1986 Die Crack

[scubalou]

Poor Abe really took it on the chin this time. Crack runs from the top of his head to his chin.
Do you think the back of his head could be some doubling of his hair?
Lou

[makecents]

That's a nice crack Lou!! I can't really tell what's going on with the back of his head though, it's extremely abraded, so it may be a clash but more than likely just plating issues. Can you get a closeup around "WE" including the rim and the top of the head?

[scubalou]

Jon: Thanks for looking. I considered both a clash and plating issues. I did not consider die deterioration. The clash I ruled out right away because nothing on the back would make that impression. The only way I could imagine is if it clashed with another obverse. The plating issue is what I suspect as well, though the rest of the coin doesn't display those issues. On the WE, it looks like the left side took a hit, same with the bottom of the W. As far as the top of the head I'm thinking a little de lamination (perhaps caused by the crack), it appears to have been there before the strike.
Lou

[VAB2013]

That's a nice crack Lou!! I can't really tell what's going on with the back of his head though, it's extremely abraded, so it may be a clash but more than likely just plating issues. Can you get a closeup around "WE" including the rim and the top of the head?

I agree with Jon that yours might be a spike head cent, if you can post a close up around "WE" including the rim and the top of the head. If yours is a spike then yours appears to be unlisted on cuds-on-coins.com

I also agree with Jon that it's difficult to tell what is going on at the back of Lincoln's head... but I'm not seeing any visible signs of a die clash on the obv/rev of your cent - also that spot behind Lincoln's head is not normally where a die clash would show up, most of the time it is more toward the center of the coin so I'm doubting a die clash.

Lamination errors are found on pre-1982 cents so what you are describing would be considered to be a plating disturbance issue.

[scubalou]

Don't know if this will help, but here's three more close-ups of the WE.
Lou

[VAB2013]

Can you zoom in more? The part we need to see is the top of Lincoln's head and including the full edge of the coin at WE. Thank you Lou!

[makecents]

Thanks Lou. In the first pic it looks like it might creap up the west side of the "E" but I don't think it made it to the rim, probably too light in that area to list even if it does. Very cool crack though!

[scubalou]

O.k., here's a couple of micros let me know if you need more light etc.
Lou

[scubalou]

Looks like something else on this coin. Liberty appears to be doubled. I see that they all shift west, but if you look at the Y, both sides on top look well notched.
Lou

[makecents]

Thanks for the extra pics Lou. Nothing on the spike, unfortunately and the doubling you're talking about is deterioration.

[jfines69]

I'm in with the die deterioration... The mint just loves to use worn out dies on perfectly good blanks You also have a slightly misaligned obv die to the SE... On the hair it looks fairly thin all along the edge of Abes head... Compare yours with some of these from PCGS... Hope that helps a bit!!!