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A nice “flip-over” double strike of Claudius II with clear portraits on both sides


Shea19

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Hello everyone!  I’ve been out of town for the last couple of weeks (seems like I missed out on a lot), but I’m very happy to now be part of the new site.  I’m especially happy to get to share this hot mess of a coin for my first post here.  Though I don’t usually collect “error” coins, as soon as I saw this one, I knew that I had to have it.

40CB9E8A-2DBD-44C7-846B-164BE40AF2B2.thumb.jpeg.bcb9c51a427989aa96cde09cdf465568.jpegClaudius II Gothicus, AE Antoninianus (24.95mm, 3.71 g), Siscia, 268-270 A.D, Radiate and cuirassed bust of Claudius II right/ Rev. Laetitia AVG, Laetitia left. RIC VI 181 Siscia

I believe that this would be classified as a “flip-over” double-strike.  What I think happened (and please correct me if I’m wrong), is that after the coin was initially struck, the folks at the mint determined that it needed to be struck again.   When they put it back in to be struck again, they accidentally flipped the coin over, so that the obverse was struck on top of the (original) reverse side, and vice versa. They ended up with this beautiful mess of a coin, which has a full portrait on both sides, and much of the reverse design on both sides as well.

Below is a close-up of the, uh, “reverse” side of the coin.  You can see pretty clearly that on the first strike, this side shown below would have been the obverse.   On the second strike, the coin had been flipped over, so the reverse of Laetitia was struck on top of the portrait of Claudius…whoops!

E7EAEC4B-A8F6-41D6-BBCE-12B3F7DC8453.thumb.jpeg.925c61500c369115e5eafbbdba70b31c.jpeg

I know that many posters here have WAY more knowledge than me about this sort of thing, and I hope that they will chime in here.  Very interested to hear if anyone has any other thoughts or theories about how this may have happened…this is definitely one of the the most interesting coins I’ve added to my collection this year.

I’m happy to see so many familiar names here, and looking forward to “meeting” many more of you on the new site.

Please share your favorite double-strikes, overstrikes, or any other “errors” or mishaps at the mint.

 

Edited by Shea19
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  • Shea19 changed the title to A nice “flip-over” double strike of Claudius II with clear portraits on both sides

Striking boo-boo’s are always fun!

[IMG]
RR Pulcher Mallius Mancinus Urbinius 111-110 BCE AR Den TRIGA S 176 Cr 299-1a


And another of the same, that is all messed up! 

[IMG]
RR Clodius Pulcher T Mallius AR Den 111-110 BCE ERROR Flipover Double-Strike Roma Triga Cr 299-1b S 176

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Interesting coin @Shea19! I really like the "reverse" with both sides of the coin clearly visible. Like you, I don't collect error coins but I think I'd also have been tempted to add that to my collection if I'd seen it. I have a double strike as well, albeit not a flip-over like yours. The obverse of this Gallienus is double struck, but the two strikes are aligned at quite a close angle. This results in an evenly spaced obverse legend of GALLIENVSS AVG - with an extra S, and a big chunk has been taken out of Gallienus's neck. You can see evidence of the double strike most clearly around his nose and chin.
image.thumb.jpeg.cc2bdfa27aff32a277771a9b930be84c.jpeg 

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7 hours ago, Shea19 said:

Hello everyone!  I’ve been out of town for the last couple of weeks (seems like I missed out on a lot), but I’m very happy to now be part of the new site.  I’m especially happy to get to share this hot mess of a coin for my first post here.  Though I don’t usually collect “error” coins, as soon as I saw this one, I knew that I had to have it.

40CB9E8A-2DBD-44C7-846B-164BE40AF2B2.thumb.jpeg.bcb9c51a427989aa96cde09cdf465568.jpegClaudius II Gothicus, AE Antoninianus (24.95mm, 3.71 g), Siscia, 268-270 A.D, Radiate and cuirassed bust of Claudius II right/ Rev. Laetitia AVG, Laetitia left. RIC VI 181 Siscia

I believe that this would be classified as a “flip-over” double-strike.  What I think happened (and please correct me if I’m wrong), is that after the coin was initially struck, the folks at the mint determined that it needed to be struck again.   When they put it back in to be struck again, they accidentally flipped the coin over, so that the obverse was struck on top of the (original) reverse side, and vice versa. They ended up with this beautiful mess of a coin, which has a full portrait on both sides, and much of the reverse design on both sides as well.

