Two years after it was minted, an 1857 half dime became mixed with blank planchets ready for production of 1859 Indian cents. During the coinage process, this half dime was fed into the press on top of a blank cent planchet, and the two pieces were struck together. The result was the obverse overstrike with the Indian cent impression over the half dime obverse, and the wavy and somewhat flattened half dime reverse. It is also fascinating to ponder the other coin that was produced in this same operation, essentially an Indian cent with a half dime size indent, consisting specifically of the 1859 Indian cent reverse with nothing but the border dentils and tops of a few letters visible on the obverse.

This unique error is listed in a few different references including Appendix B of the Judd pattern book (seventh edition edited by Abe Kosoff) where it was described as "1859--CENT. Weakly struck over a half dime, date not showing. Reverse slightly blurred by the overstriking." It is also recorded in the ninth edition of the same reference (edited by Q. David Bowers) where it is included as one of just 14 "Classic Mint Error Specimens."

The two numbers given to this piece by Edgar H. Adams and William H. Woodin in United States Pattern, Trial, and Experimental Pieces carry slightly different descriptions, although there is little doubt that they refer to the same coin. AW-310: "Mule of the obverse of the cent of the year, without date, with the reverse of the half dime of the year." AW-319: "The adopted obverse. Rev. the reverse of the half dime of the year." Don Taxay recorded this overstrike on page 392 of the 1971 edition of Scott's Comprehensive Catalog and Encyclopedia of U.S. Coins. More recently, Andrew Pollock listed this coin as P-3188, where he misdescribed it as an obverse die trial: "Struck on the obverse side of a regular-issue 1857 half dime."

It has only appeared for auction on four different occasions.

In the June 1890 sale of the Lorin G. Parmelee Collection by New York Coin & Stamp Co., David Proskey and Harlan P. Smith offered this overstrike in the section of "Patterns Issued by U.S. Mint." Their description was concise: "1859 Half Dime : same obv. as regular issue Cent. Rev. HALF DIME, etc., same as regular issue for 1857 : struck over 1857 Half Dime : uncirc.; very rare."

The next auction appearance was 84 years later in the February 1974 sale of the Dr. Charles Ruby Collection by Superior Stamp and Coin Co., where it was offered as: "One of the most extraordinary mint errors ever offered." It is assumed that this was part of the Ruby Collection.

Two decades later, Bowers and Merena offered The Collection of Stuart C. Levine, M.D. at auction in April 1986. In that offering, this overstrike was offered as part of the Levine collection of half dimes.

Its importance also cannot be overstated. It is an amazing dual-denomination error, considered a "six-cent piece" by some, combining two different denominations struck in two entirely different years. It is also an error that represents a first-year of issue design and a single-year type coin.

An aesthetically pleasing, this piece has full silver luster on both sides with pale lilac color accented by hints of gold and iridescent toning. There is no evidence of any distracting marks on either side. Much of the original Seated Liberty half dime design is still visible in the obverse, including the entire 1857 date that can be seen in the left obverse field.

The wavy appearance of the reverse is strictly a result of the distortion that took place during striking. Otherwise, the obverse would necessarily have a similar distorted appearance, but that is not the case.

The last auction appearance of this coin was on January 2nd at the Heritage 2007 January Orlando, FL (FUN) Signature Coin Auction #422. Lot 1166. It Sold for: $71,875.00 (which includes the Buyers Premium) to a Floor Bidder

This was only the fourth time this unique coin has been offered for auction sale in 148 years of its existence, or once every 37 years! Perhaps it will not be offered again until 2044.