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.