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I just have to ask: since when are die cracks considered a "mint error"?

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    oih82w8oih82w8 Posts: 13,112 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Must be a Dark Side thing...you might get more of a response in the World & Ancient Coins Forum?



    I would not consider it an error, but I am just a little fish in the big sea of numismatics.
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    CaptHenwayCaptHenway Posts: 34,002 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Technically it is a mint error, but so amazingly insignificant that the TPG's should not acknowledge it unless it becomes a heck of a lot bigger.
    Numismatist. 54 year member ANA. Former ANA Senior Authenticator. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and ANA Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Also won the PNG's Robert Friedberg Award for "The Enigmatic Lincoln Cents of 1922," Available now from Whitman or Amazon.
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    PokermandudePokermandude Posts: 2,713 ✭✭✭
    It's not a darkside thing, at least not in Canadian collecting. Die cracks have always been considered a variety at best, not errors.
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    ctf_error_coinsctf_error_coins Posts: 15,433 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Since always
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    FredWeinbergFredWeinberg Posts: 6,031 ✭✭✭✭✭
    A die crack from a cracked die is an error, not a variety.



    Retired Collector & Dealer in Major Mint Error Coins & Currency since the 1960's.Co-Author of Whitman's "100 Greatest U.S. Mint Error Coins", and the Error Coin Encyclopedia, Vols., III & IV. Retired Authenticator for Major Mint Errors for PCGS. A 50+ Year PNG Member.A full-time numismatist since 1972, retired in 2022.
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    1tommy1tommy Posts: 3,038 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Originally posted by: FredWeinberg

    A die crack from a cracked die is an error, not a variety.





    image


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    DennisHDennisH Posts: 14,040 ✭✭✭✭✭
    That is the first die crack I have seen attributed by measurement. Interesting.
    When in doubt, don't.
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    winkywinky Posts: 1,671
    Originally posted by: FredWeinberg
    A die crack from a cracked die is an error, not a variety.




    THANK YOU.
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    PokermandudePokermandude Posts: 2,713 ✭✭✭
    It had always been my understanding that something off which happens to the dies itself, and is struck onto multiple coins in the same manner, can constitute a variety. eg die doubling, die cracks, clashed dies, die polishing.



    Whereas something happening in the process of striking an individual coin, which often resolves itself before striking more coins with the same defect, would be considered an error. eg struck offcenter, strike throughs, brockages, etc.
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    PokermandudePokermandude Posts: 2,713 ✭✭✭
    FWIW this is an NGC article on the subject which is mostly consistent with my understanding of the variety vs error debate


    http://www.ngccoin.com/news/vi...le.aspx?IDarticle=1655
    http://stores.ebay.ca/Mattscoin - Canadian coins, World Coins, Silver, Gold, Coin lots, Modern Mint Products & Collections
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    BillJonesBillJones Posts: 35,860 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I would call die cracks a die state. I don't think of them as errors.
    Retired dealer and avid collector of U.S. type coins, 19th century presidential campaign medalets and selected medals. In recent years I have been working on a set of British coins - at least one coin from each king or queen who issued pieces that are collectible. I am also collecting at least one coin for each Roman emperor from Julius Caesar to ... ?
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    LanceNewmanOCCLanceNewmanOCC Posts: 19,999 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Originally posted by: Pokermandude

    FWIW this is an NGC article on the subject which is mostly consistent with my understanding of the variety vs error debate




    probably one of those iq test things whereas:



    all varieties are errors but not all errors are varieties. image

    .

    <--- look what's behind the mask! - cool link 1/NO ~ 2/NNP ~ 3/NNC ~ 4/CF ~ 5/PG ~ 6/Cert ~ 7/NGC 7a/NGC pop~ 8/NGCF ~ 9/HA archives ~ 10/PM ~ 11/NM ~ 12/ANACS cert ~ 13/ANACS pop - report fakes 1/ACEF ~ report fakes/thefts 1/NCIS - Numi-Classes SS ~ Bass ~ Transcribed Docs NNP - clashed coins - error training - V V mm styles -

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    MrEurekaMrEureka Posts: 24,740 ✭✭✭✭✭
    My understanding is that PCGS will not note die cracks on their labels unless you submit them as "mint errors", and pay the higher submission fee. So for the purpose of authentication and grading, the submission tier determines when die cracks are considered mint errors.
    Andy Lustig

    Doggedly collecting coins of the Central American Republic.

    Visit the Society of US Pattern Collectors at USPatterns.com.
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    FredWeinbergFredWeinberg Posts: 6,031 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Andy, PCGS will not put 'die cracked' or 'die crack' on

    every coin submitted under the Mint Error tier.





