A floating die clash is generated in the aftermath of a die break.  After it breaks off, the die fragment remains behind in the striking chamber and is struck by the dies.  Usually one of the dies is protected by a planchet.  If the other die strikes the working face of the die fragment, the incuse, mirror-image design elements on the fragment are transferred to the intact die (or the intact portion of the broken die).  Those transferred elements are raised and normally-oriented on the die face.  Every coin that is struck afterward has incuse, mirror-image design elements in an unpredictable location.  Most floating die clashes are restricted to the field, as this is the portion of the die face that is most vulnerable to damage.

Of the 1000+ cuds that have been catalogued and the vast number that have not been listed, only six are known to have floating die clashes

                                                                                                     Mike Diamond