that retirement coin??? I wish!

Any help will be appreciated.
HH - Robin

 

[pat (chicago)]

some of the lettering does appear to be slightly doubled. a nice looking coin!

 

[Big Fang Coin Biter]

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[Tinfoil]

I think I would send this one off and get it graded if it has any value. Very nice indian. HH Later Jerry aka Tinfoil

 

[digitrich]

A true double die has doubling in only one direction on the letters like: all doubling in just the North direction or just South, but if it's in both directions, then it's not true doubling, it's something less valuable. The technical term is "Longacre" doubling, named after the designer of the Indian Head Cent (Cherry Pickers page 405: "We're certain many readers have seen this doubling before; almost all of the letters are doubled, with the secondary image appearing on both sides of the letters......Longacre doubling will not add premium to a coin's value.") I have several of these, at first glance I thought were double dies. The fact that you appear to have doubling in more than one direction on different letters (could be dirt) makes me lean toward the Longacre doubling effect. As for the die crack, that's probably what it is. Richard Snow's book I mentioned in my post above only says that year, 1885, had "minor varieties" and doesn't list what they are. Well, that's as much as I know, hope it helps.

 

[digitrich]

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[Big Fang Coin Biter]

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[Big Fang Coin Biter]

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