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What Errors?

I started collecting and studying about Coin Errors about three (3) years ago, and I absolutely love that segment of Numismatics! To me it's the challenge of finding them, to date I've searched through well over 100,000 U.S. coins of every denomination.

It all began with researching Coin Errors via a few classic books on the topic. It was in one of those books that I discovered the names of clubs for error coin collectors in the 1970s. Through the trusty Internet, I found the only association today for error coin collectors is CONECA (Combined Organizations of Numismatic Error Collectors of America). To view their website, click here. I quickly joined and began adding more books and knowledge on coin errors to my arsenal. Today I am the Nebraska State Representative for CONECA.

As a result, I also returned to one of my childhood habits - cherry picking rolls of coins. What fun it still is to me and the tellers of the area banks all know my name. Who says that you can't return to your childhood?

A basic term you need to be familiar with is "planchet" which is nothing more than a blank piece of metal(s) from which coins are made.

To start here is a list and explanation of some basic Coin Errors.

   - Off-Center Struck Coins - One of the most common and best known types of errors, which happens when a blank which is supposed to be fed into the press, lands in the collar improperly. It results in only part of the blank being between the upper and lower dies. When the dies strike the blank, only that part will be struck with a design.
   - Clipped Planchet - This is caused by a misfeed when a strip isn't fed through far enough. The result is that the punches strike an area of the strip which overlaps the hole left by the previous strike. The result is a blank with a piece missing. A clipped planchet can be straight, curved, ragged, incomplete, or elliptical.
   - Off-Center - It is an error which occurs when the planchet improperly enters the coin press, resulting in it being struck outside of its physical area.
   - Defective Die - Caused by a crack in the die, the result is a raised line on the coin's surface.

There are many more errors and varieties then we have time to look at in this Coin Collecting Tip.

Trust me; becoming an error coin collector breathes fresh, high octane air into the hobby I love. Cherry picking through rolls is inexpensive, and makes me feel like coin collecting's answer to Indiana Jones! The basic tools needed to start are probably what you already have: a background cloth, one or more loupes, and white cotton gloves.

As for books, though a bit pricey - about $60 for both - the two-volume set of the most recent edition of "The Cherrypickers Guide to Rare Die Varieties of United States Coins" is your best first purchase. My other favorite book, and the first I bought, is the out-of-print "The Official Price Guide to Mint Errors and Varieties" by Alan Herbert and published in 1978. You occasionally find it, as I did, on eBay. The insight into why errors occur is what makes this book so special to me.

Come on, you know you always felt that you had a little Indiana Jones in you. Today is your opportunity to go on your own treasure hunt for coin errors.

© 2016



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Milk Spots

Carl Watkins writes, Can u tell me what causes milk marks & how much if degrades a coin ???

Good question, Carl. This type of spot is found on Silver Coins and is a white milk-colored spot. However, they are not caused by milk. American Silver Eagles (ASEs) and Canadian Maple Leafs are where these spots are more commonly found on modern silver coins.

There seems to be two types: "on" the silver and "in" the silver. The first, "on" the silver spots can be cause by sneezing and/or coughing, etc. Those spots are removable according to some folks, but more on that shortly. The "in" the silver spots are not removable - period.

First, any "cleaning" of a coin to remove so-called milk spots will reduce the grade and value. The use of a commercial dip, which contains acid, actually strips away a layer of the silver. The result can be bad to horrible. My advice is - never ever try to clean a "milk" spot or any kind of spot on any coin.

Some collectors and even dealers say that a coin must be cleaned to preserve it. My response is if you're not 100% sure of the outcome, don't do anything!

As for degrading or lessening the value of a coin, the PCGS website states that "milk" spots, "…are part of the grade and grade deductions are made similar to those made for marks or hairlines

."

I do buy silver with "milk" spots, but mainly treat them as bullion or junk silver depending on the severity of the spots. Personally, I would not buy a "milk-spotted" "Proof" coin. In my opinion, these spots are a flaw or damage in/on the coin.

© 2016



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Coin Errors: Other Types Of Doubling Varieties

Called worthless by some, these rather common types of doubling are NOT Double Dies. In reality, these occurrences are due to damage. As a result, they don't carry any additional value, although some folks do collect them.

Common doubling varieties usually fall into three (3) categories: Mechanical, Die Fatigue, and Abrasion. Let's carefully look at each of these types of doubling.

   

Mechanical Doubling is the most common of the three and goes by various names such as machine doubling, strike doubling, etc. Basically a flat second/duplicate image appears on a raised design element. This doubling is a result of loose part(s) on the Coining Press. This looseness is inevitable due to the constant heavy pressure pound of the Dies on the coin planchets (blanks).

Die Fatigue Doubling happens when Dies are not replaced in a timely manner and begin to wear and fail due to the actual process of minting. Even though the problem is on the Die, this too is NOT a Double Die Error. Primarily found on nickels and cents, the actual problem occurs when the metal alloy(s) resist flowing into all areas of the Die causing fatigue, aka wear, to the Die.