    Retired Collector & Dealer in Major Mint Error Coins & Currency since the 1960's.Co-Author of Whitman's "100 Greatest U.S. Mint Error Coins", and the Error Coin Encyclopedia, Vols., III & IV. Retired Authenticator for Major Mint Errors for PCGS. A 50+ Year PNG Member.A full-time numismatist since 1972, retired in 2022.
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    MrEurekaMrEureka Posts: 24,740 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Originally posted by: FredWeinberg
    Andy, PCGS will not put 'die cracked' or 'die crack' on
    every coin submitted under the Mint Error tier.





    I wasn't suggesting that they would. I'm only saying that they will NEVER put it on a label unless the coin is submitted as a mint error, even if it's from a cracked die. Am I wrong?
    Andy Lustig

    Doggedly collecting coins of the Central American Republic.

    Visit the Society of US Pattern Collectors at USPatterns.com.
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    FredWeinbergFredWeinberg Posts: 6,031 ✭✭✭✭✭
    OK, got it..



    You're right- they're not going to put 'die crack' on a regular submission,

    Retired Collector & Dealer in Major Mint Error Coins & Currency since the 1960's.Co-Author of Whitman's "100 Greatest U.S. Mint Error Coins", and the Error Coin Encyclopedia, Vols., III & IV. Retired Authenticator for Major Mint Errors for PCGS. A 50+ Year PNG Member.A full-time numismatist since 1972, retired in 2022.
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    CaptHenwayCaptHenway Posts: 34,002 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Originally posted by: DennisH

    That is the first die crack I have seen attributed by measurement. Interesting.




    Size matters.
    Numismatist. 54 year member ANA. Former ANA Senior Authenticator. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and ANA Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Also won the PNG's Robert Friedberg Award for "The Enigmatic Lincoln Cents of 1922," Available now from Whitman or Amazon.
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    LanceNewmanOCCLanceNewmanOCC Posts: 19,999 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Originally posted by: BillJones

    I would call die cracks a die state. I don't think of them as errors.




    the question is, "if coin(s) that left the mint(s) with cracks (pre-breaks) circumventing the mints effort(s) at subjugation of said "error(s)",

    just where is the line drawn on qualiry control thus making a coin an error?"



    can dies or flans actually circumvent being that they inanimate objects? if we all are made of the same stuff (elementary particles or at

    least sub-atomic, when does choice enter the equation)(molds, spores, virus', etc) tend to be reactionary based on proximity to other

    specific defined amalgamations of matter. so, if flans are in proximity with the particulate arrangements know as homosapiens, do errors

    simply occur? how close do they need to be before the errors stop and is it truly possible to separate any matter that which is arguably

    interconnected across all space, dimensions and time?



    ok, nuff of that.



    coin(s) that are even minimally m.a.d, o/c chipped, struck-through etc etc should ALL be errors not only because of their diagnostics but

    because they were erroneously released, or at least those that exceeded mint tolerances. (all others being acceptable and not errors by

    standards, nit definiton?



    this (mint tolerances) are political and highly subjective as complete subjugation of every coin at the level of complete strike, center,

    weight, composition etc etc is simply beyond human control at the high mintages ran (by homosapien standards) and including

    series/type with even lower mintages like proofs that exhibit numerous types of errors and abundantly at that given the amount produced

    from the standpoint of percent of non-error to error coin ratio. - paragraph not properly worded but point is made.



    breather, ugh

    .

    <--- look what's behind the mask! - cool link 1/NO ~ 2/NNP ~ 3/NNC ~ 4/CF ~ 5/PG ~ 6/Cert ~ 7/NGC 7a/NGC pop~ 8/NGCF ~ 9/HA archives ~ 10/PM ~ 11/NM ~ 12/ANACS cert ~ 13/ANACS pop - report fakes 1/ACEF ~ report fakes/thefts 1/NCIS - Numi-Classes SS ~ Bass ~ Transcribed Docs NNP - clashed coins - error training - V V mm styles -

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    LanceNewmanOCCLanceNewmanOCC Posts: 19,999 ✭✭✭✭✭
    .

    awe crap. can what i typed be fully read?



    a good portion is cut off. grrr

    .

    edited to add



    should be fixed

    . now.

    <--- look what's behind the mask! - cool link 1/NO ~ 2/NNP ~ 3/NNC ~ 4/CF ~ 5/PG ~ 6/Cert ~ 7/NGC 7a/NGC pop~ 8/NGCF ~ 9/HA archives ~ 10/PM ~ 11/NM ~ 12/ANACS cert ~ 13/ANACS pop - report fakes 1/ACEF ~ report fakes/thefts 1/NCIS - Numi-Classes SS ~ Bass ~ Transcribed Docs NNP - clashed coins - error training - V V mm styles -

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    ctf_error_coinsctf_error_coins Posts: 15,433 ✭✭✭✭✭
    How about this:

    Big huge die cracks errors can carry a nice premium while small little ones seldom do.

    Nice proof die crack errors can also carry nice premiums, and silver proof ones even better.

