How I Solved My 1865 Two Cent Coin Clash Mystery After 6 Months of Frustration (And What I Wish I Knew)

Six Months. Countless Dead Ends. Here’s What Finally Cracked My 1865 Two Cent Coin Mystery

That first moment holding my 1865 Fancy 5 Two Cent piece felt like uncovering buried treasure. Those ghostly clash marks on the reverse? I was certain I’d found something extraordinary. Six months later – after enough frustration to make me reconsider this hobby – I finally understood why old-timers say coin collecting will humble you faster than a misgraded Morgan dollar. Let me walk you through my messy, enlightening journey with this clash-marked coin – the mistakes, breakthroughs, and hard-won lessons that transformed how I collect.

The $45 Coin That Cost Me 200 Hours

It started innocently enough – an eBay listing with blurry photos of an 1865 Two Cent piece. But I kept coming back to those faint shield lines ghosting across the reverse. Against my better judgment (and my wife’s raised eyebrow), I clicked “Buy Now.” Little did I know this $45 coin would send me down a rabbit hole where:

• Reference books felt like ancient treasure maps missing key landmarks
• My emails to experts vanished into the numismatic void
• Even grading services shrugged at what seemed obvious to me

Clash Marks 101: Why We Obsess Over These Ghostly Imprints

For those new to die clashes, here’s the simple version: when coin dies smash together without a blank planchet between them, they leave phantom impressions. Collectors go wild for these errors when they’re:

• Crisp enough to identify specific design elements
• Linked to documented die pairs
• Listed in the bible of coin varieties (the Cherrypickers’ Guide)

My coin had textbook shield lines transferred from obverse to reverse. Yet as I’d painfully learn, the difference between “valuable variety” and “cool curiosity” often comes down to paperwork.

My Research Misadventures

When Reference Books Betray You

Armed with my trusty Cherrypickers’ Guide and Flynn’s Two Cent book, I hit my first wall:

“The 1865 Plain 5 clash (FS-02-1865-401/901) gets full recognition… but my Fancy 5 version? Not a whisper.”

The pattern repeated everywhere I looked. How could such clear clash marks on a Fancy 5 coin be completely ignored? I felt like Sherlock Holmes with a magnifying glass but no case to solve.

Pixel Detective Work

Desperate, I turned to online clash databases. Here’s the basic overlay technique I used:




Forum members helped me align my coin’s clash marks with known shield patterns. The match was undeniable! Yet without an official FS number, PCGS wouldn’t touch it. One collector delivered the crushing truth:

“No FS number? Might as well be invisible. ANACS might note ‘Die Clash’ if you beg, but don’t expect value recognition.”

The Hard Truths That Changed Everything

Reality Check #1: The Knowledge Barrier

My attempts to contact specialists like CONECA’s Frank Leone went unanswered – classic “who you know” numismatic reality. The breakthrough came when another collector DM’d me images of two near-identical Fancy 5 clashes:

• An MS63 RB beauty with matching die cracks
• An XF specimen proving prolonged die use
• My AU58 coin – the missing puzzle piece

Three identical clashes. Zero documentation. That’s when I realized: some varieties aren’t “undiscovered” – they’re just waiting for someone stubborn enough to connect the dots.

Reality Check #2: The Value Illusion

I’d dreamed of my coin’s value skyrocketing with official recognition. The cold shower truth:

• Clash premiums mainly excite specialists (a tiny club)
• Grading fees often outweigh potential gains
• Die wear gradually erases evidence, complicating authentication

A Bust Half collector summed it up perfectly:

“We treat clashes like beautiful battle scars – admire them, don’t bank on them.”

How My Collecting Philosophy Transformed

From Trophy Hunting to Storytelling

This six-month saga rewired my brain:

• Visual drama over pedigrees: My coin’s clash creates an irresistible story no slab can match
• Document like your sanity depends on it: I now create “case files” with:
  • High-res photos under raking light
  • Overlay comparisons against known examples
  • Precise die marker maps

Becoming the Archivist

Since official recognition seems unlikely, I’ve built my own knowledge base:

1. Public Google Drive with downloadable high-res images
2. Detailed forum posts documenting die markers
3. Collaborations with macro photographers to improve standards

The best advice came from a silver dollar specialist:

“If the reference books are silent, become the reference.”

Your Game Plan for Suspected Varieties

Pro Documentation Tactics

If you spot a potential undiscovered variety:

• Camera settings that reveal truth:
  f/8 aperture | 1/60 shutter | ISO 100 | Two-point LED lighting
• Research shortcuts:
  • PCGS CoinFacts’ variety section
  • Maddie Clashes database (free resource)
  • CONECA’s online listings
• Building bridges:
  • Targeted Facebook group participation
  • Cornering specialists at small coin shows
  • Trading duplicate coins for insider knowledge

The Ultimate Takeaway: Why This Hunt Mattered

After six months obsessing over one coin, here’s what sticks:

• Official labels ≠ real worth: My “unrecognized” clash sparks more conversations than any slabbed coin
• Frustration fuels growth: I learned more documenting this clash than from 20 “easy” attributions
• Legacy matters: By preserving this knowledge, I’ve helped future collectors avoid my pitfalls

If you’re chasing your own numismatic white whale, remember this: the true value isn’t in the attribution – it’s in becoming the collector who could earn it. My mantra now? “Collect the story first, the coin second.” That 1865 Two Cent piece? It taught me more about persistence than any textbook ever could.

Related Resources

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