By Charles Morgan for CoinWeek …..
Last month, coin collector and CoinWeek reader Johnny Bowen emailed me to ask my opinion about an unusual Lincoln Memorial Cent error coin. The coin was a 1980-S Lincoln Cent Proof, one of 3,554,806 sold that year as part of the 1980 United States Proof Set. Bowen purchased the set directly from the United States Mint 44 years ago and realized then that the Lincoln Cent had an unusual feature not found on most coins.
According to Bowen, the set’s 1980-S Lincoln Cent Proof was struck using dramatically misaligned dies, and he wanted to know if the coin had any value beyond the typical dollar it might otherwise be worth if it were sold individually.
I asked him to send me clear photographs of both sides of the Proof Set so that I could measure the die orientation. Once I confirmed that the coin was a Mint Error, I gave Johnny submission information for the three leading coin grading services and said that once the coin returned from grading, I would help him locate a dealer who might be interested in it.
Bowen opted to submit his coin to CACG, which graded the error coin CAC PR67RD CAM, and noted that the coin was struck with dies rotated clockwise by 140 degrees. The Proof 67 grade is typical for Lincoln Cent Proofs of the era. I believe that the coin did not earn CAC’s Deep Cameo designation due to the slight softness of the frost on the lettering of STATES and E PLURIBUS UNUM.
What Is a Rotated Die Error?
Coins produced by the U.S. Mint are made to exact specifications. Under normal circumstances, when dies are mounted in a coin press, the coin’s obverse (the heads side) is mounted right-side up, while the coin’s reverse (tails) is mounted upside down. This orientation or alignment, also called a “coin turn,” means that when you flip a coin on its vertical axis, the reverse image will be oriented right-side up.
In the case of a rotated die error, the reverse die is not mounted at the correct orientation and is rotated off of its proper alignment. The most dramatic misalignment for a United States coin is 180 degrees. In the case of Bowen’s 1980-S Lincoln Cent Proof error, the reverse die was rotated 140 degrees clockwise.
Proof Error Coins Must Evade the Mint’s Strict Quality Control
Despite producing more coins than any other mint worldwide, the United States Mint has a stellar track record for making high-quality United States coins for circulation. That standard for quality is even more strict when it comes to Proof coins that are struck for numismatic collectors.
Proof coins are struck individually and handled with great care so that the coin’s mirrored surfaces do not come in contact with other coins or human hands. They must also pass strict quality control checks before being sent off for packaging. Coins that fail this inspection are set aside for destruction.
The dies that produced Bowen’s rotated reverse coin would have likely struck other coins, so it is worth checking your 1980 United States Proof Sets to see if a similar event occurred with your Lincoln Cent.
What Did He Do with the Coin?
After discussing the coin with a number of nationally known dealers, I suggested that Johnny might want to offer it to one who specialized in mint errors. I put him in contact with Jon Sullivan of Sullivan Numismatics in Land O’ Lakes, Florida.
Sullivan spoke with CoinWeek about the type of error, saying:
“Proof rotated dies can be found on a handful of years for most series of Proof coins, but they are always scarce. Most are worth $150-$500. Some of the rarest pieces can be as high as around $1,000. This coin was found in a Proof Set and is an exciting piece for collectors of Proof rotated dies!”
As always, happy hunting!
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