Why collect errors? (KingCon don't say anything about your stupid die sctratch)

[jeh46544]

The title says it all. An error is like a screw up and no one likes a screwup. So why do people collect screw ups and why do they pay large amounts of money for a coin that if it was not screwed up would be worth a few dollars? Any one can chime in on there feelings. (except KingCon) Ok, Ok, KingCon you can say anything you want as long as you don't say anything about your quarter or anything related to it. (except errors)

[SeanJ]

An error coin is in essence a unique coin. How would an "error" not be collectible? All through the collectible world, errors are in fact a pretty hot comidity. You basically have two types: error collectors and then you have people like me. Im a series collector (seated dimes) how cool would it be to expand you set beyond date/mm/ variety and set into errors.

[davefperry]

I like error coins because they help to understand the minting process. You can know how an off-center, broadstrike, clip or brockage error comes into being but it's better to have one in hand and see the results. It also helps to identify a misaligned die error or something if you come across one in circulation. I wouldn't pay big bucks for one and wouldn't specialize in errors but they are fun to look at and show kids and explain why a particular coin doesn't look like all the others.

[Coinosaurus]

Some error coins are just "cool", i.e. any copper cent from 1943. Good story, very well publicized, all adds up to strong results at auction. Remarkably, 1943 pennies struck on silver (dime) planchets aren't woth nearly as much. The public was stuck on the idea of cents being made out of copper, so when they messed up and made some 1943 cents in copper instead of steel, well, it just grabbed everyone's attention. To top it off we have 1943 cents from all three mints in copper.

[keithdagen]

Die clashes are errors that add individual personality to otherwise mundane designs, like Seated Dimes and Half Dimes.

[Hoot]

Errors add personality to coins. I personally don't wish to pay more for them, but they can be neat nonetheless. Like Dave said, they can help you understand the minting process and it's interesting to see where in that process an error may have occurred. They also escaped "the inspector's eye" and somehow escaped into the population of people who want to save such things, not just seek and destroy them.

 

More than errors, I like varieties, but believe they should not be in the main registry sets!

 

Hoot

[kenwin1]

What about the 1955 double die? Do you consider an error or a variety? And what about overdates? And other Varieties and errors?

[DWLange]

The 1955 doubled-die cent is a variety, because the oddity is in the die and is repetitive with each strike. The same rule applies to overdates. An error coin is unique and does not recur exactly the same with each strike. Certain coins commonly classified as errors are really varieties. Cuds, or major die breaks, are an example. While a cud may progress with successive strikes, these may still be seen in the same die state on more than one coin.

[Guest]

Joe,

Errors are collected because some of them are more rare than MS-70 & PF-70 coins. Imagine having a MS-70 or PF-70 triple struck coin. Although, I have not heard of one these.

 

COOLCOIN

[Hoot]

So David, are you saying that a variety is nothing more than a repeating error? I tend to think of varieties as those repeating errors that have to do with human error applied to the die making or maintenance process, ultimately affecting the outcome of more than one coin. This, in contrast to the repeating error coin due to a mechanical process (e.g., die failure). So, the two still don't cross for me: varieties vs. errors.

 

Hoot

[DWLange]

Errors are random in nature, though the resulting coins may look quite similar. A variety is some irregularity inherent in the die(s) that will produce the exact same effect with each strike, though progressive wearing/failing of the die(s) will result in differing die states over the lifespan of the die(s).

[Hoot]

Errors are random in nature...

 

Exactly my point David. Errors occur due to mechnical processes (modeled well by Weibull distributive properties), such as die failure. The initial failure is random, albeit that once it has occurred, the error repeats until caught, and yes, there is change as the die state changes. This does not make it a variety. A variety is non-random, conversely. Any supposition of this effect would, in my mind, be attributable to human influence. One could easily argue that overrdates, doubled dies, etc. are non-random and repeating.

 

Hoot

[davefperry]

My impression of the difference between errors and varieties had been that a variety would pass inspection while an error coin would be rejected and melted down if caught before release. Is there a grain of truth to this?

[Hoot]

Oh hell, the Mint'll melt anything! 1964 Peace Dollars, for example!

 

I honestly don't know the answer to your question Dave, but I have quite a few (VALUABLE) die crack errors (one pair of coins that are successional) that would likely pass inspection. Still an error, albeit a repeating error.

 

Hoot

[davefperry]

I guess the mint would let some errors like die cracks and slightly rotated die errors go without getting melted like an aluminum cent. Flawed but within specs.

I didn't know there were valuable die crack errors. The few I have aren't breathtaking and just bearly noticeable. There have been rumors of million dollar die crack errors but I'd thought it was just another urban legend.

[Hoot]

Dave - Sorry, I was only teasing about the VALUABLE die crack errors. Like you said, some are spectacular an may cause someone to pay extra for a nice coin, but not much!

 

Hoot

[trozau]

Here's a die crack. Probably not worth much premium but still worth hanging on to.

 

[Hoot]

Very cool. I have seen some spectacular ones as well. I can like them just like I can like clash marks - they're an added anomaly. The most spectacular die cracks I've yet seen are on early U.S. coppers. These can make a full circle around the letter devices of a coin. I've even wondered at times how the die could possibly still work if there appears to be an inner "slug" and outer "ring"!

 

Hoot

[JustMakesCents]

Let's not start naming this one!

[Guest]

I want it. I want it. I like it. I like it. I'll buy it. I'll buy it. Will you sell it?? Will you sell it????..

 

Coolcoin

Coolcoin

[trozau]

Sorry. I had bought it for my daughter when she competed in gymnastics and she loves it even with the die crack.

[davefperry]

So die cracks are real but any rumors as to their worth are urban legends. The olympic coin is a nice one.

Wrong sport but it looks like Tonya Harding on crack.

[Guest]

I like it. I like it. Anybody else have one???

 

Coolcoin

[Hoot]

looks like Tonya Harding on crack

 

Shame on you Dave! I should have come up with that pun!

 

Hoot

[Guest]

I like it. I like it. Anyone else have one like it???

 

Coolcoin

[SeanJ]

[[so die cracks are real but any rumors as to their worth are urban legends.]]

 

Not true always Dave. Ive paid pretty hefty premis to own some coins that just have "die cracks". For example I was bid up to over $40 for a 1839-O in VG. Normally the coin would sell for like $10 MAX. But it seems that other variety collectors noticed it had the shattered reverse die (VERY late die state)

[Guest]

Sean,

I like the crack on the gymnist coin do you have one?? I would easily pay 5 times the book value for such coins.

[davefperry]

For classic coins I can understand an upgrade in price. They're not going to make more of them. As for moderns; who knows how many more will surface?

And that's not a crack on moderns.

[SeanJ]

CoolCoin,

Sorry I dont have any "peeing gymnaists" coins

[Guest]

Sean,

What a funny name for the coin. I would never think to call it such a funny name. Do you know anyone who has any of them, other than TROZAU? I like it. I like it.

 

Coolcoin