Grading Strike Doubling on Edge Lettering: The Difference Between $10 and $1,000

Understanding Strike Doubling on Edge Lettering

Condition is everything. Here’s how to examine the high points and fields to determine the true grade of this piece.

When examining coins with edge lettering, collectors and graders must understand the unique challenges these pieces present. Unlike traditional strike doubling that occurs from a single blow from the dies, edge lettering involves a rolling process that creates different potential error scenarios.

The Edge Lettering Process

Edge lettering is applied through a castaing machine (or lettering device) that rolls the coin between a lettered bar and a blank bar under significant pressure. This process is fundamentally different from the single-strike method used for obverse and reverse designs, which raises important questions about whether traditional strike doubling can occur in this context.

The pressure applied during edge lettering is substantial – coins are literally squeezed between the bars as they rotate. This high-pressure environment makes it difficult for the kind of die bounce that creates traditional strike doubling to occur. However, the possibility of movement during the process cannot be entirely dismissed.

Identifying True Edge Lettering Errors

When examining potential edge lettering errors, graders look for specific characteristics:

• Partial lettering: If a coin gets stuck in the castaing machine and skips part of the process, you’ll see a messy depression in the edge where the bar ground against the coin
• Double lettering: When a coin goes through the machine twice, the second set of lettering may appear upside down or offset
• Missing lettering: Complete absence of edge lettering is another common error

These scenarios apply to business strikes. Proof coins use a different method – a collar with lettering that forms during the initial strike.

The Debate Over Strike Doubling on Edges

The numismatic community remains divided on whether true strike doubling can occur on edge lettering. Some experts argue that the high-pressure rolling process eliminates the possibility of die bounce. Others suggest that a “tiny hop or slip” could cause localized doubling, though this would likely affect only portions of the legend rather than the entire inscription.

Professional graders at PCGS and NGC have not officially recognized edge lettering strike doubling as a distinct error category. This lack of recognition significantly impacts the potential value of any coins collectors might believe exhibit this characteristic.

Alternative Explanations for Edge Anomalies

What some collectors interpret as strike doubling on edge lettering may actually be:

• Slide doubling: A smooth form of doubling that occurs when the coin slides during the lettering process, creating a smeared appearance
• Deep striking: Letters that appear unusually wide or prominent due to excessive pressure during the lettering process
• Mechanical damage: Post-minting damage that creates the illusion of doubling

One collector described a coin where the lettering “gets smeared like peanut butter” when the coin slides in the castaing machine. This creates obvious signs of metal movement and wide blank spots where lettering would normally appear.

Grading Standards for Edge Lettering Errors

When grading coins with edge lettering errors, professional services apply the same standards used for all coins:

• Luster: The presence and quality of original mint luster on the coin’s surfaces
• Wear patterns: Evidence of circulation and handling on the high points
• Strike quality: The sharpness and completeness of all design elements
• Eye appeal: Overall visual attractiveness, including the impact of any errors

Edge lettering errors are typically noted as “Mint Error” rather than receiving a specific attribution like “Strike Doubling on Edge.” This classification affects both the grade assigned and the coin’s market value.

Historical Context: The Washington Dollar Series

Much of the recent discussion about edge lettering errors centers on the Presidential $1 Coin Series, particularly the Washington dollars. These coins represented a significant shift in U.S. Mint production methods, as they were among the first circulating coins to feature edge lettering.

The introduction of these coins led to increased awareness of edge lettering errors, including the famous “Godless dollars” where the edge inscription was missing. However, true strike doubling on these edges remains controversial and unconfirmed by major grading services.

Value Considerations

The value differential between a standard coin and one with an edge lettering error can be substantial – ranging from minimal premiums to thousands of dollars for rare errors. However, coins claimed to have edge strike doubling typically fall into the lower value range because:

• Major grading services don’t recognize the error type
• The error is difficult to authenticate definitively
• Similar-looking errors (like slide doubling) are more common and less valuable

A coin that might be worth $10 as a normal specimen could potentially reach $50-100 if it exhibits a confirmed, significant edge lettering error. Claims of strike doubling on edges rarely achieve the $1,000+ values seen with other error types.

Authentication and Expert Analysis

For collectors who believe they’ve found a coin with edge strike doubling, professional authentication is essential. Experts will examine:

• The nature of the doubling – whether it shows characteristics consistent with strike doubling or other phenomena
• The pressure patterns on the edge – whether they align with known minting processes
• The overall context of the error – whether it appears consistent with known minting anomalies

Without clear, high-quality photographs and expert analysis, claims of edge strike doubling remain speculative. The numismatic community continues to debate the possibility, but until major grading services recognize and attribute this error type, its collectibility remains limited.

Conclusion: The Future of Edge Lettering Error Collecting

The controversy surrounding strike doubling on edge lettering highlights the evolving nature of error coin collecting. As minting technology changes and new error types potentially emerge, the community must carefully evaluate claims and establish clear criteria for authentication.

For collectors interested in edge lettering errors, focusing on confirmed error types – partial lettering, double lettering, and missing lettering – offers more reliable collecting opportunities. These errors are recognized by grading services, have established values, and represent genuine minting anomalies.

While the debate over edge strike doubling continues, collectors should approach such claims with appropriate skepticism and seek expert opinion before assigning significant value to these pieces. The difference between a $10 coin and a $1,000 coin often comes down to authentication, recognition by the numismatic establishment, and the fundamental question of whether the error can actually occur within the minting process as claimed.

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