Major misalignments of the anvil die are rare, principally because
the neck of the anvil die is confined by the collar. The only way a major
misalignment can occur is if 1) the collar becomes unmoored, drifts laterally,
and carries the anvil die with it; 2) the entire die assembly (including the
collar) shifts position; or 3) the collar breaks apart, allowing the anvil die
to shift position. This 2000-P Virginia quarter shows a 10% horizontal
misalignment of the anvil die toward 6:00. The obverse die
functioned as the anvil die in this press run.
Of necessity, a coin showing a major horizontal misalignment of
the anvil die will be broadstruck (struck out-of-collar) or will show evidence
of a broken collar.