Double or multiple strike

Off-center strike is a type of coin error that occurs when a coin is struck off-center, resulting in an incomplete or partial design. This error can also occur with double or multiple strikes when a coin is struck two or more times before being ejected from the beating chamber. Coins with multiple strikes may look the same, and this type of error can be combined with many other minting errors.

In some cases, coins that have been withdrawn from circulation are reused for the production of “new” coins, skipping the melting process. This is exemplified in the case of the 20 cents hexagon 1918 and 1919 coins voluntarily struck on 20 cents 1894 and 1895 coins produced under the reign of Umberto I. These coins were considered an emergency measure to cope with the severe monetary crisis that afflicted Italy during the First World War. Instead of being melted into ingots for the production of new planchets, these coins were heated to make them more malleable before hitting them again.

On many pieces of this coin, it is possible to detect traces of the previous dies, and some examples appear to have a striped outline due to the incorrect heating of the coins.

In very rare cases, this curiosity can evolve into a coincidence presenting itself as two different coins minted in perfect axis on a single planchet.

In extreme cases, double or multiple strikes can be combined with other types of minting errors, resulting in unique and valuable coin varieties.