1956 d unc showing large date

[cranky]

Here u
is another example only coins a BU unc. The lower right the 6 and 5 with wider and larger numbers.

[cranky]

hers photo.

[willbrooks]

A "large date/small date" difference is a change in the DESIGN, or font of the numbers. What you are seeing can be attributed to a couple of things: Die deterioration can influence the apparent thickness of the devices. Cold metal flow around the corners of the incuse devices on a working die wear them down and they begin appear mushier and wider. Additionally, if this die were created later in the life of the working hub that spawned it, it could also show thicker devices. Remember, a hub has raised elements like a struck coin has. Due to repeated hubbings of working dies, especially if one or more of those dies wasn't properly annealed, the raised portion of the working hub can begin to flatten a little, thereby creating slightly fatter devices on those working dies. What you are seeing is not a design change, and is not noteworthy. If any of the terms I am using are foreign to you, do a search on the die-making process. It is critical to understand this process in your development in this hobby. Hope this explains it for you. Good luck!