Abrasion Doubling is actually a result of a Mint employee attempting to correct a Die Clash issue, which causes marks to be transferred to coins, by rubbing an abrasive onto the Die itself. A Die Clash is the result of the Hammer and Anvil Dies striking each other when a planchet (blank) isn't fed into the Coining Press. This high-pressure contact leaves a portion of the Obverse (front) Die on the Reverse and vice versa

.

Buyer Beware - Know the folks from which you buy and educate yourself BEFORE buying any coin, especially errors. Study photos of actual errors in a current edition of "The Cherrypickers Guide To Rare Die Varieties Of United States Coins" and other reliable sources.

© 2016



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What's A VAM?

Morgan and Peace Silver Dollars are where you find VAMs. It's an acronym for "Van Allen - Mallis" and refers to die varieties involving date and mint mark. This system's goal is to catalog every die variety found. That's quite a task since new VAMs are still being found.

According to the fine website VAM World, "VAM-1 is always the normal die state for a specific date/mint and has no distinguishing characteristics. Die varieties that can be distinguished from each date/mint's VAM-1 are subsequently numbered incrementally (VAM-2, VAM-3, etc.) Sometimes a letter follows the number, i.e. VAM-1A. A "lettered" VAM represents a later stage of the numbered die that has a die gouge, major die crack, pitting, die clash, or any other result of a post-die-production occurence [sp] that can be shown to have changed the die. Like VAM numbers, letters are also assigned in a one-up fashion.

"Keep in mind that VAM numbers for a specific date and mint mark are exclusive to that date and mint mark. There is no crossover. For example, an 1880-O VAM-2 does not have the same distinguishing characteristics as a 1882-S VAM-2." Fortunately this website carries a list of the top VAMs.

You can even join the Society of Silver Dollar Collectors (SSDC) to keep up with the latest VAMs. More information can be found on this website.

Before you ask, "Yes I do have a VAM - 1882 Morgan Silver Dollar Vam-25, which has a doubled "2" on the date.

Like other varieties and errors, VAMs are a bit pricier than "normal" coins, but it's a neat specialty.

© 2016



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1943 & 1944 Cent Errors

Marc Bazzle wrote, "…Could you explain how they accidentally made 1943 Copper Wheaties and 1944 Steel Wheaties? And also, what do those go for? I understand if you would like to save that for another topic. I always had a fascination and curiosity for this innocent error of great magnitude though. I heard one way this could have happened, but would much rather hear straight from an expert of the field. Thank you my friend."

Both the 1943 Copper Wheat Cent and the 1944 Steel Wheat Cent are errors - rather valuable ones at that. Often referred to as "off-metal" Cents the widely accepted cause is that incorrect planchets/blanks found their way into the coining process, usually as a result of being caught/hidden in the recesses of the hoppers that hold planchets/blanks.

There also is a different story of how the 1943 Copper Wheat Cent occurred. After Belgium was liberated from Nazi Germany in WWII, the U.S. Mint produced 25 million two franc coins. They were similar in copper content and size, but weighed slightly less than a Copper Cent.

Unfortunately, there are many counterfeits of this 1943 Copper Cent. A Zinc-Coated Steel Cent of that date was simply dipped into copper. You can detect this sort of fake by using a magnet. The counterfeit, having a steel core, will stick to the magnet. I have one of these in my collection. Some counterfeiters carefully cut away half of the "8" on a 1948 Copper Wheat Cent. You see on the real 1943 Copper Cent, the "3" extends well below the other numbers of the date, which is detectable under magnification. It also results in a less sharp date. One final test is weight. A 95% Copper Cent weighs 3.11 Troy grams, but Zinc-Coated Steel Cents weigh 2.5 Troy grams. You'll need a good digital scale that weighs in 1/10 or 1/100 of a Troy gram.

The 1943 Copper Wheat Cent is the more common of these two errors. They fetch more than $10,000 each.

Some enterprising con artists create counterfeit 1944 Steel Cents by dipping a real 1944 Copper Cent in zinc, carefully polishing the finished product if needed. Again, the weight difference explained above would come into play when determining counterfeits.

These are the rarer of the two with just a few being released from the U.S. Mint. 1944 Steel Cents have a sale-point of approximately $100,000.

I enjoy collecting Error Coins, while at the same time educating myself in common and even uncommon counterfeits. As with anything else in coin collecting stay informed and exercise common sense, especially with these cents!

© 2016



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More Errors, Intro

Before starting this series, please go back and re-read my tip on the Minting Process. You see, only true errors are caused when something goes amiss in the Minting Process. All other anomalies, aka irregularities, are called Varieties, which I'll discuss in a later series.

There are many types of errors caused by the actual Minting Process. My goal is to cover what I consider to be common errors in the Minting Process.

