2012 P Struck Through Late Stage Die Cap with Die Break Obverse

Definition: A coin struck through a late-stage die cap will show a strong “ghost image” of the raised design (see Die Cap).  Most such errors involve die caps affixed to the hammer die, so we’ll focus on those.

A hammer die cap begins when a coin sticks to the hammer die.  That coin proceeds to strike a succession of planchets. This phenomenonis called “cupping”.   Eventually the die cap assumes a thimble shape.  Any design originally present on the working face of the die cap grows progressively fainter and more distorted.  Eventually no design is left and all you have is a thin cap bottom that has molded itself to the recesses of the die face.

The blurred design seen on a coin struck through a late-stage die cap has bled through the thin floor of that die cap.  We refer to such coins as a “late-stage capped die strike” or a “generic capped die strike”.  The shorter term “capped die strike” is sometimes used also.

Extremely Rare! Very difficult to find on the open market!