Baby Boomer Pocket Change

Types of Coin Errors-Hub and Die

Wikepedia defines hub and die errors:

Hub and die errors

Hub and die errors are the result of faults in the coin hub or coin die. There are many different kinds of such errors. Modern coins are still released with hub and die errors, because the defects are too small to be seen with the naked eye. A few exceptions exist, where the dies are used despite producing easily visible flaws. The 1955 Lincoln cent is an example.

Now before you get real excited note that there are, unfortunately, some phonies out there created to fool you. If you have one of the 1955 Lincoln cents that look like it has the die error have it checked out with a reputable dealer.

Bonus

Here is  a current sale going on now at Ebay auction for the Lincoln double die, 1955 cent. You will not believe what it is selling for. So, start looking closely at those Lincoln 1955 pennies.

Tags: coin die, coin hub, Lincoln cents

Can’t Find The Mint Mark?-Dollar Coins and Gold Pieces

Type of Error Coins-Planchet

Planchet errors

Planchet errors occur when the wrong coin blanks, or planchets, are fed into a coin-stamping press. This results in a coin that has been stamped with a design intended for a differently sized coin; this is called a wrong planchet error. In addition, unminted or blank planchets are occasionally produced. The results are usually obvious errors that are also prized by collectors, though the errors are usually caught in manufacturing and destroyed. Blank planchets with rims are valued lower than those with no rim.

A Kennedy half dollar struck on a Susan B. Anthony planchet is extremely rare. Sacagawea dollars exist with a state quarter design on the back; this type of error is called a mule, and unintentional ones are rare.

Occasionally a misfeed can occur where a strip isn’t fed through 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. A clipped planchet is straight, curved, ragged, incomplete, or elliptical.

A wrong planchet occurs when a denomination is struck on a planchet of a different denomination. Some examples include cents struck on dime planchets, nickels on cent planchets, or quarters on dime planchets. Sacagawea dollars have been reported with statehood quarter designs on the reverse. A much rarer error is a U.S denomination struck on a foreign planchet (17th,18th, and 19th centuries only).

(Source: Wikedpedia)

I appreciated Coin Worlds’ explanation and deeper look at the types of plancet errors. The pictures are very clear.

Here is an example of an error coin on Ebay. It is a quarter on a nickel planchet.

Tags: planchet

What is an Error Coin?

I am going to go deeper into the world of error coins. Wikepedia has the following definition for an error coin:

Mint-made errors are errors in a coin made by the mint during the minting process. They are almost always accidental and in modern minting are usually very rare, making them valuable to numismatists.

A search on About.com had the following definition:

An error coin is a coin that was improperly made during its manufacture. Also called mint errors, error coins have problems such as being struck off-center, having the wrong planchet type, having the planchets improperly prepared so they are too thick, thin, not properly clad, or any number of other problems that occur during coin manufacturing.

Hang on as we explore the types of errors in the next post.

Tags: Error Coins, what is an error coin?

Can’t Find the Mint Mark on That Half Dollar?

Here is what I found out about the location of the mint marks on the Kennedy and Walking Liberty half dollar.

Kennedy half dollar-Look to the left of the eagle’s tail feathers in 1964. But look below John F. Kennedy’s neck from 1968 and on.

Walking Liberty half dollar- From 1916-1947) Look on the front(Obverse). It is below IN GOD WE TRUST. In 1916 and 1917, it is on the reverse, above and to the left of the words HALF DOLLAR. Note: According to Wikepedia, In mid 1917, the mintmark was moved to the reverse. It is located to the upper left of ‘half dollar’ along the rim.

Barbar half dollar(1892-1915)-Look for the mint mark below the eagle

Tags: half dollar, Mint Marks

Looking for The Mint Mark But Can’t Find it?-Nickels

Ok, time to look at the mint mark locations on the nickel.

Liberty Head nickel (1883-1912) -On the reverse(tails) , to the left of the word CENTS. Note: Mint marks appear only on the coins dated 1912)

Buffalo nickel (1913-1938)-On the reverse(tails) below the words FIVE CENTS)

Jefferson nickels-below the date from 1968 to present

Look for it above Monticello on nickes from 1942-1945

Look for it to the right of Monticello on most dates from 1938-1964

Would anyone like to add anything?

Tags: mint dates, nickels

Looking for The Mint Mark But Can’t Find It?-Dimes

Where oh where is the mint mark on US Dimes?

Roosevelt dime- From 1946-1964

Above the date from 1968 to the present

Mercury dime (1916-1945) On the REVERSE (opposite side of the head) to the left of the fasces(the symbolic bundle of rods)

Barber dime- (1892-1916) below the wreath

Looking for The Mint Mark But Can’t Find It?-Quarters

Look for the mint marks on the following quarters:

Type of Quarter

Barber quarter(1892-1916)     Below the eagle

Standing Liberty Quarter (1916-1930)   To the left of the date. Not to be confused with the M for the designers name.

Washington Quarter(1932 to 1964)  Below the eagle

from 1968 to the present -to the right of George Washington’s pigtail

Tags: location of mint mark, Mint Marks, Quarters

Looking for The Mint Mark But Can’t Find It?-Pennies

I found out that not all mint marks are in the same place on the each coin. That so much depends on the date and type of coin. so here is a short little list that may help.

Indian Head cent  -Mint marks appear only on coins dated 1908 and 1909 below the wreath on the tail side(Reverse)

Lincoln cent(1909-date) -Look for it below the date .

Tags: mint mark, Pennies

Mint Marks-What Are They

Ever wonder what those little letters were on your coins.  Many coins values are based on those little letters called Mint Marks. These letters indicate the place where your coin was produced.

If you are a beginner just learning like me just understanding what those letters mean is another notch in your coin information. So, the list below will hopefully help.

Here are the letters that are used on coins made in the United States to show where the coin was minted. I have also include the date range that coins were produced at that location.

W- West Point, New York(1984 to date)

C-Charlotte, North Carolina (1838-1861) Note: Only gold coins were minted here

D-Dahlonega, Georgia(1838-1861) Note: Only gold coins were minted here

D-Dencer(1906 to date)

O-New Orleans (1838-1909)

S-San Francisco (1854 to date)

CC-Carson City, Nevada (1870-1893) 

P-Philadelphia (1979 to date)

  Note: Many coins were made in Philadelphia but do not have the mint mark. The very fact that the mark was absent indicated that it was made in Philadelphia.  The mark was not added until 1979. No P has been used on Lincoln cents.

A wee bit of history. In 1942-1945 the- P-mint mark was used on nickels to show that they had a different metal combination that did not include nickel. This can be seen on the “tails” side which is referred to as the REVERSE of the coin.

 Is this helpful? Anything you want to add?

Tags: Mint Marks, what are mink marks