Overview · Engraving and striking errors

Errors & Anomalies

We have identified 17 examples of engraving errors on the reverse dies, all made by Johan Ephraim Bauert at the Copenhagen Mint. These include four uncorrected spelling errors, six corrected spelling errors, six corrected line errors, and one case where the wrong rosette design was used. The corrected errors were not easily erased from the steel dies, and traces of the original engraving remain visible.

Bauert was also responsible for seven other design aberrations, but not every mistake can be laid at his door. Things occasionally went wrong during the striking process as well, producing double strikes, brockages and off-centre coins. Apparently, even the minting press had its off days.

5 dies

Uncorrected Typographical Errors

Spelling Errors

C375

“DANKSE”

C531

“SKILLIING M K”

C617

“DANAKE”

C671

“DNASKE”

Design Errors

C271

“Top rosettes replaced by different design”

6 dies

Corrected Typographical Errors

C131

“DAASKE”

C316

“DANKKE”

C344

“SNILLING”

C527

“SKIILING”

C529

“SKISLING”

C625

“DAASKE”

6 dies

Corrected Line Errors

In addition to the typos, Bauert made 6 reverses where he put "1771" just below "DANSKE", forgetting the "K.M." line. As we can see from the scans below, Bauert had a hard time correcting these mistakes as well.

C271

C311

C373

C414

C454

C628

7 dies

Design Aberrations

There are eight known reverse dies with minor design flaws. As with the typographical errors, all of them were made by Johan Ephraim Bauert at the Copenhagen Mint. The remaining design aberrations are grouped below.

Bottom rosette replaced by large dot

C313

C325

C331

C332

C342

No dots after K and M

C315

No dot after K

C259

3 coins · 6 images

Errors during the striking process

Not all errors found on the 1771 skilling originated with the die engraver. Mistakes and irregularities could also occur during the striking process itself. The examples below show three different types of striking error: a double strike, a brockage caused by a previously struck coin remaining in the press, and an off-centre strike caused by the blank being displaced from its correct position.

Double Strike

Double Strike, reverse

Double Strike, obverse

A conventional double strike. The coin received more than one impression and moved between the blows, leaving parts of the design visibly repeated on the finished coin.

Brockage

Brockage, reverse

Brockage, obverse

The previous coin remained in the press on the obverse die when the next blank was struck. The reverse die struck the new coin normally, while the coin trapped below blocked the obverse die and acted as a temporary die itself. The result is a normal reverse on one side and a mirror-image impression of the reverse design in place of the normal obverse on the other.

Off-Centre Strike

Off-Centre Strike, reverse

Off-Centre Strike, obverse

Here the blank was displaced from its correct position in the press. The strike is therefore strongly off-centre: on the reverse, part of the die on the right side fell outside the planchet, while on the obverse the corresponding missing area is on the left side.