Error specialists - what do you call the following error coin and what is one worth?

SanctionII

I have a Jefferson nickel error. It is a split planchet. Imainge the coin on a flat table standing on edge. Spilt the coin in half along the edge, all the way through the coin, with the result being two round, disks. One disk has the complete obverse and the other has the complete reverse.

The error I have is the disk with the complete reverse. From looking at the reverse, it appears to date from the 1970's or maybe early 1980's. The condition of the reverse is EF to maybe low AU. The side of the coin opposite the reverse is grainy and rough. An interesting feature of this side of the coin is that you can see a ghost impression of the portait of Jefferson superimposed over a ghost impression of Monticello [the force imparted by the hammer and anvil dies during striking must create ghost images inside the planchet (perhaps an expert metalurgist can chime in and explain the physics of what happens to the metal in a planchet during striking)].

Whatever the value of this error, I can only assume it would be expotentially greater if I had in my possession the other half of the coin containing the obverse.

Your thoughts and comments please (especially Mr. Weinberg).

WoodenJefferson

Sounds like one of the two following striking varieties of a mint error:

Struck on a laminated, split or broken palnchet.

III-D3 Struck on split planchet, rarity level 4-6
III-D-II Reedless coin broken during or after the strike, rarity level unk

True, if you had both the heads split coin and the reverse split coin, I know of one grading service possibly two who would encapsulate each a half and denote the error on the label. Course the slabs would be need to be kept together to increase the novelty and the value.

jonathanb

Check Heritage archives -- they've sold several. It's called, cleverly, a "split planchet". Without checking to confirm, I'm guessing in the $50-$150 range for one half. There is a premium for having matching halves, but less than you'd think, maybe 3x the price of one half alone.

MsMorrisine

is the split side also """XF to AU""" ? i.e. showing any wear?

SanctionII

The split side shows no wear at all. This leads me to believe that the split of the coin into two parts took place after the nickel had been in circulation for a while.

astrorat

Sounds like you have half of a complete split planchet. And you are correct, the real value is there if you have both halves. With one half, the obverse is more desirable than the reverse because of the date.

As to a guess about prices...an original set of both Jefferson halves in a nice circulated grade (like yours) would likely run about $200-$250. There is usually a set or two certified sets for sale on eBay in the $300-400 range.

Alone, the obverse half should run around $50-75 (depending on the date) and the reverse would be about $25-30.


Does your coin look something like this one (the half on the right)?




Lane

Edited to add image...

astrorat

ttt for the image...

SanctionII

Astrorat, thanks for posting the pictures of the split planchet Liberty Nickel.

The Jefferson I have is just like the coin you pictured, except that on my coin the ghost images of Jefferson's bust and of Monticello are clearly visable on the side opposite the reverse side of the coin.

Way cool error IMHO.

WoodenJefferson

If a coin splits after striking, the result is usually a
coin that is fully struck on one side, and may or
may not show a phantom strike on the other due to
pressure.

If a coin splits before striking, the result is usually a
weakly struck coin due to the fact that the split
planchet is too thin to fill the space between the
dies.

The way you talk, this coin did split in two after striking. The ghost image of Jefferson will increase the value by a small percent due to the novelty of the error. Think about this. The other section, the heads section, will have a reverse ghost image of Jefferson on the split side. Basically a thin two headed nickel.