The Civil War Coin Error Hidden in Plain Sight: 1867 Two-Cent Double Die
The 1867 Two-Cent Piece FS-101 carries one of the most dramatic doubled dies in 19th-century American coinage. It also carries something much bigger than a variety number.
This short-lived bronze coin helped introduce the motto IN GOD WE TRUST to United States coinage. Then, only three years later, one obverse die turned that motto into a collector’s prize.
Today, the 1867 FS-101 Doubled Die Obverse stands as the key variety in the two-cent series. It attracts Shield Two-Cent specialists. It also draws doubled die collectors who want a bold variety they can see without guesswork.
A Civil War Coin With a National Message
The two-cent piece began with a crisis.
During the Civil War, Americans hoarded gold and silver. Then they pulled copper-nickel cents from circulation as well. As a result, everyday commerce lacked small change. Merchants used tokens. Postage currency also helped fill the gap. However, the country needed a federal coin that could circulate.
So Congress authorized the two-cent piece in 1864. The Philadelphia Mint struck the new denomination in bronze. The alloy contained 95% copper, with the balance made up of tin and zinc.
Chief Engraver James B. Longacre created the design. On the obverse, he placed a Union shield. Behind it, arrows and leaves added a Civil War-era message of defense and endurance. Above the shield, a banner carried the motto IN GOD WE TRUST.
That detail gave the coin a permanent place in American history. The two-cent piece became the first United States coin to display the motto.
Why the Two-Cent Piece Faded Fast
At first, the denomination made sense. The nation needed small change, and the new bronze coin helped.
However, the need faded after the war. Regular coinage returned to daily use. In addition, the public never fully embraced the odd two-cent denomination once the emergency passed.
The numbers tell the story. The Mint struck nearly 20 million two-cent pieces in 1864. By 1867, production fell to 2,938,750 pieces. Then the mintage continued to decline. The Mint struck circulation pieces through 1872. Congress ended the denomination with the Coinage Act of 1873.
That short run helps explain the appeal of the series today. It also gives the 1867 FS-101 its backstory. The Mint created one of its boldest early doubled dies at the very moment the denomination had started to lose its purpose.
The Error Happened in the Die
The 1867 FS-101 Doubled Die Obverse does not represent a simple striking mishap.
Instead, the error entered the working die before the Mint struck the coins. During the die-making process, the die received more than one impression from the hub. Between impressions, the alignment shifted. Therefore, the doubled design became part of the die itself.
Every coin struck from that obverse die carried the same doubled details.
This makes FS-101 different from machine doubling or strike doubling. Those lesser forms usually affect individual coins during striking. A true doubled die comes from the die. That distinction matters, because collectors value doubled dies as repeatable die varieties.
How to Spot the 1867 FS-101 Doubled Die
The motto gives the variety away.
On genuine FS-101 examples, the letters in IN GOD WE TRUST show strong doubling. The spread appears most dramatic in the motto and shifts toward the southwest. The result looks bold under a loupe. On some coins, collectors can see the effect with the naked eye.
The doubling does not stop there. The arrows and leaves near the shield also show separation. However, the date does not show the same dramatic doubling.
That combination gives collectors a clear diagnostic pattern:
- Strong doubling in IN GOD WE TRUST
- Noticeable spread toward the southwest
- Doubling on parts of the arrows and leaves
- Little to no dramatic doubling on the date
Specialists also track reverse die alignments for the variety. Reported pairings include normal alignment, a modest rotated reverse, and a dramatic rotated reverse. As a result, advanced collectors can pursue FS-101 by die state and reverse alignment as well as by grade.
Why Mint State Examples Matter
The 1867 FS-101 does appear in circulated grades. In fact, worn examples turn up often enough that sharp-eyed collectors still dream of finding one in an old copper box or dealer stock.
However, the story changes quickly in higher grades.
Extremely Fine and About Uncirculated examples become much tougher. Then Mint State examples become true condition rarities. PCGS estimates only 30 survivors in MS60 or better and only 10 in MS65 or better.
That rarity explains the pressure at auction. A circulated coin offers a dramatic variety at a more approachable level. Yet a Mint State coin offers the same doubled motto with original surface quality, strike, and color.
For a short-lived denomination, that combination carries real weight.
A CACG MS64 Brown Example Brings $4,560
Stack’s Bowers Galleries recently offered a strong example of the variety: an 1867 Two-Cent Piece FS-101 Doubled Die Obverse graded MS64 Brown by CACG. The coin sold for $4,560 in the firm’s November 2024 Showcase Auction.
The coin showed attractive pinkish-rose mint color mixed with warm olive-brown iridescence. Both sides retained a soft frosted texture. In addition, the surfaces matched the MS64 grade well. The strike showed full detail across the design.
Most importantly, the motto delivered the variety’s defining feature. Under magnification, the doubling in IN GOD WE TRUST stood out clearly.
That result shows why collectors treat Mint State FS-101 examples differently. The market may see lower-grade pieces with some regularity. However, a choice Mint State coin with CACG certification enters a much smaller arena.
The Finest Known Benchmark
At the top end, Heritage Auctions sold a PCGS Secure MS66 Red and Brown example on January 5, 2017, for $16,450.
Heritage presented that coin as the finest known example of the variety. At the time, the catalog noted that PCGS had certified only 40 Mint State examples. It also stated that the coin stood as the only PCGS MS66 with a Red and Brown designation. In addition, Heritage reported that NGC had certified three MS66 examples, all Brown.
That sale still gives collectors an important benchmark. It also highlights the premium for color. Brown Mint State coins carry rarity. Red and Brown coins add another layer. Full Red examples create even more pressure, because bronze from the 1860s seldom survives with original red color.
A Variety With a “Wow” Factor
The 1867 FS-101 has the kind of backstory collectors remember.
It begins with a Civil War coin shortage. Then it moves to the first U.S. coin motto. Next, it captures a Mint die-making error in one of the most visible places possible: the banner above the Union shield.
That matters. Many doubled dies require patience, magnification, and experience. The 1867 FS-101 rewards the eye quickly. The motto looks wrong in the right way.
Moreover, the variety connects two major collector themes. It belongs to a short-lived 19th-century denomination. At the same time, it belongs to the broader history of famous U.S. doubled dies.
For that reason, the FS-101 appeals beyond the small circle of two-cent specialists.
What Collectors Should Watch
Collectors should focus first on attribution. The motto must show the correct spread. Next, they should check surfaces. Copper and bronze coins often show spots, marks, corrosion, or old cleaning. Original surfaces deserve a premium.
Then grade and color take over. A problem-free circulated piece can still carry strong demand. However, Mint State coins command a far different level of attention. In MS63 and MS64, collectors enter scarce territory. In Gem Mint State, the variety becomes a major prize.
Finally, collectors should not overlook eye appeal. The best FS-101 coins combine bold doubling with pleasing color and stable surfaces. That balance separates a merely rare coin from a memorable one.
Final Thoughts
The 1867 Two-Cent Piece FS-101 Doubled Die Obverse stands at the center of the two-cent series. It offers history, rarity, and visual drama in one compact bronze coin.
It also tells a distinctly American story. The country created the two-cent piece during war. It placed a national motto on the coin. Then, as the denomination began to fade, one misaligned die made that motto unforgettable.
That is why collectors still chase the 1867 FS-101 today.
