Obverse Diagnostic Point(s)                    Reverse Diagnostic Point(s)

Comments: Ahwash lists this variety as a business stike and describes Reverse B.3a as "completely upset, 180 degree rotated caused by misaligned dies". Unfortunately, he provides no plate coin. Based on the Ahwash sequence of listing varieties A-2, A-2a and A-2b, one would assume that the clashed reverse die of A-2a would be found rotated 180 degrees on A-2b. This is clearly not the case with the Frog Run Collection plate coin, which is found in a PCGS Proof 63 holder. There are no signs of clashing on either the obverse or reverse dies. More questions are raised as a result of finding this very rare 1865 rotated die specimen. Was Ahwash incorrect in his listing of 1865 A-2, A-2a and A-2ab as business strikes? What about the A-2a listing with the clashed reverse die that Ahwash indicates was used to strike 1866 dimes? Is it possible that the rotated reverse occurred before the die clashing? Other examples of the Obverse 2 and Reverse B need to be closely examined to ascertain clues for sorting the listing of Obverse 2 and Reverse B die states and emission sequence. The die lines in the upper left wheat grain and stalk could be an important diagnostic for identifying other pairings of this reverse die.

1865 Varieties 101, 101a, 101b, 102, 102a, 102b, 102c

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