1941 Lincoln Wheat Penny Lettering Oddity 1 1

[RowdyDallasFan22]

Hello all! New subscriber / first time post. So I recently came across a 1941 Lincoln wheat penny that appears to have the word “LIBERTY” misspelled (see pictures attached). What’s your take on this? Is this a US mint production error, or damage done to the coin after the fact? Thank you all for your time and thoughts in advance :-)

Edited December 27, 2023 by RowdyDallasFan22
Grammar error

[l.cutler]

Welcome to the forum!  Looks odd for sure, but that is just damage.  Something struck the "I" and pushed the metal sideways, you can also see part of the hit on the bottom of the "L".

[Halbrook Family]

I have been checking my wheat pennies for varieties and there is so many of them with filled in numbers and letters. I guess that would be cud right? I didn't put any aside because there is so many of them like that. 

[EagleRJO]

On 12/27/2023 at 1:10 AM, RowdyDallasFan22 said:

Hello all! New subscriber / first time post. So I recently came across a 1941 Lincoln wheat penny that appears to have the word “LIBERTY” misspelled (see pictures attached). What’s your take on this? Is this a US mint production error, or damage done to the coin after the fact? Thank you all for your time and thoughts in advance :-)

It looks like a hit at the "LI" possibly combined with a die chip next to the "I" since there appears to be some extra metal.  These cents are known to have some die issues in the area, most often referred to as a "BIE" variety, although without any added value here.

On 12/27/2023 at 9:58 AM, edhalbrook said:

I have been checking my wheat pennies for varieties and there is so many of them with filled in numbers and letters. I guess that would be cud right?

Those would just be die chips, whereas a "die cud" is a break in the die which includes the rim ... https://www.error-ref.com/cuds/

[Coinbuf]

I am also of the opinion that this was caused by a die chip that occurred next to the letter I, this (along with some wear and tear) gives the appearance of a different letter.

[powermad5000]

Hello and welcome to the forum!

Well, I notice a big hit on the L and also on the E. I would also say the I took a big hit and it pushed the metal to the side. It looks like the height of the I is lower than the adjacent letters so I just think the metal got pushed to the side when it took a hit.

Sans the full pictures of both sides of the coin, from the photos provided it appears also to be a well worn coin.

I would say this is just circulation damage and nothing more.

[Coinbuf]

On 12/27/2023 at 1:27 PM, powermad5000 said:

Hello and welcome to the forum!

Well, I notice a big hit on the L and also on the E. I would also say the I took a big hit and it pushed the metal to the side. It looks like the height of the I is lower than the adjacent letters so I just think the metal got pushed to the side when it took a hit.

Sans the full pictures of both sides of the coin, from the photos provided it appears also to be a well worn coin.

I would say this is just circulation damage and nothing more.

The I of Liberty does not have enough raised metal to take a hit and displace that much metal without showing serious deformity of the initial I.   The photo from the op shows the left side of the I to be full and distinct, and the area of extra metal between the I and B is raised to almost the same level (or above) as the I was when struck.    It could not be that clear, distinct and raised from a hit to displace the amount of metal that is now in between the I and B.   To move that much metal the I would have to have been obliterated, either extra metal was added to fake an error or it is a die chip.

[Mike Meenderink]

This is an L on edge (very common) with a die chip next to the I (very common). The L took no hit it is literally concave as it was struck with crappy tilted dies which left it running up the edge to the rim.. The dies for these coins often failed in these areas the mint just rolled with it. Nothing special sorry.

Edited December 28, 2023 by Mike Meenderink