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Early Error Coins
ClassicCoins
Posts: 13 ✭
I was browsing through a recent auction when I saw this error coin. I do not see errors on early US coinage often, and when I do they are in very worn grades. Do any of you know of people who collect mainly early error coins? Are there even enough of them out there to try to build an early error collection in au grades or higher? This coin did not seem to go for an astronomical price because it had an error, seems like a very interesting area of the hobby! Any thoughts or coins to share?
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Link to the auction record: https://coins.ha.com/itm/bust-half-dollars/half-dollars/1810-50c-off-center-partial-collar-strike-o-101a-r1-au58-pcgs/a/1252-3765.s?ic4=ListView-Thumbnail-071515
Can’t really add much regarding error collectors. But nice looking coin!
If you mean a date set of bust half off centers in au - that would be very difficult and take quite a long time! If lower grades and damaged/holed coins were considered, less so, but still tough. There are probably a few dates that would be impossible or nearly so to acquire.
I have an auction catalogue somewhere that is full of large cent and half cent error coins of all grades and types. Goes to show that these early errors are out there: you just have to find them.
I'm not sure about pricing, but if it sold for a good price as you say, it was likely due to it not being a dramatic error while also not being appealing as a date set coin, which would be less appealing to error collectors and seen as a defect to bust half collectors.
What do the bust experts think of the error designation? Is a partial collar possible with the type of collar that was used for these coins?
As far as Capped Bust type goes there's quite a LOT of error halves.
Quarters down to half dimes are scarce.
It is a fine line between error and low quality manufacturing compared to today's standards.
To me, an error would be wrong material, quarter struck on dime dies, etc.
The coin above, neat, cool, etc ., but to me, it is just the fact that manufacturing tolerance was pretty wide. It was not laxer precision back then. Look at the Spanish Reales / Pieces of Eight, lucky to be quasi square and nominally centered, but worked fine.
Interesting coin.... I have not seen many bust half errors.... Cheers, RickO
Pretty coin.
Struck out of collar but I don’t think they used a collar so maybe a simple misaligned die. Almost broadstruck
11.5$ Southern Dollars, The little “Big Easy” set
Very cool coin. Imo, off center as part of the design is missing. Top of one of the stars and the bottom of one of the leaves.
Depends on what your definition of LOTS is. I agree there are more halves than the other denominations but they are still quite scarce.
If you want to see the largest group of error halves ever sold at one time get a Bowers and Merena catalog of the Russell Logan collection. Russ specialized in Bust errors and accumulated quite a collection of them. He acquired the Stewart Witham collection of error halves and then added to it. Be ready to be amazed!
Also, most of the errors seem to be in lower grades. I guess they were carried as pocket pieces.
A: The year they spend more on their library than their coin collection.
A numismatist is judged more on the content of their library than the content of their cabinet.
David Perkins has one too