Is there extra value in die cracks?
Watchbelieve
Posts: 527 ✭✭✭
So my question is that a die gets cracks over time, right? So would a die with such noticeable cracks be retired soon after a coin like this was struck? Is this how you diagnose a late die state? Btw I'm a one man show and don't know anyone personally who collects coins so that's why I have so many questions. I appreciate all of you and your comments. 
1
Comments
Also this coin weighs 6.01 grams. Is that worth having graded as an error for the weight
I like them.. they add character. Here is one I just got back from pcgs:
Die cracks are neat. The error guys use a better term, Die break. Die cracks are indications of the condition (die state) of the dies the coin was made from. For some types of coins, they can make a coin more valuable. Sometimes they identify a sought after coin like the 1861-O 50c struck by the Rebels. Die breaks can be helpful for grading when they go through one of the high parts of the relief. They can be used for authentication and when you see enough coins you'll see that very often they will occur in the same place on similar coins of different dates and mints.
That's what you have here. The was an over stressed part of the die at the base of Washington's bust. This is a very common break and adds nothing to the coin.
That's awesome. I love it. Especially the date
I like die cracks. Here is a SLQ with a few.
Die cracks add character to a coin and can also be used to authenticate certain coins. Cheers, RickO
Here is a well known die break that appears on many 1838-C $5 gold pieces.
By in large small die cracks on modern coins do not add any value. Very significant die breaks on modern coins can add value, but it’s mostly the "that's unusual" aspect and not from an orderly collection of progressively growing die cracks.
Many early U.S. coins, most notably half cents and large cents, are collected by die states. Collectors line up a group of coins that show the die cracks progressing in size. Some of these die states are rare and bring strong prices from the “right” collectors. Modern coins a rarely collected this way because so many dies are used to strike them.