Below is a close-up of the, uh, “reverse” side of the coin.  You can see pretty clearly that on the first strike, this side shown below would have been the obverse.   On the second strike, the coin had been flipped over, so the reverse of Laetitia was struck on top of the portrait of Claudius…whoops!

E7EAEC4B-A8F6-41D6-BBCE-12B3F7DC8453.thumb.jpeg.925c61500c369115e5eafbbdba70b31c.jpeg

I know that many posters here have WAY more knowledge than me about this sort of thing, and I hope that they will chime in here.  Very interested to hear if anyone has any other thoughts or theories about how this may have happened…this is definitely one of the the most interesting coins I’ve added to my collection this year.

I’m happy to see so many familiar names here, and looking forward to “meeting” many more of you on the new site.

Please share your favorite double-strikes, overstrikes, or any other “errors” or mishaps at the mint.

 

Shea, Nice score 😍, they don't get any better than that. A year ago I scored a rare flip-over double strike on a gold aureus of Zeno, it's not as dramatic as your but it is obvious. The hypnotic repetition of striking coins in a Roman mint makes fertile ground for such errors 😏.

877298516_Zenoflip-overSolidus(3).thumb.jpg.bdb514dc1f0e65a231805d8272014707.jpg

If you rotate my coin 90 degrees counter-clockwise the two different impressions are easy to see 🧐.

1009170749_ZenoCNG489584_1(4).jpg.42a193bf71f800f60c27d29a0186dc23.jpg1026221330_ZenoCNG489584_1(5).jpg.87777002cc97b24f50fc9171d9bf5ca1.jpg1605646458_Zenosoliduscut-outs.jpg.c94ea48d8fa5803b3350bb70206e0d5c.jpg

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Awesome, @Shea19, I've only seen one I like better! 🤓

image.thumb.jpeg.881f1ea3233dba78df0869a4fc9704b1.jpeg

Although yours is better in one important respect, which you point out: two clear portraits.  Congrats, not at all easy to find!!

However @TIF pointed out there was a period in Gallienus's life when his personal adornment habits were rather unorthodox, so I suppose it's just an accurate portrait, eh?

image.thumb.jpeg.642dc9941e6d5bef34d965d338f975bd.jpeg

I'm not sure a flip-over double has to be the result of the mint workers intentionally wanting to restrike, with the flip the only accidental part.  I imagine it's possible for the coin to flip over accidentally simply during striking (due to the blow) and then getting struck again (a second accident) rather than being replaced by a new blank.

I have a few Gallienus errors. Brockage:

image.jpeg.0898091ea074e0415a362215f7491bc2.jpeg

Ordinary double strike:

image.thumb.jpeg.1c8d2438f186a150d7342f46e710fcad.jpeg

Then there's this weird item from the Cologne mint.  Weighing a colossal 6.29g(!!) it's actually the product of a striking error where two flans stuck together:

image.thumb.jpeg.b581234cd1c87243bda26b1a22f33d72.jpeg

image.thumb.jpeg.7468bf9a83188be951436127c3f6aca2.jpeg

So a double antoninianus before Tacitus! 😄

I have lots of other errors but I'll stop at Gallienus before I lose you...

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Wow, shea19 => that's a fantastic new addition!! (congrats on snagging that flip-over winna)

 

Ummm, I have/had a pretty cool flip-over coin ... wanna see it?

 

Constans. Æ Centenionalis (below)

Nicomedia mint, 2nd officina. Struck AD 348-350

AD 337-350

Diameter: 20.5 mm

Weight: 2.84 grams

Obverse: Pearl-diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust left, holding globe

Reverse: Soldier advancing right, head left, holding spear and leading boy away from hut; SMNB

Reference: RIC VIII 70; LRBC 2291

Other: 12h … brown, porous surfaces

=> Dramatic double strike on reverse

Ex-stevex6

Constans Double Strike Reverse.jpg

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Medieval coins are sometimes nice for these sorts of errors, at certain times in history the quality control was very poor.

Here is a flip over double strike penny of King John of England

8EB7BB99-BF9A-4F56-9676-1F537591FEA7.jpeg.60bc1ffe26709375cc50eca025cfd2c3.jpeg

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