Are new errors ever spotted by amateurs? What's the longest it's taken for an error to be spotted?

Newbie2021

Has an amateur ever gone through a pile of circulated coins, and spotted a previously unknown error?

What's the longest it's ever taken for an error to be spotted?

Also, is it possible there any any circulating coins out there with undiscovered errors?

Thank you!

Martin

I don’t know about a newbie but it is possible

The 1919 ddo dime took a about a 100 years to discover and it is a visible ddo

Yes it is possible and probable

Martin

Newbie2021

@Martin said:
I don’t know about a newbie but it is possible

The 1919 ddo dime took a about a 100 years to discover and it is a visible ddo

Yes it is possible and probable

Martin

Fascinating

MOS0231

@Newbie2021 said:
1. Has an amateur ever gone through a pile of circulated coins, and spotted a previously unknown error?

2. What's the longest it's ever taken for an error to be spotted?

3. Also, is it possible there any any circulating coins out there with undiscovered errors?

Thank you!

1. Yes
2. Don't know
3. Absolutely

Jzyskowski1

Another question I never thought about. I don’t know 😳 #1 probably #2. Longest it’s taken pretty dang dang long #3. Undiscovered out there possibly 🤓

JBK

Ummm.

I think you are asking about varieties.

Errors are one-offs and anyone can find them.

As for varieties such as doubled dies, while it is possible that a newbie to find one, because they are inexperienced it is far more likely that the anomalies they see are Machine Doubling, for example.

Newbie2021

@JBK said:
Ummm.

I think you are asking about varieties.

Errors are one-offs and anyone can find them.

As for varieties such as doubled dies, while it is possible that a newbie to find one, because they are inexperienced it is far more likely that the anomalies they see are Machine Doubling, for example.

Thanks!

291fifth

With many, many collectors now priced out of the market for rare coins of any significance there has been a move to looking for minor, and often very minor, varieties and errors. The lower the bar is set the more likely it is that such minor items can be found. Once found, the real task is to find a buyer who will pay a premium for such items.

jmlanzaf

@291fifth said:
With many, many collectors now priced out of the market for rare coins of any significance there has been a move to looking for minor, and often very minor, varieties and errors. The lower the bar is set the more likely it is that such minor items can be found. Once found, the real task is to find a buyer who will pay a premium for such items.

This.

Most errors or varieties are not highly collectible.

ricko

The most common varieties/errors we see posted in these times, are parking lot or dryer coins. So that proves that amateurs are certainly looking, ergo, it is possible they will find a real variety/error. Cheers, RickO

JBK

I will also add my old addage: if you want to find errors/varieties, look at more coins, don't look at your coins more closely.

Some people scrutinize every coin under a microscope to try to find the slightest anomaly that they then argue is some valuable error.

While they waste their time doing that, other collectors are tearing through rolls and boxes of coins finding the good stuff.

That is why it is far more productive for newer collectors to focus on looking for known varieties (some people also use "errors").

Newbie2021

@JBK said:
I will also add my old addage: if you want to find errors/varieties, look at more coins, don't look at your coins more closely.

Some people scrutinize every coin under a microscope to try to find the slightest anomaly that they then argue is some valuable error.

While they waste their time doing that, other collectors are tearing through rolls and boxes of coins finding the good stuff.

That is why it is far more productive for newer collectors to focus on looking for known varieties (sime people also use "errors").

This is great to know, thanks! What are the top 5 or so coins you would look for this way? I’m a total beginner.