Coins with major errors are seldom encountered in Canada or in the United States. The rare coins which occasionally escape the comprehensive screening by the Mint are highly prized and widely collected. Not only are these coins visually unusual and interesting, they also provide insight into how the coins are normally produced. This collection includes eight different interesting major United States error coins, together with a 232 page hard cover full colour book entitled “The World’s Greatest Error Coins”. Most of the coins are in superb uncirculated condition, and all come presented in high quality coin holders in custom case.

Error Coin Type Descriptions:

Type II Blank

Blank planchets are the metal discs that would normally be struck into coins. After being punched out from a long metal strip, the discs are then fed into a machine which rolls the outer edge to produce a slightly raised edge. These are referred to as Type II planchets, ready to be struck into coins. Occasionally, a blank planchet misses getting struck and still gets into a bag of coins ready for distribution.

Off-center Error: As coins are being struck, the blank planchets are automatically fed into the coin press, where they should be perfectly centered between on the dies. If a planchet lies partially outside of the dies during the striking, it will receive an off-center strike, leaving a part of the planchet blank with the design extending off the edge of the coin. Each coin struck off center is unique.

Broadstrike Error: Broadstrike errors are produced when the collar die (the circular die surrounding the lower die) malfunctions. The collar die normally applies the edge device (reeded edge or plain edge) and prevents the metal of the coin from flowing outside of the confines of the die. When the collar is prevented from working properly during striking, it may rest below the surface of the anvil die. The resulting error coin with have a relatively normal appearance at the centre, but will have a diameter that is larger than a regular coin and the design will become distorted as it nears the periphery.

Clipped Planchet

Clipped planchets originate in the blanking process, when the metal discs are punched out from metal sheets. Occasionally a misfeed can occur where the strip of metal is not fed through the blanking machine far enough. When this happens, 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. Most clipped planchet errors result in a coin with a curved piece missing.