Vertically misaligned die clashes of
the conventional sort are much rare than horizontal misaligned die
clashes. The simple reason is that vertical misalignments are much rarer
than horizontal misalignments.
During a
vertical MAD clash, one pole of a tilted die is driven into the corresponding
pole of the opposite die. Whatever peripheral design elements occupy this
pole is picked up by the opposite die.
This 1960-D
cent shows a conventional vertical misaligned die clash. During the
clash, the southern pole of the obverse (hammer) die was tilted down. It
contacted the letters that occupy the northern pole of the reverse die.
The result can be seen beneath Lincoln's bust. The tops of the letters D
STATES can be seen in their incuse, mirror-image version.