By Mike Byers for Mint Error News ……
Mated Pair of Proof Ike Dollars
Struck Off-Center on 1¢ Planchets
NGC Proof 67 RB & Proof 66 RB
UNIQUE
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This unique Proof mated pair of Eisenhower dollars was sitting in an old-time collection for decades. It was very recently authenticated and certified by NGC. Two off-center copper cent planchets were intentionally placed in the Eisenhower dollar collar at the same time and were struck together. This mated pair is amazing and has tremendous eye appeal. As shown in the overlay below, there was a third planchet in the collar at the same time and a three-piece clover leaf set was struck. Whether the third Eisenhower dollar off-center on a cent planchet will ever surface remains to be seen.
To date, this is the only known mated pair of Eisenhower dollars struck on cent planchets. They are in Gem Proof condition with original toning and it is unbelievable that they survived for 50 years.
Proof coins are struck by technicians who hand-feed the blanks into special presses. They are produced, examined, and packaged using extreme quality control. It is very unusual to find major proof errors. A few broadstrikes, off-centers, double strikes (in collar), and off-metals have been known to be found in sealed Proof sets. Proof errors are aggressively sought after by many error collectors.
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Dear Mike Byers. These penny planchets that were intentionally put into the coin press for the Ike dollar, can hardly be considered a mint error. I’m disappointed they were graded and given “mint error” status.
I agree 100%. These coins weren’t created accidentally. They were deliberately made, for unknown reasons. Designating them as “errors” is IMHO a disservice to the hobby.