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    ms70ms70 Posts: 13,958 ✭✭✭✭✭
    PCGS considers some die clashing a variety. That's not too much different than a die crack as far as an incident occurring at the mint goes.
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    19Lyds19Lyds Posts: 26,503 ✭✭✭✭
    Originally posted by: CaptHenway

    Technically it is a mint error, but so amazingly insignificant that the TPG's should not acknowledge it unless it becomes a heck of a lot bigger.


    Bigger is definitely the key!



    image



    image

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    1Mike11Mike1 Posts: 4,445 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Originally posted by: CaptHenway
    Originally posted by: DennisH
    That is the first die crack I have seen attributed by measurement. Interesting.


    Size matters.


    Especially when it comes to television screens. image

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    silverpopsilverpop Posts: 6,953 ✭✭✭✭✭
    guys why gripe about such minor things when there are major issues facing this hobby

    focus here people let's get the major issues settled then worry about the minor

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    messydeskmessydesk Posts: 20,781 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Originally posted by: BillJones

    I would call die cracks a die state. I don't think of them as errors.


    This. For me, errors are transient striking mishaps, not attributes of a die.



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    leothelyonleothelyon Posts: 8,551 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Die cracks are unforeseeable flaws in the dies that strike the planchets.......it's going to happen. Like someone has said, it's an impossible labor to prevent such coins from reaching circulation, why give it any significance? Heavily worn dies where the original design has been almost completely obliterated from the end product, the coin, is readily found in holders and no-one has ever given such coins a 20 keystroke attention in a label. Really? And they actually measured a crack in the design. If they have this much time to give to a flaw from the production of coins, they certainly could note whether a coin is fully struck before encapsulating it with a MS66 or MS67 label.


    Leo

    The more qualities observed in a coin, the more desirable that coin becomes!

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    PerryHallPerryHall Posts: 47,584 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Originally posted by: FredWeinberg

    A die crack from a cracked die is an error, not a variety.







    Actually, die cracks and die clashes are both varieties and an errors. They are errors because die cracks and die clashes are not an intentional part of the coin's design. They are also varieties since they are used to differentiate coins struck from different dies. As an example, many VAM varieties are identified using die cracks and/or die clashes. That said, most die cracks and die clashes are very common and don't add any value to the coin. They are however very interesting to study under magnification.

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    UMCaneUMCane Posts: 213 ✭✭✭
    I've hardly seen a Morgan WITHOUT a die crack. Sometimes to the point where one wonders what is holding the die together image



    Some 360 degree cracks are interesting, but as mint error? Nah

    "Just because you were born on 3rd base doesn't mean you hit a triple"

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    NysotoNysoto Posts: 3,832 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I agree that die cracks are die states, or more appropriately die stages, as they are usually a progression going through distinct stages in severity.

    With early US coins, die cracks were expected, though not wanted. To call them errors is not correct as they were expected and still used long after detected. A true error would result in discarded dies by the Mint when detected, which was not done until the cracks became very large or a piece of the die fell out (cud), or if the dies cracked while hardening. Smaller cracks on dies were common and expected, and the Mint continued to use them to strike coins.

    Robert Scot's words in 1795, "The Original Die being compleat, and Hubb struck; by failure in hardening it, it becomes useless immediately, or very soon so...With a compleat success in the preceding processes which has hardly ever happened, a head Die as above may be finished in a day...From the same source of uncertain decision whereby the time of executing the Dies cannot be ascertained, arises the same difficulty of determining how long they will last. Namely, the precariousness and uncertainty of hardening and tempering the Dies, whereby they are often lost without striking a single coin."
    Robert Scot: Engraving Liberty - biography of US Mint's first chief engraver
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    TopographicOceansTopographicOceans Posts: 6,535 ✭✭✭✭
    Well, the coin was not produced correctly and it left the mint bypassing quality control.


    It's not PMD, so if you have to point the finger at someone, it would be an error at the mint.
    image
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    rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Of course it is a mint error... It is a mint tool, a mint process and a mint quality issue...

    Cheers, RickO
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    JRoccoJRocco Posts: 14,277 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Originally posted by: TopographicOceans

    Well, the coin was not produced correctly and it left the mint bypassing quality control.





    It's not PMD, so if you have to point the finger at someone, it would be an error at the mint.

    image






    And some are quite dramatic

    image

    Some coins are just plain "Interesting"
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    MrEurekaMrEureka Posts: 24,740 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Originally posted by: messydesk
    Originally posted by: BillJones
    I would call die cracks a die state. I don't think of them as errors.

    This. For me, errors are transient striking mishaps, not attributes of a die.




    I agree with Bill.

    As for the "transient striking mishap" thing, not really. The striking process can go perfectly, but a pre-existing die crack will still appear on the coin.

    Andy Lustig

    Doggedly collecting coins of the Central American Republic.

    Visit the Society of US Pattern Collectors at USPatterns.com.
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