Sure thing, let’s break it down. The mint had a pretty tight workflow back then—design, approval, die creation, then mass striking. If a die got hit a few times before the official sign‑off, those strikes would be a handful, not a mass run. That means the process could slip, especially if a clerk was eager or the supervisor was lax. Those few pre‑approved strikes ended up as the 1913 Lib‑Head nickels we call “pre‑mint” today. The tiny errors—like the off‑center lettering or the subtle rim slip—show the die was a bit off, and since they’re so rare, it’s a perfect example of a small glitch becoming a collector’s gold. So yes, the mint’s process could definitely have slipped enough to produce that unique error.

Sounds like a classic case of a rogue strike—just a few pre‑approved blows that turned into a whole collector’s enigma. If I ever snag one, I’ll make sure the mint’s stamp, serial, and any old ledger pages line up, then have a reputable numismatist sign off. The paperwork can be a slog, but it’s the only way to prove the coin’s pedigree. In the meantime, I’ll keep my eye on auction houses and private sellers—if it pops up, you’ll know it’s the real deal.

Sounds good, I'll keep my eyes peeled. If you run into anything that looks off, just hit me up and we’ll run the numbers together.