A great lesson learned by a son from his father

1630Boston

Mint Error or Die Variety?
By Ryan Moretti - May 2, 2016

Early on in my coin collecting career, I recall being in a small coin shop in Upstate New York. I remember staring at a 1955 Double Die Lincoln Cent my father was considering purchasing for his type album. He wouldn't settle for just any coin to fill his collection-it had to be a semi-key or better for the series. The dealer behind the counter said to my dad, "This example has the biggest separation of details compared to any other example I've ever seen. I have not owned a nicer example with such a spread from the first strike to the second." My father smiled and agreed with how nice the strike was. He then handed the man back his coin, and we departed the store without purchasing anything. On our way home, I asked him why he chose not to purchase the coin. I'll never forget the lesson learned on that ride home, as my dad explained to me the difference between a 'mint error' and a 'die variety.'

An error is a mechanical (machine) malfunction of some sort. Meaning, the machine itself jumped, bumped, slipped, turned, tilted, vibrated, or one of probably a hundred things that could go wrong during the striking process. Each malfunction that causes an error is unique, and, with a little research and understanding, is recognizable. Some may be very similar, but a striking error is always technically unique to the strike, which makes every error unique.

Some examples of errors are:

Off-centers
Rotated Dies
Struck Throughs
And Double Struck Coins.

The opposite is what makes a die variety. This is when the actual die has some kind of unique characteristic that is repeated exactly, or progressively, among multiple coin strikings. Just about every series has its own unique traceable die varieties. VAMS, Overtons, Cherry Pickers (Fivaz/Stanton), Snow, and Sheldon are just some of the well-documented, published, and recognized die variety series.

Some die variety examples are:

Re-engravings
Over Polishings
Repunched Mint Marks/Dates
And Die Cracks.

During that ride home, I learned how the 1955 Double Die Lincoln cent was a die variety and not an error. The coins were all struck from the same die-none of them could have any more or any less doubling than another example. They are not struck two times; they are struck only one time, but the die that struck them mistakenly has two dates and lettering, causing a mistake during the manufacturing process. After hearing the suspicious sales tactic of the shop owner, my dad knew it was best to smile and walk away. Not only was it a smart decision for my father, but it also became an early career lesson I will never forget.

WAYNEAS

Enjoyed your post.
I like the way you differentiated between an error and a variety strike.
Wayne

ricko

I run into similar situations frequently in my current field (firearms)... A lot of misinformation among new people, and as an instructor, I must correct the situation (often could be dangerous if left uncorrected). It is also not uncommon among sales people in firearms, since many are retail oriented and not professionals. Your Dad did the right thing in that situation. Cheers, RickO

divecchia

Great story. It explains well the difference between die varieties which will all be identical and errors which can be infinitely different.

Thanks for sharing that story with us.

Donato

jedm

From a salesperson's point of view I'm thinking that maybe the reason that your father declined was because of the seller's lack of knowledge or integrity in describing the characteristics of the coin; however, he maybe just didn't like the look of the coin. Either way a good educational thread and what I see as like a parable.

AMRC

Great story, and if you have ever walked a bourse with me you may come to understand that if I took some of the [censored] coming out of the mouths of dealers serious enough to impact me, I would miss a lot of nice coins. Not good, not bad, just is.

kaz

"This example has the biggest separation of details compared to any other example I've ever seen. "
that statement alone is hootworthy.

pmh1nic

Father knows best.

bolivarshagnasty

Thanks for sharing the story.

thefinn

You said something that I have tried to hammer home on coin forums for years. Great way to explain it with a story.

oreville

Difference in brightness of the copper planchet (full red vs darker brown) can also make the separation of the lettering appear more pronounced.

This does not in any way negate your Dad's lesson.