I've only been seriously collecting U.S. coin errors for a little over three (3) years. Yes, I've learned a lot through reading and studying coins - 100,000 cents alone so far this year, but I also have a lot to learn.

At the very minimum you need a good loupe and a soft, dark cloth - black is best - for examining coins for errors.

Each part of this series will only describe two (2) errors. I'll also include photos from my collection to illustrate each.

© 2016



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More Errors, Part 1

Let's get started and plunge right in with our study of Coin Errors. Hope you enjoy this fun tour.

DIE BREAK

Simply stated it is a chip out of one of the two (2) dies in the Coining Press. The result is that metal from the planchet/blank flows into the crack causing a raised area. Often it looks like a blob.

DIE CRACK

In this error, an actual crack forms in one of the two (2) dies in the Coining Press. The result is the same as with a Die Break. It appears as a raised line on the coin's surface.

© 2016



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More Errors, Part 2

Here are IMHO two more common errors.

LAMINATION

This error has two (2) possible causes: improper annealing or the presence of impurities in the actual planchet, aka blank. The result can be anything from a crack to actual peeling.

CUD

Die deterioration is what causes a portion of the edge of that die to fall off. The result is a blob-like blank area from the rim to the edge of the coin.

© 2016



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More Errors, Part 3

Here are a couple more of common coin errors.

OFF METAL/WRONG PLANCHET

Simply stated, a planchet/blank with the wrong alloy planchet is used, which usually results in a smaller or bigger coin than is common for that denomination. For instance, a half-dollar struck on a quarter blank. Most commonly, the incorrect planchet becomes caught in the bin holding the blanks when it is dumped.

OFF CENTER

This is one of the easiest to spot. The coin just looks wrong because the planchet/blank doesn't get placed properly in the Coining Press. The coin can be missing just a small part to almost all of the design.

© 2016



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More Errors, Part 4

Two more of the errors you can find and collect follows.

BROADSTRIKE

This is a result of the collar - the circular die surrounding the lower die - malfunction. The result is a plain edge on the coin. These errors may be centered or off-center, but regardless, there is no missing letter or part of the design.

DIE CAPS

They occur when a coin is struck but sticks to the die for numerous strikes. As a result, the metal of the coin flows up around the die and the coin takes on the shape of a bottle cap.

© 2016



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More Errors, Part 5

Here are IMHO two rather uncommon coin errors.

INDENT

Two overlapping planchets enter into the striking chamber at the same time, with the result being a blank area on each where the overlap occurred.

BROCKAGE

Similar to an Indent, but in the error an already struck coin is struck into a planchet/blank. The result is a mirror impression on the planchet that can be distorted.

© 2016



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More Errors, Part 6

Here are yet another two (2) more interesting coin errors.

FILLED DIE

Usually seen as missing letters or numerals, they are "filled" by grease, debri, and/or dirt which prevent the planchet/blank from being properly struck by the die.

CLASHED DIES or DIE CLASH

One or both of the dies are damaged when they strike each other without a planchet/blank in place. This results in a distorted image on one or both of the dies. A well-known example is the "Bugs Bunny" error found on 1955 Franklin half-dollars. In this case, part of the eagle's wing on the reverse gives Franklin protruding teeth on the obverse.
   

© 2016



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More Errors, Part 7

Here are two (2) more not as common errors.

SPLIT PLANCHET/BLANK

An impurity in the planchet/blank is the cause of this error, when it partially or fully splits the planchet in two - obverse and reverse. The characteristics of a complete split is determined by whether the split occurred before or after the coin was struck.

STRUCK THROUGH

This error is the result of a foreign object being on the top of the planchet's surface as it is struck. The impression of the foreign object appears on the coin.

© 2016



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Inexpensive Errors & Varieties

Dan Hedden writes, "Only my opinion but FOR ME any tips or ideas is appreciated. Even if it is something some people know, others may not. If you are trading your own time to share knowledge with the rest of us, I for one will read everything you post. I don't think any of us would complain, even if stuff we know, a refresher doesn't hurt.

My real interest is errors, varieties, and things that a common person could still find (normal, meaning no millionaire)."

Ah, inexpensive errors and varieties - they're out there. The latter, varieties, can usually be found for less money. I've also found and purchased nice slabbed and raw errors for less than $20 each. Since I specialize in cents, as well as nickels that alone keeps my costs down.

I've found a number of nice varieties and some errors by "cherrypicking". Simply stated, I buy rolls of cents and nickels at banks and search through them. I then cash back in those that are not varieties or errors.

I also buy bulk lots of Wheat Cents to search through. I then sell the error- and variety-free batch to other Wheat Cent collectors.

As the Nebraska State Representative for CONECA (Combined Organizations of Numismatic Error Collectors of America) - check out their website. I'd be happy to help you with your quest. Just send me a PM.

   

© 2016



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